Clean Energy Communities Program
Benchmarking
This page details the steps your community needs to take to get Clean Energy Communities certification for this Action Item by NYSERDA and how G/FLRPC can assist your community in becoming certified for this Action Item. As your Finger Lakes Region Clean Energy Coordinator, you can email rrichardson@gflrpc.org help you through any step in this process, or if you have been in touch with another Finger Lakes Region Clean Energy Communities Coordinator at G/FLRPC email them directly for help completing this action item.
G/FLRPC ResourcesStep 1:
If your community has fewer than 39,999 people or you are a county government, the first step is to pass a resolution or local law requiring your community to make available to the public on the internet on an annual basis, energy use information for each municipal building, owned or occupied, that is 1,000 square feet or larger. At a minimum, publicly disclosed energy use information shall include each building’s energy use intensity (EUI), annual greenhouse gas emissions, and an energy performance score where available. There are an example small communities law and resolution to meet the requirements of this Action Item.
If your community has more than 40,000 people, you will need to submit a copy of adopted legislation as described for smaller communities above and/or include a requirement for the owners of commercial and multifamily buildings 25,000 square feet or larger to also comply. Large municipalities may elect to either benchmark municipal buildings or commercial/multifamily buildings, but are not required to include both in their local resolution and efforts. . There is an example of a large communities law to meet the requirements of this Action Item. A resolution would also suffice.
Step 2:
After the adoption of the local law or resolution, you should submit a certified copy of the local law/resolution, or a copy of the law/resolution that includes a vote tally to show that it was passed. You can submit this document at this link: https://nyserda-site.secure.force.com/CEC_HighImpact_Action_Item_Document_Page
Step 3:
After you have submitted your local law/resolution to NYSERDA, you can start Benchmarking! This is done by opening an EPA Portfolio Manager account at this link: http://bit.ly/205vgPB. You will find a login box on the right hand side of the page. Click ‘Register Now’ in that box to open an account.
You can view G/FLRPC's recent EPA Portfolio webinar here: http://www.gflrpc.org/cecwebinars.html.
Step 4:
Add properties to your portfolio and enter energy use data going back at least 12 months. GFLRPC can help you with this step. There are also online resources (https://www.energystar.gov/buildings/training) and a webinar (found at the bottom of this page: http://www.gflrpc.org/cecwebinars.html) that can provide you with useful direction. Please call G/FLRPC at 585-454-0190 x18 or email hferington@gflrpc.org if you need additional assistance. We are also available to come out and work directly with you on setting up your account.
Step 5:
After entering a year’s worth of data, you will need to output a report to fulfill the requirements of the local law/resolution. In EPA Portfolio Manager, under the reports tab, you will find the “Performance Highlights” report. This can be created to fulfill the minimum requirements, other reports can be created, if desired. The report(s) must be available to the public on your municipality’s website. If your community does not have a website, contact me for specific instructions on making this yearly report available to the public. You are required to create a new report each year and display that report.
G/FLRPC ResourcesStep 1:
If your community has fewer than 39,999 people or you are a county government, the first step is to pass a resolution or local law requiring your community to make available to the public on the internet on an annual basis, energy use information for each municipal building, owned or occupied, that is 1,000 square feet or larger. At a minimum, publicly disclosed energy use information shall include each building’s energy use intensity (EUI), annual greenhouse gas emissions, and an energy performance score where available. There are an example small communities law and resolution to meet the requirements of this Action Item.
If your community has more than 40,000 people, you will need to submit a copy of adopted legislation as described for smaller communities above and/or include a requirement for the owners of commercial and multifamily buildings 25,000 square feet or larger to also comply. Large municipalities may elect to either benchmark municipal buildings or commercial/multifamily buildings, but are not required to include both in their local resolution and efforts. . There is an example of a large communities law to meet the requirements of this Action Item. A resolution would also suffice.
Step 2:
After the adoption of the local law or resolution, you should submit a certified copy of the local law/resolution, or a copy of the law/resolution that includes a vote tally to show that it was passed. You can submit this document at this link: https://nyserda-site.secure.force.com/CEC_HighImpact_Action_Item_Document_Page
Step 3:
After you have submitted your local law/resolution to NYSERDA, you can start Benchmarking! This is done by opening an EPA Portfolio Manager account at this link: http://bit.ly/205vgPB. You will find a login box on the right hand side of the page. Click ‘Register Now’ in that box to open an account.
You can view G/FLRPC's recent EPA Portfolio webinar here: http://www.gflrpc.org/cecwebinars.html.
Step 4:
Add properties to your portfolio and enter energy use data going back at least 12 months. GFLRPC can help you with this step. There are also online resources (https://www.energystar.gov/buildings/training) and a webinar (found at the bottom of this page: http://www.gflrpc.org/cecwebinars.html) that can provide you with useful direction. Please call G/FLRPC at 585-454-0190 x18 or email hferington@gflrpc.org if you need additional assistance. We are also available to come out and work directly with you on setting up your account.
Step 5:
After entering a year’s worth of data, you will need to output a report to fulfill the requirements of the local law/resolution. In EPA Portfolio Manager, under the reports tab, you will find the “Performance Highlights” report. This can be created to fulfill the minimum requirements, other reports can be created, if desired. The report(s) must be available to the public on your municipality’s website. If your community does not have a website, contact me for specific instructions on making this yearly report available to the public. You are required to create a new report each year and display that report.