How to Comply and Report to SF Environment

A Confirmation of Energy Audit must be filed with the Department of Environment identifying the building, the owner, energy professional, what type of evaluation was performed, and a list of the cost effective energy efficiency measures that were identified. It is the building owner’s decision whether to implement retrofits, and to take advantage of incentives that may be available from the utility, state, and federal government by implementing the opportunities identified in the energy efficiency audit.

It is not necessary to file an entire Energy Audit Report with the Department of Environment; only a Confirmation of Energy Audit will be required. The Confirmation of Energy Audit will be filed online; SF Environment provides Energy Professionals with access to the tool upon request. The Confirmation of Energy Audit includes:

• Contact information for the building and building owner
• Auditor, their qualifications, and when the audit was completed
• A list of all cost-effective retrofit (or retro-commissioning) measures identified. For reporting purposes, “cost-effective” means energy efficiency measures that are estimated by the auditor to either:
  • Each have a simple payback of 3 years or less,
  • Each have a beneficial net present value,
  • Comprise an integrated package with an overall simple payback of approximately 3 years, OR
  • Comprise an integrated package with beneficial net present value. 

Access the Confirmation of Energy Audit Tool

A Confirmation of Energy Audit may only be filed by the Energy Professional who conducts the audit. To access the Confirmation of Energy Audit tool, the auditor should:

1. Create a free account with Zoho Creator. Be sure to use the email address you will use for submitting the Confirmation of Energy Audit.
2. Email benchmark@sfenvironment.org two pieces of information:
   1. Full name AND
   2. Email address associated with your Zoho Creator account.
3. Upon receipt of your request, SF Environment will add your email address to the list of authorized users and email you a confirmation you are registered to use the tool.
4. Once registered, the auditor may begin submitting confirmations for any projects they serve.

Exemptions to Audit Requirements

An Energy Efficiency Audit is not required if the building is new or is recognized by a third party as high performing:

• High Performance Buildings: The building has received the ENERGY STAR in 3 of the past 5 years, or LEED for Existing Buildings certification in the past 5 years.
• New Construction: The building was constructed (i.e. received a final Certificate of Occupancy) in the past 5 years.

Buildings that meet these criteria are exempt from an audit until the next audit cycle, and will remain exempt if they maintain current recognition for high performance.

Buildings are also exempt from the audit requirement for as long as any of the following conditions apply:

• Unoccupied Buildings: (The building had less than one full-time equivalent occupant for the previous calendar year.)
• Financial Distress: Examples of qualifying financial distress include:

• Properties qualified for sale at public auction by the Treasurer and Tax Collector due to arrears of property taxes that resulted in the property's qualification for sale at public auction, or acquisition by a public agency within two years prior to the due date of an energy efficiency audit report
• A court appointed receiver is in control of the asset due to financial distress
• Buildings owned by a financial institution through default by the borrower
• Buildings acquired by a deed in lieu of foreclosure
• Buildings where the senior mortgage is subject to a notice of default.

In all other cases, the Confirmation of Energy Audit is required by the assigned due date.

To request an Exemption to the Energy Audit requirement based on one of the conditions above, please email benchmark@sfenvironment.org with appropriate reference material to confirm the exemption.