Big Impact From Energy Reduction Measures

SAN FRANCISCO— Energy consumption by commercial properties in San Francisco has declined significantly since 2011 after the implementation of San Francisco’s Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance, according to a new report released this week at the ULI Fall Meeting from the Urban Land Institute Greenprint Center for Building Performance. The report is the result of a collaboration between Greenprint and the San Francisco Department of the Environment.

The report shows a 7.9% reduction in energy use across a cohort of 176 properties consistently tracked since 2010 for $170 million in identified savings. A review of a broader group of 817 buildings found that the implementation of energy reduction measures could save tens of millions of dollars in costs during the lifetime of the projects, adding significantly to the properties’ value.