Policy

The US city of Seattle is introducing new rules to help identify and target energy inefficient buildings as part of plans to reduce energy consumption by 20%.

The new Energy Disclosure Ordinance, approved earlier this week by Mayor Mike McGinn, will require the owners of large commercial and multi-family properties to measure or benchmark energy use annually.

City authorities will use the rating and energy use information to compare buildings across the region.

Property owners will also be required to share the energy rating and usage information with prospective buyers and tenants.

“You can’t manage what you don’t measure,” says Seattle City Council chair Richard Conlin. “Energy disclosure is a key first step to tap into the gold mine of opportunities to save energy and money while improving the city’s existing building stock.”

Energy efficiency is becoming increasingly important in commercial property as many companies try to save costs where they can.

“We believe that as more building owners work to bring energy use down and make their properties more attractive places to live and work, job opportunities will flourish for companies and contractors in the energy efficiency business,” says Ash Awad of regional building management company McKinstry.

Mayor McGinn has also pledged that the city will work with the owners and tenants of properties identified as poor performers to improve efficiency.

For further information:
www.seattle.gov/mayor/

Related stories:
California adopts state-wide green building code (28-Jan)
US green building sector to contribute $554 billion to economy by 2013 (13-Nov 2009)
US must act now on inefficient buildings, says report (26-May 2009)
Energy efficient buildings more attractive to buyers and renters (2-Apr 2009)