CA's AB 802 Law Explained

The Building Energy Benchmarking Program guide for
‍owners & managers of non-single-family buildings in California.

What is AB 802?

Assembly Bill 802 (AB 802) is a California Law that asks owners of commercial and multi-family buildings 50k sq feet & larger
to report the energy & water use of their entire building each year by June 1.

What is Benchmarking?

It is reporting the use of water, waste, gas and/or electricity to the California Energy Commission for each month of the past calendar year. Think of it like getting the "miles per gallon" of your car, except for your building.

Benchmarking Benefits

Utility benchmarking is a big part of understanding your building’s energy use. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Consistent benchmarking helps make sure we’re managing our energy use in the best way possible.

Who has to Comply?

Buildings that need to comply with AB 802 are Commercial & Multi-family properties 50k sq feet and larger, including:

Apartments & Condos
Religious organizations & schools
Strip Malls
Warehouses
Restaurants
Non-profits

If your property is used for manufacturing or industrial use, you may be exempt. Contact us to find out more.

Do you Have to Comply?

Each building required to comply with AB 802 has a Benchmark Reference Number, or BRN. If you enter your address and a BRN appears, that means you are required to submit a benchmark.

CHECK YOUR AB 802
COMPLIANCE STATUS HERE

Please note that for large properties, there are several associated addresses, so you may have to enter a few to find the one that your building is registered under with the State. If your property is in Berkeley, Brisbane, Chula Vista, Los Angeles, San Jose, San Francisco or San Diego, you must file your benchmark in that city instead.

Where is my Notice?

The California Energy Commission sends out notices at least once a year. Reasons you might not have seen a notice:

A tenant received it
Sent to the wrong address - many times the mailing address the State has is not the same address where you receive mail
It was thrown out

What's the point?

Compliance may seem confusing or unimportant, but here are a few reasons to get it done:

Avoid State fines
Understand your utility use and save money
Increase the value of your building
Support California's energy savings goals

Why now?

California has officially ended its COVID-19 state of emergency and the Benchmark Program and mandates are back in effect. Benchmarks are required to be completed as mandated by law. Waiting longer to comply increases your risk of fines!

Time is of the essence - Your utility company only shares a few years of data, so before they lock down past years, it’s important to get your benchmarks done correctly.

Now what?

If your building is out of compliance, get rid of your risk for fines & code violations. There are different options to complete your benchmark and/or audit. We're here to help you understand them all.

get help complying