§ 15.03. Benchmarking requirements.

(1)

No later than May 1, 2017, and no later than every May 1 each year thereafter, each covered city property shall benchmark energy use for the previous calendar year by the entity primarily responsible for the management of such property, in coordination with the director. However, benchmarking is not required for a covered city property, if:

(a)

the property does not have a certificate of occupancy or temporary certificate of occupancy for the full calendar year being benchmarked, or

(b)

full demolition permit has been issued during the previous calendar year, provided that demolition work has commenced, some energy-related systems have been compromised and legal occupancy is no longer possible prior to May 1, or

(c)

the property does not receive utility services.

(2)

No later than May 1, 2018, and no later than every May 1 each year thereafter, the owner of a covered non-city property shall benchmark energy use of such property for the previous calendar year. However, benchmarking is not required for a covered non-city property, if:

(a)

it meets any of the exemptions defined for a covered city property; or

(b)

the director determines that, due to special circumstances unique to the applicant's facility and not based on a condition caused by actions of the applicant, strict compliance with provisions of this ordinance would cause undue hardship or would not be in the public interest; or

(c)

the property qualifies as having a financial hardship; or

(d)

the property is considered "industry," "manufacturing," or is part of a theme park; or

(e)

substantially all of such non-city property is used for telecommunications infrastructure; or

(f)

more than 3 meters are associated with the covered non-city property, and,

(i)

the electric utility does not provide whole-building data aggregation services, and,

(ii)

the owner does not have access to master meters or other means. Once such services are available from the utility, as determined by the office, such buildings will no longer be exempt from benchmarking requirements, and such buildings shall file initial benchmarking reports in the year following such data availability according to the schedule established in this part.

Any entity or owner requesting an exemption from benchmarking shall provide the director, by February 1 in the year for which the exemption is requested, any documentation reasonably necessary to substantiate the request or otherwise assist the director in the exemption determination. Any exemption granted shall be limited to the benchmarking submission date for which the request was made and does not extend to past or future submittals.

(3)

The owner shall annually provide a benchmarking submission for each covered property to the director, in an electronic format through U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, or as established by the director, by the date specified in this Part.

(4)

Benchmarking must be performed by a "Qualified Benchmarker", who shall enter such information into the benchmarking tool as a "Unique Identifier" for such property in order to verify that they possess the required qualifications.

(5)

Before making a benchmarking submission, the Qualified Benchmarker shall run all automated data quality-checker functions available within the benchmarking tool, and shall correct all missing or incorrect information identified.

(6)

Where the current owner learns that any information reported as part of the benchmarking submission is inaccurate or incomplete, the information so reported must be amended in the benchmarking tool by Qualified Benchmarker, and the owner shall provide the director with an updated benchmarking submission performed by a Qualified Benchmarker within 30 days of learning of the inaccuracy.

(Ord. No. 2016-64, § 1, 12-5-2016, Doc. #1612051208)