BuildingRating

Sharing Transparency for a More Efficient Future

Reno

Policy Description:

In January 2019, Reno City Council adopted ordinance 7068, authorizing the Reno Energy and Water Efficiency Program. The ordinance enacts a benchmarking and transparency requirement for city-, state agency-, and privately-owned non-residential and multifamily buildings. City buildings 10,000 square feet and larger and non-residential and multifmaily buildings 30,000 feet and larger must begin reporting their energy and water consumption to the City between 2019 and 2021. In addition to the benchmarking requirement, every seven years buildings whose benchmarking results fall below the ordinance's performance targets must complete an audit or retuning.

To meet the ordinance's energy performance target, a building must show that for at least two of the last seven years, it received an ENERGY STAR Score of 50 or higher; an energy use intensity (EUI) equivalent to or better than the performance of 50 percent of all similar building types; a 15 percent improvement in its ENERGY STAR score relative to a baseline year; or a 10 percent reduction in EUI relative to a baseline year.

To meet the ordinance's water performance target, a building must show that for at least two of the last seven years, it received an ENERGY STAR  Water Score of 50 or higher; a water use intensity (WUI) equivalent to or better than the performance of 50 percent of all similar building types; a 15 point improvement in its ENERGY STAR Water Score relative to a baseline year.

Enacted Date:
2019
Authority in Charge:
City Manager
Tool Name:
ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
Relevant Links:
Building Types Affected Size Compliance Deadline
Public/Government Greater Than or Equal To 10,000 Sq. Feet 2019-04-01
Multi-Family, Non-Residential Greater Than or Equal To 100,000 Sq. Feet 2020-04-01
Multi-Family, Non-Residential Greater Than or Equal To 50,000 Sq. Feet 2021-04-01
Multi-Family, Non-Residential Greater Than or Equal To 30,000 Sq. Feet 2022-04-01
Notes:
The ordinance also covers properties owned by a local agency of the state, political subdivision of the state, or other public entity if they occupy and regularly pay all or part of the property's annual energy and/or water bills.
Exemptions:
The City Manager may exempt buildings from compliance if one of the following conditions exist: The building was built under the currently adopted International Conservation Code. The building is LEED certified. The building has a National Green Building Standard Multifamily certification. The building has a Net-Zero Energy certification from the International Living Future Institute or other certification program The building is a low-income multifamily property with an Enterprise Green Communities certification for a period of three years from the date of the issuance of the certification, or six years from the date of the issuance of certification if the owner supplies a retuning report during the first 3-year period.
Number of Buildings Affected:
500
Floor Area Affected:
25,000,000 Sq. Feet
Transparency:
Required Transparency:
Yes
Transparency Trigger:
Date Certain
Frequency:
Annually
Reporting:
Required Reporting:
No

Utility Requirements/Support:

Utility Requirements/Support:
No

Verification:

Verification:
Yes
Notes:
Buildings must have a qualified service company submit documentation with the City that establishes that it is exempt from the performance targets, has met the performance targets, or has completed an audit or retuning.

Compliance:

Compliance Enforcement:
Yes
Penalties for Non-Compliance:
Yes
Description:
Non-compliant building owners may be fined up to $850
Additional Program Information:
Audits:
Yes
Every 7 years, if the property has not met the performance targets and does not qualify for an exemption, it must have a qualified service company verify that it has completed either an energy audit or retuning performed by either a qualified auditor or qualified retuning professional.
Retrocommissioning:
Yes
Water Use Tracking:
Yes