Honolulu energy benchmarking measures and monitors a Honolulu building’s energy consumption over time. Owners and occupants can start exploring how their building performs operationally compared to similar buildings in their community and nationwide. They do so by using specific building attributes in conjunction with monthly consumption statistics.
The Better Buildings Benchmarking (BBB) Program was started by the City and County of Honolulu (City). Moreover, it aims to help the City become carbon-neutral by 2045. Ordinance 22-17, which established a Better Buildings Benchmarking Program, was signed into law by Mayor Blangiardi on July 20, 2022, and complies with this program.
What Is Benchmarking and Ordinance 22-17?
Again, the Honolulu Benchmarking measures the energy and water usage of a building over time. With regular energy and water benchmarking, building owners and managers may monitor one of their highest continuing costs—utility bills—to understand how their facility performs compared to comparable structures and spot areas where they can cut waste and increase efficiency. So, the first step in controlling and improving building performance while cutting expenses is benchmarking.
Who All Must Comply
The Better Buildings Benchmarking Program was established on July 20, 2022, when Mayor Blangiardi signed Ordinance 22-17, formerly Bill 22. Also, this program will mandate yearly water and energy benchmarking of their consumption for all major commercial and multifamily buildings.
Initially, the properties under this ordinance had to submit a report on whether their structure was 100,000 sq. ft or bigger. Moreover, they had to file so by the end of June 30, 2023. However, buildings that are 50,000 sq. ft or more and the ones measuring 25,000 sq. ft are obligated to submit reports between June 30, 2024, and June 30, 2025, respectively.
Municipal Benchmarking
Under Ordinance 20-47, municipal buildings with a total floor area greater than 10,000 square feet must have their energy and water use benchmarked by the City and County of Honolulu. Moreover, the City finished benchmarking seventy of its covered facilities, totaling over 3.8 million square feet by 2022.
The benchmarked data guides the plans to refit and implement affordable, energy-saving renovations in many municipal buildings. The Sustainable City Operations portion of the City’s Annual Sustainability Report tracks the energy consumption from these structures.
Purpose of The Honolulu Energy Benchmarking Program
The City’s Climate Action Plan notes creating a neighborhood-wide Honolulu benchmarking program. It is a critical step toward achieving net negative emissions by 2045. Approximately one-third of OŻahu’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from the building sector. By 2030, this benchmarking initiative is anticipated to help cut greenhouse gas emissions on the island by roughly 7% in the electricity usage of large buildings.
Through routine energy and water benchmarking, building owners and managers may monitor one of their highest continuing costs—utility bills—to understand how their facility performs compared to comparable structures and spot areas where they can cut waste and increase efficiency. The first step in controlling and improving building performance while cutting expenses is benchmarking.
Making Data-Driven Decisions
Transparency and Honolulu energy benchmarking are justified by the straightforward tenet that you cannot manage what you do not measure.
- Measuring water and energy use allows a facility to establish a “benchmark” that it may compete with and lower each year. Additionally, building owners can use this data to see how their structures compare to others by entering it into an EPA application.
- Owners must report the building’s annual water and energy use to the City, which must then aggregate and disseminate the data to reveal vital information that guides cost-, energy-, and resource-saving measures.
Benefits of Energy Benchmarking and Transparency
As mentioned earlier, Honolulu energy benchmarking can help building owners manage and decrease energy use, the largest operational expense of owning a building.
According to the City’s 2019 GHG inventory, energy use in buildings—most often for air conditioning, lighting, and water heating—also exacts a hefty climate cost: 35% of emissions citywide. By 2045, the estimates say that Honolulu can save around 1.7 million metric tons of CO2 with the passage of this benchmarking policy. These savings will increase affordability throughout the island and help achieve climate goals.
Transparency and benchmarking can also assist tenants in cutting expenses. It’s a powerful tool for protecting consumers since it gives prospective homeowners and business tenants the knowledge they need to make better financial decisions and better plan their anticipated electricity costs in a particular building.
Additionally, utilities and public programs can use transparency to pinpoint the areas or structures that have the most potential to save energy and target outreach and resources toward the communities and buildings that use the most energy and perform the worst.
Benchmarking: A Tried and Tested Approach
Using benchmarking and transparency to measure energy use has been a tried-and-true approach since 2008. Honolulu is adopting this legislation in line with 46 other American states, counties, and towns that have passed comparable regulations.
Soon after the passing of the legislation, cities like Minneapolis, Denver, and Chicago saw 3-5% reductions in energy use. This is because the tracking motivates property managers and owners to make changes.
Just Incorporate Conservation
Honolulu has refined this well-researched energy strategy by also mandating water consumption tracking. Since Red Hill’s significant recent water contamination, Honolulu residents have been more conscious than ever of the need to conserve water. Over time, community-wide conservation initiatives like benchmarking and the ensuing water-use management measures will significantly protect the availability of drinking water for locals.
What Types of Buildings Qualify For Exemption?
If one of these defines your Honolulu building, you may qualify for an exemption:
- The property didn’t have a certificate of occupancy or interim certificate of occupancy for the full year that was necessary for benchmarking.
- Before that year’s benchmarking report deadline, the building as a whole received a demolition permit, and demolition work got underway;
- During that year, the property went more than 30 days without receiving water or energy utility services or
- It would not be in the public interest to comply with the terms of this article due to particular conditions specific to the property.
How To Seek Annual Aggregated Energy Use Data?
- We need permission from each metered account holder to release the aggregate energy-use data for a building. This applies to building owners and managers of commercial and multifamily Honolulu structures larger than 100,000 sq. ft that have fewer than four metered accounts for commercial buildings or six metered accounts for multifamily buildings.
- The release of the building’s aggregate energy use data is contingent upon your consent alone if you’re a property manager or owner of a corporate or multifamily building bigger than 100,000 square feet and have a minimum of four metered accounts for commercial properties or six or more metered accounts for multifamily buildings.
What Are the Non-Compliance Fines?
The director of planning and permitting can serve a notice of order compelling the property owner to abide by the order, pay a civil penalty not exceeding $1,000, and pay a civil fine of $100 per day for each day that the department is not notified of the initial or updated benchmarking information. The total amount of civil fines per facility per reporting year cannot exceed $5,000.
It’s Time to Act
Finally, a policy after much waiting: Citizens have been informed of this intention twice by the Honolulu City Council:
- To enable the City to test-run a benchmarking program and set an example, the Council passed Bill 65 (now Ordinance 20-47) in December 2020, requiring the City to benchmark energy and water use in City-owned buildings above a specific threshold.
- The 2020–2025 Climate Action Plan, approved by the City Council in June 2021, recognized benchmarking and building efficiency as the two most important strategies for drastically cutting Honolulu’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The Honolulu benchmarking law passed today keeps the commitments made to the community. It lays the groundwork for even more significant and far-reaching energy policies and initiatives during this mayor’s administration.
With help from partners like the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), Blue Planet, and NRDC, the Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge has sponsored Honolulu’s benchmarking and transparency ordinance.
The council meeting featured speakers from utilities, environmental organizations, and other groups, indicating strong community support.
How Do I Comply?
Building owners can compare their building’s energy efficiency with similar buildings. To do so, they can use the Portfolio Manager reporting tool. This tool requires building owners to submit data on their facility’s energy usage. But still:
- The Cotocon Group features a quick and simple tool that connects directly with EPA’s Portfolio Manager.
- We also provide expert-led benchmarking for building owners and managers seeking advice that saves money and streamlines compliance.
- Several benchmarking ordinances require a Building ID to submit a report. This is where you can potentially locate your Building ID number if necessary.
Our Services For Seamless Benchmarking and More
| Honolulu Energy Benchmarking Initiative | ENERGY STAR Certification and More |
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Note: The Cotocon Group will compile the annual energy consumption data of all metered accounts into one database for the whole structure if you’re the property owner or a designated representative of the property owner. This will ensure that the energy usage data of individual metered accounts is no longer unique. We take this action to safeguard each metered account’s confidentiality and privacy.
How Can The Cotocon Group Help With Honolulu Energy Benchmarking
The Cotocon Group provides easy-to-use tools and expert-led benchmarking for major properties in Honolulu. With our unique platform, you can streamline energy benchmarking compliance while acquiring the resources to reduce costs and enhance your energy intelligence.
Get in touch with the top energy specialists to enjoy major gains in the amount of energy that your public, multifamily, or commercial building uses. Our group collaborates with organizations of all sizes to meet aggressive goals, lessen their carbon footprint, and ensure compliance.
We can provide thorough, step-by-step help to create your energy management strategy or a simple, user-friendly benchmarking solution. Email us to discuss price or other inquiries or schedule your free, customized demo right now.
FAQs
What is the City and County of Honolulu benchmarking?
The Better Buildings Benchmarking Program was started by the City and County of Honolulu to make Honolulu carbon-neutral by 2045. Ordinance 22-17, which Mayor Blangiardi signed into law on July 20, 2022, complies with this program.
What Utilities Are Required?
All energy utilities your facility uses, like natural gas, electricity, district energy, and any other fuel type you have acquired.
What Is the Deadline for Submitting My Report?
The city requires building owners to submit an annual report by June 30 using the ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager application. They must provide accurate details of their energy and water usage.
What makes benchmarking a good initiative?
Now building owners and occupants can find chances to increase efficiency, save waste, and receive recognition for outstanding building performance. They can do so by measuring and comparing the property’s energy and water usage to that of similar buildings.
Why are Honolulu building owners opting for an energy benchmarking solution?
Property owners in Honolulu are now installing energy-saving measures by energy benchmarking, which pinpoints locations with excessive energy use. Building owners may save money on energy expenses by cutting down on energy waste and streamlining their systems.