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Multifamily Energy Reporting and Tenant Notice: Frequently asked questions for property owners.
Q: Is this a new program?
The proposed ordinance would expand the Commercial Building Energy Reporting Program to include multifamily residential buildings. Most cities that have commercial energy reporting programs include multifamily buildings. Portland is unusual in this respect. The proposed policy introduces some new requirements for the notification of climate and health information to tenants. Requirements for commercial buildings would not change.
Q: What are the proposed requirements for multifamily property owners through this ordinance?
Property owners would need to report/disclose information based on the overall size:
- Apartments and condominiums 20,000 square feet and above report energy use and carbon emissions to the City of Portland annually.
- Attached multi-dwelling rental housing, that is duplexes and larger, notify prospective tenants of key climate and health information at time of application and report to the City annually.
The average 20,000 square foot apartment building has approximately 30 units.
Q: What City resources will be available to help property owners comply?
The City of Portland currently maintains an Energy Reporting Help Desk for commercial building energy reporting and disclosure. This resource will be available to multifamily property managers to answer compliance questions. The City of Portland will provide staff resources for customer service and technical assistance aimed at making it quick and easy for property owners to comply.
Q: What information will property owners be required to provide to prospective tenants?
At time of application to lease an apartment (duplexes and larger), prospective tenants would receive the following information to help their decision-making:
- Instructions on how to access potential average and peak monthly energy costs;
- Resources to help low-income tenants pay utility bills;
- The health risks associated with using natural gas or electric stoves and the benefits of ventilation; and
- The type of air-conditioning and passive cooling measures.
For apartment buildings 20,000 square feet and larger (approximately 30 units or more), the City would also disclose energy use and carbon emissions data through an online map, similar to the existing Commercial Building Energy Performance Map.
Q: When would my building have to comply?
Proposed start dates for energy and carbon emissions reporting requirements to the City are based on building size:
| Gross floor area (square feet) | Annual reporting begins | First annual report due date |
|---|---|---|
| 50,000+ | Calendar year 2025 | April 22, 2026 |
| 20,000 - 49,999 | Calendar year 2026 | April 22, 2027 |
The proposed start date for notice of climate and health information about apartment units to inform prospective tenant decisions is January 1, 2026, followed by annual reporting of natural gas stove and air conditioning data to the City of Portland, beginning April 22, 2027.
Q: How do property owners comply?
Property owners of multifamily residential buildings would be required to report climate and energy information to the City of Portland once per year using the free, web-based ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager® tool. The city would send detailed reporting instructions to each affected property owner.
For notification of apartment unit climate and health information to prospective tenants, property owners will provide the following information:
- Instructions on how prospective tenants canto access previous tenant utility bill history for an apartment unit;
- Resources for tenants to help pay monthly bills;
- Potential health risks of using gas or electric stoves; and
- The importance of using ventilation.
Property owners of duplexes and larger would be required to annually report climate and health information to the City, including the presence of natural gas stoves, and the types of air-conditioning and passive cooling measures that are provided to tenants of the apartments.
Q. How much will this cost property owners?
There are no anticipated costs to property owners from notifying renters of climate and health information.
Based on the compliance experience of the City’s commercial building energy reporting requirements, property owners of multifamily buildings 20,000 square feet and above will need approximately four to eight hours of staff time per building to gather utility data and report to City for the first year, followed by two to four hours of staff time per building for subsequent years.
The City currently staffs an Energy Reporting Help Desk to provide energy reporting compliance assistance to commercial building managers and would extend this service to multifamily residential buildings. Property owners may choose to hire a contractor to complete annual energy reporting, and the expected cost for that could range from $1,000 to $2,000 per building, per year.
Q: Why does this policy propose public reporting of building energy, carbon emissions and health information?
Publicly reporting energy use, carbon emissions, and health information provides transparency and encourages competition among building owners and managers to improve efficiency, affordability, and health impacts. In addition, performance data can be useful to current and prospective tenants in making rental decisions. Benchmarking multifamily buildings will also help position owners to take advantage of an unprecedented amount of federal funding available for energy- and carbon-saving investments.
Q: What will the City do with annual energy and carbon emission reports?
Property owners of multifamily residential buildings would be required to report energy use and carbon emissions to the City of Portland once per year using the free, web-based ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager® tool:
- Energy use
- ENERGY STAR Score
- Carbon emissions
The City would then make this information publicly accessible to inform prospective buyers and tenants through the online, web-based map currently used for commercial buildings.
Q: Will this ordinance apply to regulated affordable housing?
Yes. Affordable housing providers would be required to disclose climate and health information to prospective tenants, and annually report energy use and carbon emissions to the City.
Q: Will this ordinance apply to new construction?
No. This policy does not address requirements for new construction. It focuses on existing buildings.
Q. Will this ordinance apply to single-family homes?
No. This policy only addresses multifamily housing. The Home Energy Score program addresses single-family homes.
Q: Do other cities have similar requirements?
In the U.S., over 40 local jurisdictions and 6 states require annual energy reporting for multifamily buildings and disclosure of this information to inform the marketplace.
In Portland, property owners of commercial buildings 20,000 square feet and above are already required to report annual energy and carbon metrics to the City annually through Chapter 17.104 of Portland City Code.
Beginning July 1, 2028, the state of Oregon will begin requiring energy reports for multifamily buildings, too.
Q: How would the City’s requirements relate to the State’s requirements?
In June 2023, the Oregon State Legislature passed House Bill 3409 to establish statewide multifamily energy reporting requirements, as well as commercial building energy performance standards. The future State benchmarking requirements become effective for multifamily residential buildings July 1, 2028, and every five years thereafter. This is similar to Portland’s policy approach. However, the City’s proposal requires annual reporting starting April 22, 2026, and more directly aligns with the City’s climate and equity goals. BPS is working closely with Oregon Department of Energy to assure that the City’s and State’s requirements are both met.
Q: Have building owner stakeholders been consulted in the development of this policy?
From April to June 2022, the City convened a Building Working Group to building decarbonization policies and continued to engage representatives of commercial and multifamily buildings.
Q: Isn’t building decarbonization and racial equity already covered by the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund?
The Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) is an ongoing investment in climate action, environmental justice, and clean energy jobs. The program funds grants and strategic programs to broaden access to these opportunities for communities of color and low-income Portlanders, who bear inequitable burdens of climate change. Some of PCEF’s funding areas include projects for home energy efficiency, solar generation, and weatherization. PCEF’s Community Responsive Grant program is set up to respond to project proposals and workforce development programs led by non-profit community organizations. Strategic programs are being launched by PCEF to address energy upgrades in single family and multifamily properties as part of the 2023 Climate Investment Plan.