Why a Benchmarking and Building Performance program?

A benchmarking and building performance program can help building owners and property managers plan for short term measures and long-term capital improvements and retrofits that will improve efficiency of a building’s performance and reduce utility bills. The program is also a key strategy for reducing building emissions in Lakewood.

Energy benchmarking is the regular monitoring and reporting of an individual building’s energy use to track changes over time. It can be used to monitor changes of a building’s performance and the impact of energy efficiency retrofits and improvements. According to an EPA study, building owners who annually reported their energy use for 3 years reduced their overall energy use by 7%. Staff is evaluating the potential impact of implementing a citywide building benchmarking and performance program for commercial, multifamily, and public buildings less than 50,000 SF in gross floor area, with the minimum square footage to be determined. The State already has benchmarking requirements for buildings greater than 50,000 SF. Other local jurisdictions with benchmarking and/or building performance requirements include Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and Aspen.