The Energy
Conservation Audit
and Disclosure
Ordinance
UPDATED NOVEMBER 2013
Energy Rating Required by City Ordinance
Commercial Customers »
A City requirement called the Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD)
ordinance (Austin City Code, Chapter 6-7) requires building owners to determine
and submit an energy benchmark rating for their facilities.
Who needs to comply?
All commercial buildings located within the City of Austin boundaries that are served
by Austin Energy are required to submit a rating, with one exception:
Manufacturing buildings: Manufacturing means a use that has met all requirements
of a State of Texas sales tax exemption for manufacturing, processing, or fabricating
tangible personal property for sale and the utility account holder has qualified for
a Predominant Use Exemption for the Utility account(s) of the entire commercial
facility.
Timelines for Reporting Energy Ratings to the City of Austin
Annual reporting: All non-manufacturing properties must submit an energy
benchmark rating to the City of Austin by June 1 of the appropriate year listed below,
depending on the property size, and then on an annual basis thereafter.
If building square footage is:
Report annually starting in year:
75,000 or higher 2012
30,000 or higher 2013
10,000 or higher 2014
What actions are required by the ordinance?
Businesses are asked to self-rate their buildings using the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager benchmarking tool and to
submit those ratings to the City of Austin. Starting in mid-February of each reporting
year, the online Portfolio Manager tool will allow businesses to release benchmark
rating data to the City of Austin. Submissions before February of each reporting year
are not available.
Are any energy-saving improvements required?
All improvements are voluntary. The rating system is designed as a starting point
to help businesses evaluate their buildings in terms of energy efficiency. Austin
Energy has energy-efficiency experts available to help business owners find ways
to save energy and money. For more information on utility rebates, ask your key
account representative.
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Commercial ECAD
Instruction Sheet
Energy Rating … What is it?
The energy rating received through the online Portfolio Manager tool will give you
a single number between 1 and 100 which indicates the overall energy use of your
building compared to similar buildings or a kBtu/Sq. ft. Factors such as the weather
and operating hours are part of the calculation.
Portfolio Manager
Tips For Submitting Your Energy Rating
1.Print out the information gathering form found
at austinenergy.com/go/ECAD. Follow the links
for commercial buildings and print out the
Commercial Energy Use Worksheet. Collect the
information about your building.
The City ordinance requires building owners to benchmark their own buildings and
submit the benchmark rating to the City. Austin Energy provides support to help with
this process.
2.Go to energystar.gov to register and create an
ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager account and
use the tool to benchmark your building.
3.Report your building’s benchmark rating
by selecting one of the two reporting
options listed at austinenergy.com/go/
ecadcommercialreporting.
•Use the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool to benchmark commercial
buildings of 10K or larger.
• Use the Commercial Energy Use Worksheet to gather your building data.
• Gather information about your building before you begin:
- Austin Energy account number
- Building type (office, retail, etc.)
- Building operating hours
- Square footage/characteristics of the building and spaces within the building
- At least 12 months of utility data (ideally as up-to-date as possible)
- Basic information about the energy used in the building
ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
Resources:
ECAD General Information:
[email protected]
To find out if your building is located
within Austin city limits, call
(512) 974-7827, press 1, option 4, OR
3-1-1.
This tool is useful as a long-term benchmark to track energy usage by square feet
regardless of the building type. Certain building types, such as those listed below,
will compare your building to similar buildings with a numeric rating from 1 to 100.
Rate these building types: Adult Education; Ambulatory Surgical Center; Aquarium; Automobile Dealership;
Bank Branch; Bar/Nightclub; Barracks; Bowling Alley; Casino; College/University; Convenience Store with Gas Station;
Convenience Store without Gas Station; Convention Center; Courthouse; Data Center; Distribution Center; Drinking Water
Treatment & Distribution; Enclosed Mall; Energy/Power Station; Fast Food Restaurant; Financial Office; Fire Station; Fitness
Center/Health Club/Gym; Food Sales; Food Service; Hospital (General Medical & Surgical); Hotel; Ice/Curling Rink; Indoor
Arena; K-12 School; Laboratory; Library; Lifestyle Center; Mailing Center/Post Office; Manufacturing/Industrial Plant;
Medical Office; Movie Theater; Multifamily Housing; Museum; Non-Refrigerated Warehouse; Office; Other; Other – Education;
Other – Entertainment/Public Assembly; Other – Lodging and Residential; Other – Mall; Other – Public Services; Other
– Recreation; Other – Restaurant/Bar; Other – Services; Other – Stadium; Other – Technology/Science; Other – Utility;
Other – Specialty Hospital; Outpatient Rehabilitation/Physical Therapy; Parking; Performing Arts; Personal Services (Health/
Beauty, Dry Cleaning, etc); Police Station; Preschool/Day Care; Prison/Incarceration; Race Track; Refrigerated Warehouse;
Repair Services (Vehicle, Shoe, Locksmith, etc); Residence Hall/Dormitory; Restaurant; Retail Store; Roller Rink; Self
Storage Facility; Senior Care Community; Single Family Home; Social/Meeting Hall; Stadium (Closed); Stadium (Open); Strip
Mall; Supermarket/Grocery Store; Swimming Pool; Transportation Terminal/Station; Urgent Care/Clinic/Other Outpatient;
Veterinary Office; Vocational School; Wastewater Treatment Plant; Wholesale Club/Supercenter; Worship Facility; Zoo
The tool will also assist with tracking energy usage and any change in consumption
whether facilitated by a conservation effort, investment in energy efficiency
measures or a change of operations. Buildings with a rating of 75 or above are
eligible to apply for the ENERGY STAR® label.
Are there any costs involved?
The use of the rating tools is free.
02
NOV 2013