Seattle (WA)

Mandates owners of non-residential and multifamily buildings with a floor area of 20,000 square feet or more to monitor energy performance and annually report to the City of Seattle. Given that buildings contribute to over one third of Seattle’s core greenhouse gas emissions, the benchmarking policy aligns with Seattle’s objectives to curtail energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions from existing structures.

Key provisions of the law include:

Aiming to reduce energy consumption by 10% in commercial buildings and 20% in residential buildings by 2030.

Mandating large buildings (both multifamily and nonresidential) to benchmark performance using Portfolio Manager and disclose outcomes to the Seattle Department of Planning and Development.

Requiring building owners to divulge performance data to potential tenants, buyers, and lenders.

Policy Impact

Benchmarking energy usage is projected to have a lasting effect on building efficiency in Seattle, translating into reduced business operational expenses and enhanced affordability in housing. By fostering efficiency and energy conservation, the city can circumvent the necessity for additional power plants and electricity capacity.

Applicable Entities

The ordinance applies to owners or managers of all non-residential and multifamily buildings exceeding 20,000 square feet in size.

Submission Deadlines

Building owners are now granted until January 2, 2023, to submit their annual benchmark reports for the year 2021. Following this deadline, non-compliant owners will face escalated fines, doubling in the second quarter, based on building size.

Reporting Procedures

Owners must furnish their previous year’s energy usage reports through the EPA’s Portfolio Manager platform to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Penalty Structure

Fines for non-compliance vary based on building size:

• Buildings ranging from 20,000 to 49,999 square feet incur a $1,000 fine.
• Buildings exceeding 50,000 square feet face a $2,000 fine.