San Jose, CA · Overview
San Jose Energy & Water Building Performance Ordinance (BPO)
San Jose requires annual energy benchmarking for nonresidential and multifamily buildings 20,000 sq ft and larger, filed via ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, plus a staggered "beyond benchmarking" performance-verification/audit-style requirement every 5 years. San Jose is a CEC-exempt jurisdiction, so this filing also satisfies state AB 802.
Verified against primary sources
Filing deadline
May 1
Annually, for the prior calendar year
- City fee
- No city fee on file.
- Files via
- ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager — you respond to the jurisdiction’s data request.
Filing facts
What the registry knows
- Who’s covered
- Commercial and multifamily buildings 20,000 sq ft or larger.
- Deadline
- May 1, annually
- Files via
- ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager — you respond to the jurisdiction’s data request.
- City fee
- No city fee on file.
- If you miss it
- Penalties reported at roughly $25-$50/day up to $2,500-$5,000/year in secondary sources; not confirmed from a primary city source.
How to comply
Step by step
Confirm the building is nonresidential or multifamily and 20,000 sq ft or larger.
Benchmark the building in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager with a "San Jose" Standard ID and respond to the city's data request before May 1.
Track the building's staggered 5-year "beyond benchmarking" performance-verification cycle, which layers additional audit-style requirements on top of annual benchmarking.
FAQ
Common questions
What does "beyond benchmarking" mean for a San Jose building owner?
It is a separate, staggered requirement (by building size) layered on top of annual benchmarking that adds performance-verification or audit-style obligations every 5 years — it is not just a re-filing of the same benchmarking data.
Does filing under San Jose BPO also cover AB 802?
Yes — San Jose is on the CEC's exempted local ordinance list, so a building that files locally does not need to separately file with the CEC under AB 802.
Want San Jose Energy & Water Building Performance Ordinance (BPO) handled for you?
Run the compliance checker to confirm this program actually applies to your building, then join our early-access waitlist — we’re onboarding buildings city by city and will email you the moment we’re filing in your jurisdiction.
Check your building