Under the Chicago Energy Use Benchmarking Ordinance, the City requires large buildings to track and report energy usage annually. Since the second year of reporting, the City has made building-specific data publicly available. Additionally, buildings now receive a Chicago Energy Rating (0 to 4 stars), which must be displayed publicly and included in listings for sale or lease.
The ordinance applies to commercial, residential, and municipal buildings larger than 50,000 square feet. It requires whole-building energy use to be tracked, verified for accuracy every three years, and reported to the City. The law now covers over 950 million square feet of real estate, placing Chicago among the top U.S. cities for energy transparency. Some building owners have expressed concerns about the public rating system, especially regarding potential impacts on leasing and sales.
If you own or manage a residential, commercial, or municipal building in Chicago that is 50,000 square feet or larger, you must comply with the Energy Benchmarking Ordinance. This includes:
The annual compliance deadline for submitting energy benchmarking reports is June 1.
Building owners must report energy usage through EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, a national tool that benchmarks energy performance against similar buildings. The Cotocon Group has years of experience in helping buildings meet Chicago’s benchmarking and rating requirements. Let us simplify your compliance process!
Fines: $100.00 for the first violation, and an additional fine of up to $25.00 for each day that the violation continues.