Resources/Regulations

activeCity of Chicago

Chicago Energy Benchmarking

Chicago Energy Benchmarking Ordinance

Overview

Applies To

Municipal, commercial, and residential buildings over 50,000 sqft

Building Size Threshold

50,000 sqft

Building Types

Commercial, multifamily residential, municipal

Effective Date

2014

Jurisdiction

City of Chicago

State

Illinois

Current Status

Fully active since 2014. Program relaunched in Fall 2025 by the Department of Environment. Chicago publicly discloses benchmarking data annually.

Key Deadlines

June 1, 2026

Annual benchmarking report due for 2025 calendar year data

Every 3 years

Data verification by licensed professional required

Penalties & Enforcement

Penalty

$100 initial + $25/day ongoing

$100 initial fine plus $25/day for each day the violation continues

Compliance Requirements

Annual energy benchmarking via ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager

Submit benchmarking data to City of Chicago by June 1

Third-party data verification every 3 years by licensed professional

Energy data publicly disclosed by the City

Data Required

12 months of energy consumption data (electricity, gas)

Building gross floor area

Building use type and occupancy

Verification report from licensed professional (every 3 years)

How to Submit

Submission Method

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager shared with City of Chicago

Submission Format

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager online platform

Official Resources

Official City of Chicago Resource

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/env/supp_info/energy-benchmarking.html

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