31 May City of Madison Launches Building Energy Savings Program

In an innovative step to improve energy efficiency and sustainability, the City of Madison launched the Building Energy Savings Program (BESP). This plan was approved by the Common Council in 2023. It shows a big progress in the city’s work to lower energy use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program requires big commercial buildings to check and compare their annual energy use. Also, they must tune up their energy systems every four years. The goal is to implement these steps from 2024 until 2026.

Building Energy Savings Program Overview

Benchmarking and Tune-ups

The BESP rule says all non-residential commercial buildings with a total floor space of 25,000 square feet or more must check and report their energy use every year with EPA’s Energy Star Buildings Portfolio Manager. Also, if the building is bigger than 50,000 square feet, it must do a full energy tune-up once in four years. These actions are made to monitor and improve energy use, lowering waste and saving on expenses.

Phased Implementation

The program starts step by step, looking at the size of buildings to ensure change happens smoothly and that the work is not too much for building owners and managers. Buildings bigger than 100,000 square feet must start checking their energy use in 2024. 

The first time they have to fine-tune their energy systems is in 2025. Medium-sized buildings, which have areas between 50,000 and 99,999 square feet, will begin the benchmarking in the year 2025. Their first tune-up is planned for the year 2026. 

Smaller buildings with sizes between 25,000 and 49,999 square feet need to start the benchmarking one year later as well, in the year 2026. But they do not need to perform any tune-ups. Complying with the energy benchmarking terms and conditions can be challenging. Expert consultants at The Cotocon Group offer assistance with the process.

This step-by-step implementation ensures that building owners have enough time to get used to the new rules, making it easier to follow the program’s guidelines. By introducing the requirements in parts, the city can give specific help and resources to each group. This way, they can meet requirements without feeling pressured by sudden big changes all at once. This planned method encourages many people to join and succeed in the Building Energy Savings Program. The goal is to make big improvements in energy use and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions all over Madison.

Key Dates and Resources

In the program’s first year, commercial building owners with properties more than 100,000 square feet must meet a deadline by September 6th to benchmark their buildings using the new Building Owner Portal. This portal can be found on the City of Madison’s website and gives important information, resources, and step-by-step instructions to help owners follow the program rules. Additionally, a dedicated help desk is available to address any queries.

Impact on Energy Efficiency and Emissions

Economic and Environmental Benefits

BESP is expected to offer both monetary and environmental benefits. Benchmarking and subsequent tune-ups are known ways to make energy use better. Research findings show that buildings that regularly measure their performance can lower yearly energy use by as much as 10%. Additionally, carrying out maintenance checks can reduce energy consumption by around 12% on average. These enhancements lead to significant reductions in energy costs for those who own the buildings.

Furthermore, the program has a big effect on the environment. Right now, commercial buildings make up about 45% of all greenhouse gas emissions in Madison. By making energy use better, the BESP wants to cut down on community emissions by over 91,000 tons of CO2 every year. This is like taking almost 18,000 cars off the streets. Such a big change will help Madison meet its bigger climate aims and make the air cleaner for people living there.

Statements from City Officials

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway talked about the program’s importance and said that the Building Energy Savings Program is an important move to make Madison’s buildings use energy better. They have given many resources to help those who own or manage buildings measure how much energy their building uses. According to the Mayor, it is a very good moment to begin checking how much energy we use and taking steps to be more efficient with it.

Compliance and Support

Building Owner Portal

The City of Madison made the Building Owner Portal the main place to get information about BESP. This portal offers complete help and includes the Building Owner Guide. The guide has clear steps on how to do benchmarking and reporting correctly. 

The 2024 Covered Buildings List, which you can find on the portal, lists all buildings that must start benchmarking in 2024. Building owners use these resources to understand and follow the program’s rules easily.

Help Desk Assistance

To give more support to building owners, the city made a help desk with experts who can answer questions and give assistance. This service makes sure all people in the program can follow the rules without too much trouble.

As the BESP begins, building owners are advised to use the resources given and follow the benchmarking deadlines. The city provides support through the Building Owner Portal and a help desk, making sure that those involved have everything they need to do well. By working together, Madison can reach its energy efficiency targets and help create a healthier, more sustainable future.

Conclusion

The City of Madison’s Building Energy Savings Program is a forward-thinking way to tackle energy use and climate issues. This plan requires big commercial buildings to do yearly checks on their energy use and perform regular tune-ups. By doing this, the program aims to lower the energy these buildings consume and reduce operating expenses.

Additionally, it focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a meaningful way. This project matches Madison’s promise to be eco-friendly and creates a good example for other cities that value every saving made and want to improve their energy rules.