Atlanta Commercial Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance: What is it & how do I comply?

Commercial buildings are the single largest consumer of energy within the city of Atlanta and, as a result, the largest source of polluting emissions. In Atlanta, 66% of the energy use comes from our building stock, accounting for 58% of our CO2 emissions.

The City of Atlanta has a goal to become a top-tier city for sustainability. In that spirit, the City has legislation requiring the benchmarking of commercial building energy and water consumption. Atlanta’s Commercial Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance requires owners of commercial buildings over 25,000 square feet to benchmark energy and water consumption on an annual basis, as well as undertake an energy audit every 10 years.

This ordinance complements the Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge, an initiative developed to further President Obama’s goal of boosting energy efficiency in the built environment. It is part of the Mayor’s Office plan to reduce the City’s carbon footprint and is intended to spur a 20% reduction in commercial buildings’ energy consumption by 2030.

How do I comply?

Commercial properties exceeding 25,000 square feet are required to benchmark their energy and water consumption data in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, a reporting tool that allows building owners to compare their building’s energy efficiency with similar buildings. This data must be submitted to the City on an annual basis. To check if your property is covered, you can search through the building list here.

The deadline to submit your energy and water usage data for the 2022 calendar year is July 1, 2023.

This Quick Compliance Guide provides an overview on how to submit your benchmarking data to the City. Additionally, Livable Buckhead is available to assist with questions you may have on how to access Portfolio Manager or schedule an energy audit: info@livablebuckhead.org.