Chicago

Building on a strong legacy of sustainability, Mayor Rahm Emanuel kicked off the Sustainable Chicago 2015 Action Agenda in September of 2012. Of the seven themes and 100 individual actions, energy efficiency stands out as a key component for emissions reductions and economic development. Policy measures like Retrofit Chicago highlight the importance of the building sector. Moreover, the city has long had a residential building energy disclosure policy on the books. Prospective buyers and tenants of residential properties are entitled to a utility use disclosure. In keeping with the spirit of such programs, and to promote the city as a locus of green jobs and sustainability innovation, Mayor Emanuel introduced the Chicago Energy Use Benchmarking Ordinance (No. SO2013-1645) to City Council on June 26, 2013. On September 11, 2013, the Council voted 32-7 to approve the ordinance. The ordinance requires all commercial, residential, and government buildings over 50,000 square feet to annually evaluate energy performance using Energy Star Portfolio Manager. In total, the law covers over 900 million square feet of real estate--the second largest total of all American cities with comparable laws. Energy consumption and performance scores will be posted annually to a municipal website. In the first years, data will be aggregated at the city-level, but starting in the second year of reporting, individual buildings will be identified. Data can be submitted to the city thorugh the Portfolio Manager tool. In the first year, and every third year, the data must be verified by a licensed professional (architect, engineer, or other, as allowed).