Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD) Ordinance for Owners of Commercial Buildings

The Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD) ordinance requires Austin commercial buildings that receive electricity from Austin Energy to have an energy rating by June 1, 2011.

Exemptions
The building does not need an energy rating if it meets one of the following conditions. It is:

• If the building is 10 years old or older on June 1, 2011, the rating must be submitted by that date. If the building is less than 10 years old on June 1, 2011, a rating must be submitted by the 10th anniversary of the year of construction.
• An industrial building

Definition of a Commercial Building
The ECAD ordinance defines a commercial building as a non-residential, civic or commercial building that is not an industrial building.

Commercial Building Energy Rating Systems
If the building is not exempt, it will need an energy rating according to an Austin Energy-approved energy rating system.

Approved rating systems include:

• Use the Portfolio Manager rating tool from ENERGY STAR: Banks, Financial Institutions, Courthouses, Data Centers NEW - June 7th, 2010, Dormitories/Residence Halls, Hospitals (Acute Care and Children’s), Hotels, Houses of Worship, K-12 schools, Medical Offices, Multifamily Housing, Offices, Retail Stores, Parking Garages, Supermarkets, Swimming Pools and Warehouses
• For all other buildings, generally less than 100,000 square feet, use the Austin Energy Business Energy Analysis rating tool. These types include Auto Shops, Bakeries, Barber Shops, Gas Stations, Grocery and Convenience Stores, Health Clubs, Hotels and Motels, Laundries, Clinics, Print Shops, Restaurants, Retail, Small Schools and Small Warehouses

Portfolio Manager might not be able to rate some specialized facilities. In such cases, Portfolio Manager returns a reason for incompletion. Building owners should email that reason to Austin Energy.

Variances
A commercial building may qualify for a variance if it is a data center or other high energy use facility that cannot be adequately evaluated with Portfolio Manager or the Austin Energy online tool. View the Variance Application for a Data Center or Other High Energy Use Facility.

Your Energy Rating
The energy evaluation online tool will give you a rating number, a single number between 1 and 100 which indicates the overall energy use of your building compared to similar buildings. Factors such as weather and operating hours are part of the calculation.

The Austin City Council has set the following voluntary goals to help you interpret your rating.

Rating your building and submitting the rating to Austin Energy is required by law. Improving your rating and making your building more efficient is voluntary. Rebates and tax credits can help you pay for improvements and lower your energy bills.

How to Report Your Building Rating
You may submit the ECAD commercial disclosure form with your building rating to Austin Energy, fax 512-505-3932, or by email.

Energy-Efficiency Improvements
The ECAD ordinance seeks to improve Austin’s energy efficiency. Although commercial building owners need only report the building’s energy use rating, improving energy efficiency can benefit the bottom line by lowering monthly energy bills. Austin Energy provides rebates and excellent commercial energy-efficiency offerings to help building owners make energy-efficiency improvements.

Enforcement and Penalties
Non-compliance with the ECAD ordinance, Austin City Code, Chapter 6-7, is a Class C misdemeanor. Reported violations will be forwarded to the City of Austin Legal Department for review and action.