Ann Arbor Energy Benchmarking

The City of Ann Arbor's City Council unanimously adopted the Energy and Water Benchmarking Ordinance in October 2021. The ordinance requires that building owners and managers of buildings greater than 20,000 square feet benchmark or track their building's energy and water use. This data is reported annually to the City of Ann Arbor through the EPA's ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool.

In June 2020, City Council unanimously adopted the A2ZERO Carbon Neutrality Plan, a document created with input from thousands of Ann Arborites to lay out seven strategies for our community to achieve carbon neutrality. The A2ZERO Plan ensures that buildings in Ann Arbor, which account for 68% of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions, are as energy and water efficient as possible with one of its seven core strategies.

Benchmarking is an easy way for buildings to measure and manage their energy and water use. The ordinance will help improve the energy efficiency of large buildings across Ann Arbor. Building owners will be able to look across their portfolio to identify opportunities for energy and financial savings, and understand how their buildings are performing relative to buildings of similar characteristics.

Public buildings greater than 10,000 square feet and commercial, industrial, and multifamily buildings greater than 20,000 square feet are required to submit a benchmarking report to the City of Ann Arbor.

Properties comprised of more than one building that fall under the following property types may benchmark each building separately but must report all associated buildings to th​e City of Ann Arbor as a single campus.

• K-12 School

• Multifamily Housing

• Hospital

• Hotel

• Senior Living Community

Your building may qualify for an exemption if you meet any of the following:

• The Property did not have a Certificate of Occupancy or temporary Certificate of Occupancy for that full year; or

• The Property had a physical occupancy rate of less than 50 percent over at least 10 months of that year; or

• The Property was in foreclosure; or

• A demolition permit for the entire Property was issued during that year, provided that demolition work commenced, and legal occupancy was no longer possible prior to the end of that year; or

• The Property or building is solely occupied by the Owner of the Property and is not offered for lease, rental, or similar commercial arrangement to any person or entity, or the only entities or individuals permitted to lease or rent the property are owners of the Property or entities have the same owner(s) as the owner(s) of the Property.

• Properties or buildings in which the only persons or entities permitted to lease or rent the buildings have the same owner(s) as the owner(s) of the Property. In order for this exception to apply, the owner must certify to the City that this exception applies.

The City requires building owners to report their energy and water usage annually via the ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager tool by June 1st.

All energy utilities including electricity, natural gas, district energy, and any other purchased fuel type used to operate your building

Water is another utility that is required for reporting.

A violation of any provision of this chapter is a civil infraction punishable by a fine of not more than $500.00 for a first offense, and not more than $1,000.00 for each additional or subsequent offense. Knowingly submitting a false Benchmarking Report or submitting it with reckless disregard for the truth and accuracy of it and/or the data on which it is based is a civil infraction punishable by a fine of not more than $500.00.

Building owners must report their energy usage data to EPA’s Portfolio Manager, a reporting tool that allows building owners to compare their building’s energy efficiency with similar buildings.

However:

• Touchstone IQ for Buildings is a fast, easy-to-use tool that integrates directly with EPA’s Portfolio Manager

• Touchstone IQ also offers expert-led benchmarking to building owners and managers looking for streamlined compliance and cost-saving recommendations

Many benchmarking ordinances require a Building ID as part of the report submission process. If needed, you may be able to find your Building ID number here.

• Ann Arbor Commercial and Multifamily Energy Benchmarking Program

• Ann Arbor’s Energy and Water Benchmarking Ordinance

Touchstone IQ for Buildings offers expert-led benchmarking and easy DIY tools for Ann Arbor’s large properties. Simplify energy benchmarking compliance while gaining the tools to save money and build your energy intelligence with our exclusive software platform. Gain access to the nation's leading energy experts to ensure significant improvements in your energy usage for your commercial, multifamily, or public building. Our team has partnered with entities of all sizes to reduce their carbon footprint, reach ambitious targets, and comply with new regulations. Whether you're looking for comprehensive, step-by-step guidance to craft your energy management plan or a convenient, intuitive benchmarking solution, we've got you covered. Schedule your free personalized demo today or contact us for pricing or questions.