Portland Amplifies Green Efforts: Multifamily Buildings Now Under Energy Benchmarking Spotlight
Portland, Oregon, a city renowned for its commitment to sustainability, is taking another significant stride towards a greener future. Following the successful implementation of energy benchmarking for commercial buildings, the city is now expanding this crucial initiative to include multifamily residential buildings. This move aims to increase transparency around energy consumption, encourage efficiency improvements, and ultimately contribute to Portland's ambitious climate action goals.
For those unfamiliar, energy benchmarking involves tracking a building's energy use over time and comparing it to similar buildings. This data provides valuable insights for building owners and managers, highlighting areas where energy consumption can be reduced, leading to lower operating costs and a smaller environmental footprint.
Portland's initial benchmarking ordinance, which came into effect several years ago, has already demonstrated positive impacts in the commercial sector. By making energy performance visible, it has spurred investments in energy efficiency upgrades and fostered a culture of conservation. Now, the city is setting its sights on the multifamily sector, recognizing its significant contribution to overall energy consumption.
The Proposed Timeline: Key Dates for Multifamily Compliance
The expansion of the benchmarking requirement will be rolled out in phases to allow building owners and managers adequate time to understand the requirements and implement the necessary tracking systems. While the official ordinance details are still being finalized, the proposed timeline currently looks like this:
Phase 1 (Likely starting in late 2025 or early 2026): Buildings with fifty or more residential units will be the first to be required to benchmark their energy use. This initial phase targets the largest multifamily properties, which collectively account for a substantial portion of the city's residential energy consumption. Owners and managers of these buildings should begin familiarizing themselves with benchmarking tools and data collection processes.
Phase 2 (Likely following 1-2 years after Phase 1): The requirement will then extend to buildings with 25 to 49 residential units. This phase brings a sizable number of additional properties into the benchmarking framework. Owners of these mid-sized multifamily buildings should anticipate the need to comply within this timeframe and start preparing accordingly.
Phase 3 (Likely following 1-2 years after Phase 2): Finally, the ordinance is expected to encompass buildings with twenty or more residential units. This final phase will bring the majority of multifamily properties in Portland under the energy benchmarking umbrella, creating a comprehensive dataset of residential energy performance across the city.
What This Means for Building Owners and Managers
The expanded benchmarking requirement will necessitate that owners and managers of affected multifamily buildings track their energy consumption data, typically through utility bills. This data will then need to be entered into a designated online platform provided by the City of Portland. The platform will allow for the generation of energy performance metrics and comparisons with similar buildings.
While this new requirement may seem like an added administrative burden, it presents significant opportunities:
Identify Cost Savings: Benchmarking can reveal inefficiencies and areas where energy use can be reduced through operational improvements or capital investments, ultimately lowering utility bills.
Increase Property Value: Energy-efficient buildings are increasingly attractive to renters and buyers, potentially leading to higher occupancy rates and property values.
Enhance Sustainability Efforts: Benchmarking provides a baseline for tracking progress towards sustainability goals and demonstrating a commitment to environmental responsibility.
Access Resources and Support: The City of Portland is expected to provide resources, training, and technical assistance to help building owners and managers navigate the benchmarking process.
Prepare for BEPS requirements in 2028: Like in other jurisdictions, the mandatory energy benchmarking requirements compel utility providers to deliver aggregated whole building data in Energy Star Portfolio to ensure the building can comply with the requirement. Obtaining the data in 2025 or early 2026 provides the building owner to understand their current property performance against the standard and adjust if necessary.
Looking Ahead: A Greener Portland for All
The expansion of energy benchmarking to multifamily buildings is a crucial step in Portland's journey towards a more sustainable and resilient future. By fostering greater transparency and accountability in energy consumption across all building types, the city is empowering its residents and property owners to contribute to its climate action objectives.
Building owners and managers are encouraged to stay informed about the specific details and timelines of the upcoming ordinance. Proactive engagement and preparation will ensure a smooth transition and allow them to fully leverage the benefits of energy benchmarking. As Portland continues to lead the way in urban sustainability, this latest initiative promises to create a greener, more energy-efficient city for all its residents. For more information regarding energy benchmarking for multifamily buildings in Portland, click here.
Need help?
GreenT Climate Software is here to assist! We are tracking new and existing jurisdictional energy requirements. We can evaluate your current property performance to see your risk with respect to existing and emerging BPS and provide recommendations to the compliance pathway that works best for your building. Contact us for all your needs and questions. We can support you in deciding your pathway to compliance, model your whole building data, and more!
