Austin (TX)

Mandates energy disclosures for all buildings served by Austin Energy within the City of Austin. This initiative aims to foster increased Austin Building Energy Benchmarking and mitigate the environmental impact of the urban landscape.

Who Needs to Comply

ECAD affects commercial, multifamily, and residential building proprietors. Commercial structures exceeding 10,000 square feet must furnish annual rating reports. Multifamily complexes with five or more units must undergo an energy audit every decade.

Residential dwellings, at least a decade old and comprising fewer than four units, must undergo an energy audit before sale, with the findings disclosed to prospective buyers.

Deadlines

For commercial building owners, benchmarking is mandatory by June 1 annually following the initial deadline. Residential homes must undergo benchmarking prior to sale. Multifamily properties must undergo an energy audit in the year the property reaches a decade in age. This audit remains valid for the subsequent decade, after which another audit becomes mandatory.

Reporting Procedure

Commercial building owners are obligated to report their energy usage data to the EPA’s Portfolio Manager, facilitating comparisons with similar structures. All multifamily and residential energy audit reports must be completed and submitted by qualified ECAD energy professionals.

Penalties

Fines may reach up to $2,000.00 per year.