Chula Vista BESO Compliance
The City of Chula Vista Building Energy Benchmarking and Conservation Ordinance (CV BESO) requires covered commercial and multifamily buildings to annually track and report their energy performance. The ordinance also establishes ongoing conservation requirements, including performance-based improvement targets or prescriptive compliance pathways involving energy audits, retro-commissioning, and efficiency measures designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve building performance. The program was adopted as part of Chula Vista’s Climate Action Plan and applies to qualifying properties within the city.
What Is Chula Vista’s Building Energy Benchmarking Ordinance?
Chula Vista’s ordinance requires owners of covered buildings to annually benchmark energy consumption using the U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager and submit benchmarking reports to the City’s Conservation Section.
The benchmarking report provides standardized information about building energy performance, including energy use intensity, ENERGY STAR score (when available), and greenhouse gas emissions.
The ordinance also requires certain buildings to undertake energy audits, retro-commissioning, and energy efficiency improvements over time.
Who Must Comply?
The ordinance applies to covered properties in the City of Chula Vista with a gross floor area of at least 20,000 square feet, including both commercial and multifamily buildings.
Covered properties include:
Nonresidential Buildings
Commercial buildings and other nonresidential facilities with 20,000 square feet or more of gross floor area.
Multifamily Buildings
Residential properties containing five or more dwelling units that meet the ordinance size and utility account requirements.
Certain government-owned properties are exempt, including those owned by:
The County of San Diego
The State of California
The United States government
Metropolitan Transit System
Chula Vista and Sweetwater School Districts.
What’s Required?
Annual Energy Benchmarking
Building owners must annually benchmark energy usage by:
Creating and maintaining an ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager account
Tracking 12 months of building energy consumption
Submitting a Benchmarking Report to the City of Chula Vista through Portfolio Manager
Running Portfolio Manager’s Data Quality Checker before submission.
Benchmarking reports must include:
Property address and descriptive building information
Gross floor area
ENERGY STAR Score (if applicable)
Weather-normalized energy use intensity (EUI)
Site and source energy consumption
Annual greenhouse gas emissions
Monthly energy use by energy source.
Owners may also be required to pay an annual benchmarking filing fee beginning in 2026.
Direct Disclosure
Owners must provide a copy or link to their most recent benchmarking report to:
Existing tenants and owners with at least a 5% ownership interest within 90 days of the compliance deadline
Prospective buyers before the close of sale
Prospective tenants prior to lease signing or renewal.
Public Disclosure
The City of Chula Vista publishes certain benchmarking data online, including:
Building address and property type
Annual energy performance metrics
Summary statistics on citywide building energy consumption.
Conservation Requirements
Covered buildings must comply with energy conservation requirements designed to improve building performance over time.
Performance Targets
Every five years, buildings must demonstrate energy performance improvement by reducing weather-normalized site energy use intensity (EUI-WN) compared with the baseline year.
Energy Audits and Retro-Commissioning
If buildings do not meet performance targets, owners must complete:
A Level 2 or higher ASHRAE energy audit
Retro-commissioning of major building systems when applicable.
Retro-commissioning applies to buildings that have:
Retro-commissioning is generally required under provisional compliance, unless the building qualifies for an audit alternative (e.g., <50,000 SF, no centralized systems, etc.)
Energy audits must identify cost-effective retrofit measures and provide estimated energy savings, costs, and simple payback for recommended improvements.
Multifamily Prescriptive Measures
Multifamily residential buildings constructed before 2006 must complete prescriptive energy efficiency measures within tenant units.
Examples of qualifying measures include:
Attic insulation upgrades
Air sealing improvements
LED lighting upgrades
Duct sealing
Efficient water heating equipment
Window replacements.
The number of required measures depends on the building’s construction year.
Minimum Improvement Requirements
Every five years, properties must demonstrate minimum energy performance improvements relative to the previous baseline year.
Required reductions in weather-normalized site EUI depend on the building’s baseline energy performance.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
If a building fails to comply with ordinance requirements, the City may issue a Notice of Failure to Comply.
If compliance is not achieved within 60 days, monetary fines may be assessed based on building size:
5 +
Years of Experience
300 +
Satisfied Clients
300 +
Completed Projects
4+
Cities Served
How We Help
Chula Vista Benchmarking Services
IE Energy helps building owners meet Chula Vista’s benchmarking requirements by managing Portfolio Manager setup, energy data tracking, and benchmarking submissions.
Energy Audit and Retro-Commissioning Support
We coordinate qualified energy audits and retro-commissioning processes required for conservation compliance.
Energy Improvement Planning
Our team identifies cost-effective energy efficiency improvements to help buildings meet performance targets and minimum improvement requirements.
Compliance Management
We manage benchmarking submissions, track compliance cycles, maintain required documentation, and communicate with the City of Chula Vista on your behalf.
Why Choose IE Energy
Expertise in Chula Vista Benchmarking Compliance
Our team works directly with the requirements of Chula Vista’s Building Energy Benchmarking and Conservation Ordinance.
In-house Qualified, Licensed Engineers
We coordinate certified energy auditors, engineers, and commissioning professionals to meet ordinance requirements.
Data-Driven Compliance
Our approach relies on verified building energy data and practical efficiency improvements.
Client-Focused Support
We manage the administrative and technical workload so building owners can maintain compliance without operational disruption.
Questions & Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
-
The ordinance applies to covered properties located within the City of Chula Vista that are at least 20,000 square feet in size. Chula Vista benchmarking ordina…
Covered properties include:
Commercial and nonresidential buildings
Multifamily residential buildings
Buildings with five or more residential units
The ordinance applies whether the building is individually metered or master metered.
-
Annual benchmarking reports must include information such as:
Building address and property details
Gross floor area
Property type
ENERGY STAR score (if available)
Weather-normalized energy use intensity (EUI)
Total site and source energy use
Annual greenhouse gas emissions
Monthly energy consumption by fuel type.
-
May 20 each year for all covered properties.
-
In addition to five-year performance targets, buildings must demonstrate minimum energy performance improvements every ten years.
These improvements are measured relative to the building’s previous baseline year and depend on the building’s ENERGY STAR score or energy use intensity.
-
Owners may qualify for exemptions if certain conditions apply, including:
The building lacked a certificate of occupancy for at least half the reporting year
The building was unoccupied due to renovation for at least half the year
Demolition of the property has begun
The property did not receive energy or water services for at least half the year
The property is experiencing financial distress.
no certificate of occupancy for >½ year
demolition within 1 year
certain mobile home exceptions
-
If a building fails to comply, the City may issue a Notice of Failure to Comply.
If the violation is not corrected within 60 days, the City may impose fines and publicly disclose the property’s non-compliance status.
Need More Help?
Ready to Get Compliant?
Fill out the form below and our team will reach out within 1 business day to help you meet your Chula Vista Building Energy Sustainability Ordinance—fast, accurate, and stress‑free.
Prefer to connect directly?
Call us at 909-906-0840
Email us at team@ieenergy.com