Berkeley (CA)

Mandates property owners to conduct evaluations of their buildings’ energy performance and identify enhancement opportunities through Berkeley Building Energy Benchmarking.

Who Needs to Comply

BESO requirements vary based on the building’s type and size:

• Single-family homes of 1-4 units necessitate an assessment at the time of listing.
• Buildings ranging from 850 to 14,999 square feet require an assessment at the time of listing.
• Buildings spanning 15,000 to 24,999 square feet mandate an assessment at the time of listing and subsequently require annual benchmarking from summer 2022.
• Buildings exceeding 25,000 square feet necessitate an assessment every five years along with annual benchmarking.

Deadlines

Annual reports are due by July 1st each year.

Reporting Procedure

While Berkeley Building Energy Benchmarking improvements and electrification suggestions are not obligatory, they are encouraged. BESO compliance is mandatory before the sale of a house or an entire building under 25,000 square feet and follows a recurring five-year cycle for large multifamily and commercial buildings. Building owners obligated to submit an annual ENERGY STAR® Performance Report must relay their energy consumption data to the EPA’s Portfolio Manager. You can contact F&D Partners for more information and assistance!

Penalties

Fines can amount to up to $1,000.00 per year.