Benchmarking and Compliance

Seattle, Washington: Building Energy Benchmarking and Reporting Legislation (Ordinance 123226)

The Seattle Building Energy Benchmarking and Reporting legislation (Ordinance 123226) requires commercial and multifamily building owners to conduct annual energy performance tracking through the EPA Portfolio Manager.

Benchmarking Due Dates:
April 1, 2012: Non-Residential 50,000 SF or Greater – PAST DUE
October 1, 2012: Multifamily 50,000 SF or Greater – PAST DUE

April 1, 2013: Non-Residential & Multifamily 20,000 to 49,999 SF

April 1, 2013: Non-Residential & Multifamily 50,000 SF or Greater

Violations and Penalties: 

Failure to submit an annual benchmarking report to the City of Seattle will result in accessed penalties that accrue quarterly, starting 90 days after the reporting deadlines for each year of required building energy data. The Energy Benchmarking and Reporting Program penalty structure has been designed to encourage compliance. Building owners that do not comply with Seattle Municipal Code 22.920.010 will be sent a Notice of Violation with an accessed penalty amount for failure to report. If a building owner does not correct the violation within the next quarter, the penalty amount increases through a quarterly accruing fine amount.

Quarterly penalty amounts are based on building size:

  • Non-residential and multifamily buildings 50,000 SF or greater - $1,000 per quarter
    Total annual penalty of $4,000 per reporting year.
  • Non-residential and multifamily buildings 20,000 to 49,999 SF - $500 per quarter
    Total annual penalty of $2,000 per reporting year.
Penalties will be assessed as follows for the following past due and upcoming energy reports:

Year of Energy Data Required

Building Type & Size

Reporting Deadline

Penalty for Failure
to Report
2011 Non-Residential
50,000 SF or Greater		 April 1, 2012

 January 1, 2013
$3,000 fine assessed (three quarters past due)
2011 Multifamily
50,000 SF or Greater		 October 1, 2012

 January 18, 2013
$1,000 fine assessed (one quarter past due)
2012 Non-Residential & Multifamily
20,000 to 49,999 SF		 April 1, 2013

 July 1, 2013
$500 fine assessed
2012 Non-Residential & Multifamily
50,000 SF or Greater		 April 1, 2013
 July 1, 2013
$1,000 fine assessed

Read Additional Details from City of Seattle

Follow-up Law Description: On and after a facility’s due date, an owner or operator of a building must disclose benchmarking data and ratings for the most recent 12 month period to current tenants, prospective tenants, potential buyers, and potential lenders considering an application for financing or refinancing the building.  Additional Details

Like fuel efficiency ratings on vehicles, transparent building energy ratings enable the market to assess energy performance and identify buildings where energy costs are lower.  Governments and utility companies can analyze ratings to create better public policies and incentives to improve building performance, and help measure progress toward efficiency goals.

Find out about what is happening in your city or state on Building Rating’s website.

Both Washington State and the City of Seattle have legislation in place that requires structures to rate and disclose their energy performance. As an Energy Star Partner, we are working with commercial buildings of all sizes and types to get them into compliance.

Read more about the City of Seattle ordinance from our president, Kevin Dingle.

See our profile on Northwest Energy Efficiency Council’s Site.

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