Compliance & Benchmarking

Building Performance Standards Compliance

Navigate California's building performance requirements with step-by-step guidance for achieving and maintaining compliance. Find the tools, timelines, and technical support you need to meet your building's performance targets.

Understanding Your Compliance Requirements

Compliance begins with knowing which standards apply to your building. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, building size, and property type. Most programs apply to buildings over 25,000 square feet and establish performance targets that become more stringent over time, typically with 4-5 year compliance cycles.

The Compliance Process

Compliance involves three main phases:

  1. Annual benchmarking and reporting of your building's energy use

  2. Meeting established performance targets by specified deadlines

  3. Demonstrating compliance through approved documentation and verification methods.

Compliance Pathways

California's approach offers flexibility in how you achieve compliance. Options typically include energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy installations, purchasing renewable energy credits, or demonstrating equivalent performance through alternative compliance pathways approved by your jurisdiction. More on Compliance Pathways here.

Penalties and Enforcement

Non-compliance can result in fines, penalties, or restrictions on building permits and transactions. Understanding enforcement mechanisms and penalty structures helps you prioritize compliance planning and avoid costly violations.

Links to Compliance & Benchmarking Resources

  • Technical guidance for commercial and multifamily compliance strategies. Link to Wherever Here.

  • This webpage will guide you in obtaining and tracking your energy and water consumption, using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager®. This will help you comply with the City of Los Angeles’ Existing Building Energy and Water Efficiency Ordinance (EBEWE), which became effective January 1, 2017. It also serves to comply with State Legislation that requires statewide building energy use benchmarking.

    Links to LADWP Resource

  • Watch Now: Browse through more than 100 recorded ENERGY STAR webinars on various topics, all available for on-demand viewing.

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  • This custom-developed tool helps you model compliance scenarios and track progress toward targets. Access it here.