California’s benchmarking program requires owners of large commercial and multifamily buildings to report energy use. Now, several counties and cities are going a step further, making building energy audits mandatory as part of their energy performance and benchmarking regulations.
If your building is affected, RDH can help you achieve compliance, optimize performance, and achieve long-term energy savings. Our qualified engineers deliver comprehensive energy audits and full-service solutions to address opportunities identified during the process.
Does My Building Need to Comply?
Building energy audits are generally required for commercial and multifamily buildings over 20,000 square feet. However, specific requirements and deadlines vary by jurisdiction:
| Jurisdiction | Program Name |
| Berkeley, CA | Building Emissions Saving Ordinance (BESO) |
| Brisbane, CA | Beyond Benchmarking Program |
| Chula Vista, CA | Clean Energy Benchmarking Program |
| Los Angeles, CA | EBEWE Program |
| San Francisco, CA | Existing Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance |
| San Jose, CA | Energy and Water Building Performance Ordinance |
What is a Building Energy Audit?
A building energy audit is a detailed evaluation of a building’s energy-using systems. Conducted by qualified RDH auditors, this process identifies opportunities to enhance energy efficiency through:
System Evaluation: Assessing the conditions and performance of energy systems.
Energy Modeling: Using advanced software to calculate potential energy savings.
Life-Cycle Financial Analysis: Comparing capital costs with energy savings, enabling informed decision-making that aligns with your budget and asset management goals.
Why Partner With RDH?
RDH provides a full-service approach to energy audits and performance improvements, making us the ideal partner to navigate compliance and optimize your building’s potential:
Comprehensive Energy Audits: We help you meet local regulations while identifying actionable energy-saving opportunities.
Tailored Recommendations: Our strategies align with your budget, operational goals, and sustainability targets.
Implementation Support: Beyond audits, we assist with executing improvements, from retrofits to system upgrades.
Looking Ahead: Building Performance Standards
Beyond local audit requirements, many jurisdictions across the country as leading the way by adopting Building Performance Standards (BPS) that set long-term energy or emissions targets for existing buildings. As more jurisdictions follow, staying ahead of these standards by conducting energy audits now can reduce future requirements.
| Jurisdiction | Program Name |
| Washington State, WA | Clean Building Performance Standard |
| Denver, CO | Energize Denver |
| Boston, MA | Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) |
| Timon Bruulsema, P.E (CA) | Associate, Project Engineer | ||
| Voytek Gretka, P.Eng, M.Eng, CEM, BEAP | Associate, Senior Engineer |
