Seattle ordinance to ID energy-wasting buildings

Mayor Mike McGinn approved on Feb. 1, 2010, a new ordinance to identify energy-wasting buildings. The Energy Disclosure Ordinance, unanimously approved by the Seattle City Council on Jan. 25, 2010, will give city residents and property owners the tools they need to make necessary improvements. City officials say the new ordinance is critical to meeting the city's energy goals, while commercial ...

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Mayor Mike McGinn approved on Feb. 1, 2010, a new ordinance to identify energy-wasting buildings. The Energy Disclosure Ordinance, unanimously approved by the Seattle City Council on Jan. 25, 2010, will give city residents and property owners the tools they need to make necessary improvements. City officials say the new ordinance is critical to meeting the city's energy goals, while commercial property owners and energy efficiency contractors point to the economic and business benefits of the new policy.

The new ordinance requires large commercial and multi-family property owners in Seattle to annually measure, or benchmark, energy use and provides the city with ratings to allow comparison across different buildings. Building owners will also be required to share energy usage and ratings with prospective buyers, tenants and lenders during the sale, lease, or financing of properties.

Energy disclosure is one of several measures recommended by the city's Green Building Task Force aimed at reducing energy consumption in existing buildings throughout the city by 20%. Feb. 1 marks the first anniversary of when the task force provided those recommendations.

As more building owners and managers realize the market benefits of measuring and managing energy use, more are seeking ways to improve building energy performance. Seattle joins Washington, D.C., and New York City as cities that recognize code requirement that impact energy performance of existing buildings.