The Building Energy and Water Scoring program (Chapter 12, Article XI) requires transparency of energy and water efficiency of commercial and multifamily buildings 5,000 square feet and above. Comparing the energy and water performance of one building against another in the same sector allows commercial real estate stakeholders such as building owners, operators, and tenants, to evaluate the highest-performing, lowest-operating cost option, and to monitor their performance in the market place.
Benefits:
- Improve your building’s net operating income (NOI)
- Identify and prioritize future building improvements
- Advertise your building’s performance and differentiate yourself in the marketplace
- Retain tenants and improve occupancy
Each year, owners of covered buildings are required to comply by fulfilling one of two pathways:
- Benchmark energy and water use, and report to the City using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
- Submit a valid EXEMPTION request
Want to learn more? Following the how to guide to report to the City
- Do I need to comply?highlight_off
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Compliance Deadline - March 1 annually#
![Compliance Timeline]()
Commercial and Multifamily covered buildings are defined by ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Row homes, townhomes, industrial, and agricultural facilities are eligible for an exemption.
- How do I comply?highlight_off
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Comply with the Benchmarking Ordinance in 5 quick steps.
Follow the How to Guide for more detailed instructions
Step 1 - Create an ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager Account#
Create an ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager account here.
Follow along in the How to Guide at page 2-4
Step 2 – Review Data Needed#
- Determine your property use type.
- The Portfolio Manager Data Collection Worksheet can be used to start collecting your information.
Follow along in the How to Guide at page 5-10
Step 3 - Connect Electricity and Water Meters#
Fort Collins Utilities Customers
- Connect your Portfolio Manager meters HERE. Fort Collins Utilities offers automated uploads of your utility usage.
Follow along in the How to Guide at page 11-20
Other Utility providers
- Not a Fort Collins water customer? Find other water district contact information HERE.
Follow along in the How to Guide at page 21-26
Step 4 - Request natural gas information#
Xcel Energy Benchmarking program details
Xcel customers can find information on requesting natural gas data through their Benchmarking Tool.
Step 5 - Report#
Find your Building ID to report usage to the City.
Follow along in the How to Guide at page 27-28
2020 Reporting Link (requesting 2019 data) - HERE
Before submitting your REPORT to the City
- Enter all energy, water, and space use information in Portfolio Manager. Data should be entered from January 1 - December 31 for the calendar year being reported for each covered building.
- Ensure that you run Portfolio Manager's tool to check for possible data errors prior to submittal to ensure that you have no errors in your data submission. The Data Quality Checker time frame should align with the calendar year being reported.
- How do I apply for EXEMPTION?highlight_off
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The Ordinance includes exemptions to the requirements based on capabilities of Portfolio Manager and unique building characteristics. Covered building owners who do not submit a report are required to apply for one of the following exemptions:
- Building with average physical occupancy of less than sixty (60) percent
- Building with demolition permit
- Building with financial distress
- Building used for industrial or agricultural processes
- Building with confidential business practice
- Building with unique circumstances, if approved by the City Manager’s Office.
The City will review exemptions that are submitted by September 1 prior to the reporting deadline, and will respond to inquiries within 90 days after the September 1 deadline.
To apply for an exemption, please fill out the Exemption Request Form.
- Building Definitions and Scenarioshighlight_off
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Building owners are required to report if the building footprint is equal to or greater than 5,000 SF. Building owner includes any person or entity including common interest ownership groups that have a legal or equitable interest in real property and the associated asset features of the building(s) located on the parcel. Review Fort Collins Building Scenarios to learn if you are required to report.
- Violations and Non-compliancehighlight_off
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The Building Energy and Water Scoring program is enforceable under Sec 12-207 of the Fort Collins Municipal Code (including a $1,000 fine for each year of noncompliance), and the failure to comply in any calendar year shall constitute a single violation in that calendar year. Fort Collins staff will send out a Notice of Need to Comply letter followed by a Notice of Violation to any building owner of a covered building who does not comply within 30 days following March 1 of each year, and citations will be issued March 1 of the year following the required reporting year.
Note that Fort Collins staff is available to provide technical assistance and resources to any building owner to help them comply with the ordinance. Contact Buildingscoring@fcgov.com or call 970-416-2733 for additional questions.
Compliance
Additional Compliance information, including reporting link and exemption requests.
Resources
Resources available from Fort Collins Utilities, including ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager support and Data Requests.
Data Requests
With the MyData portal, Utilities offers a direct feed of building energy usage data into ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.