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Business/Commercial Buildings & Energy
Requirements
- Efficient Buildings Ordinance- Buildings 25,000 square feet or larger must comply annually:
- Benchmark and report energy and water use to the City
- Stay up to date with the Energy Assessment requirements
- See below for details
- Sustainable Buildings Policy (PDF) - New construction and significant renovations seeking a PUD or financial support from the City of Edina must comply.
Opportunities
- Climate Action Fund Cost Share Program - Commercial and Multifamily properties may be eligible for reimbursement for energy-efficiency projects or those that shift from natural gas to electricity. See below.
- Green Business Outreach Program - The City of Edina celebrates green and sustainable actions promoted by local businesses. Apply to get recognized for your business's environmental practices!
- Reduce your energy use and transition to renewable energy - See below for resources to reduce your building energy needs and move toward a renewable energy future.
Efficient Buildings Ordinance, What Is It?
The City of Edina is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030, from 2019. The Efficient Buildings Ordinance benchmarks existing energy use in commercial buildings, and promotes resources to increase energy efficiency and transition to renewable energy sources. Improving building energy efficiency is a key component of the City’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint while supporting building owners’ pathways to lower operating costs.
Many property managers and owners already benchmark their buildings. Benchmarking the energy performance of a building is the first step to increasing energy efficiency.
How are efficient are buildings in Edina? View energy use by building:
Hennepin County Building Energy Benchmarking Tracker
The City of Edina requires that commercial buildings provide proof of an approved energy assessment, at no cost to the building owner, every five years.
Compliant buildings must report water use through Energy Star Portfolio Manager in addition to energy. Not sure how much water your building used? Sign up for e-billing to receive virtual statements, or contact Edina's utility billing department.
Who must comply?
Properties with energy and water efficiency improvement potential shall submit proof of an energy assessment having been performed according to the schedule below. The assessment must have been performed within the last five (5) years and must include recommendations for energy and water savings opportunities. Buildings’ energy improvement potential shall be defined on an annual basis, based on the prior year’s benchmarking data. Weather Normalized Site Energy Use Intensity (EUI) shall be used to determine improvement potential. The 50% of buildings with the highest Weather Normalized Site EUI values in a given class shall be required to comply with an energy assessment.
Class | Property Size (in gross square feet) | Compliance Schedule |
1 | 100,000 and greater | June 1, 2022 and by June 1 every fifth year thereafter |
2 | 50,000 – 99,999 | June 1, 2023 and by June 1 every fifth year thereafter |
3 | 25,000-49,999 | June 1, 2024 and by June 1 every fifth year thereafter |
How to comply
Every spring, buildings required to comply (based on prior year's weather normalized site EUI) will be notified by mail and email of the compliance requirement and the process to either receive an energy assessment, submit proof of an existing energy assessment performed in the last five years, or seek an exemption.
Buildings required to comply with the Energy Assessment will be contacted by a City-approved Energy Assessment team to schedule the assessment. This team will submit proof of assessment to the City to achieve compliance for the building.
Exemptions
Think your building might be exempt? The building owner can complete this Exemption Form, choosing "Edina" as the City and "Energy Assessment" in the exemption option drop-down. Exemptions may be considered if a building meets one of the following:
- Properties with qualifying green building certifications within past 3 years are exempt. These include ENERGY STAR, LEED Silver, Minnesota B3, and other certifications outlined in Edina’s Sustainable Buildings Policy.
- Beginning in 2025, properties showing evidence of 20% weather-normalized energy use intensity reduction over five (5) years, with an initial baseline year of 2019 may seek an exception.
- Received energy assessment in last 5 years
Sign up for an Energy Assessment
Buildings required to comply by receiving an energy assessment will be contacted to schedule an assessment. The City of Edina is offering no-cost energy energy assessments to any building 25,000 square feet or larger in the city that wishes to comply with the Efficient Buildings ordinance earlier than their anticipated compliance year (2024). If you wish to comply early, please contact the Efficient Buildings Help Desk Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. via email [email protected], call 866-614-7542 or visit https://energyreporting.as.me/.
- View a map of regional building energy use here.
- Efficient Buildings Collaborative Compliance Checklist (PDF)
- Help Desk is available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday via [email protected] or 866-614-7542
- General assistance
- Ask questions
- Contact if you cannot find your Build Collaborative ID
- Hennepin County’s Energy Benchmarking Collaborative
Learn More
Own or manage a building 25,000 square feet or larger? This video explains the program:
Or see the Large Building Benchmarking Fact Sheet (PDF)
Edina's Climate Action Fund for Commercial & Multifamily Properties
The City of Edina’s Community Climate Action Fund is a cost share program where the City reimburses residents and businesses for some of the costs to:
- Complete high-impact energy-efficiency projects based on a recent building audit, or
- Install on-site solar after completing energy efficiency improvements
Commercial and Multifamily buildings in Edina are eligible for:
- 100% utility rebate match up to $2,500 for energy-efficiency projects (not including natural gas systems)
- Up to $2,500 cost share for electrification/fuel switching projects where natural gas infrastructure or appliances are removed and electric systems are added
- Properties that comply with Edina's Efficient Buildings Ordinance are eligible for a $2,500 cost-share for any projects, no match required (not including natural gas systems)
- To reduce electricity use, contact Xcel Energy’s Business Solutions Center at 855-839-8862 and they will guide you through the process of finding the right programs and rebates for your business.
- To reduce natural gas use, contact CenterPoint Energy’s Business Customer Hotline at 877-809-3803 to discuss rebate programs and services.
- Minnesota Technical Assistance Program - The Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) helps businesses develop and implement industry-tailored solutions that prevent pollution at the source, maximize efficient use of resources, and reduce energy use and costs to improve public health and the environment.
- PACE Renewable Energy Financing - Financing options for renewable energy or energy efficient building improvements through the St. Paul Port Authority (SPPA) Program called Pace of MN. For more information, visit the Minnesota PACE site.
- Business Energy Investment Tax Credit - Find out if you could be eligible here.
- Commercial Energy Efficiency Loan Program - The Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) program provides financing to businesses for energy efficiency improvements.
- Xcel Energy Business Program and Rebates - Find equipment rebates, renewable energy options, and more. Contact the Energy Advisor Team at [email protected] or 855-839-8862.
- This winter, do your part for clean water by making sure that you and your service provider are Smart Salting certified. View of the list of certificate holders and use this model contract to ensure safety while protecting the environment.
- Take steps each day to save water and protect the environment by choosing WaterSense labeled products. Check out information for commercial buildings and irrigation controller technologies that can significantly reduce water waste due to over watering.
Building Energy Use is the highest source of greenhouse gases in Edina
In 2019, Edina's GHG Inventory showed that 56% of all community greenhouse gases came from heat and electricity use in Edina's homes and business buildings.
The City has committed to reducing GHGs 45% by 2030, from 2019 levels.
Climate Actions to Address Building Energy Use
Strategy 1 | Improve total Community wide residential, commercial, educational, and industrial building energy efficiency by 15% for electricity and 15% for natural gas by 2030. |
Strategy 2 | Increase adoption of high performance building construction technology, achieving 5% Net Zero households and 1% Net Zero commercial properties community wide by 2030. |
Strategy 3 | Reduce share of population living in high energy poverty from 29% to 12% by 2030. |
Strategy 4 | Achieve 10% residential and commercial and industrial building "fuel switching" from on-site fossil fuel combustion to less carbon intensive, or carbon neutral sources by 2030. |
Strategy 5 | Increase renewable energy (distributed and purchased) from 1.6% to 17% of citywide residential and commercial electric use by 2030. |
Strategy 6 | Improve total municipal building energy efficiency by 17% for electricity and 17% for natural gas by 2030. |
Strategy 7 | Achieve 25% municipal building thermal “fuel switching" from on-site fossil fuel combustion to less carbon intensive, or carbon neutral sources by 2030. |
Strategy 8 | Increase renewable energy (distributed and purchased) from 0.2% to 100% of city operations electricity consumption by 2030. |
Learn More and Get Involved
- Read Edina's full Climate Action Plan, and get involved with Edina Climate Action.
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Grace Hancock
Sustainability ManagerPhone: 952-826-1621