Building Emissions Saving Ordinance (BESO)
Please submit your BESO application and filing fee through the Online BESO Application Portal. If you have any questions, email the BESO Helpdesk at BESO@cityofberkeley.info.
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The Building Energy Saving Ordinance (BESO) was amended by the Berkeley City Council on December 15th, 2020 and the name of Chapter 19.81 of the Berkeley Municipal Code has been updated to the Berkeley Emissions Saving Ordinance in addition to several updates, including updates to the BESO requirements. See the webpage below for additional details on the changes to BESO.
The Administrative Regulations for Chapter 19.81 of the Berkeley Municipal Code have been updated and the proposed changes will become effective on February, 15th 2021. Please email BESO@CityofBerkeley.info if you have any questions or comments regarding the proposed changes.
Energy use in our homes and commercial buildings is the second leading contributor of greenhouse gases in the City of Berkeley making up 38% of our overall greenhouse gas emissions with 31% of Berkeley's citywide emissions coming from natural gas, according to Berkeley's latest green house gas inventory.
BESO requires building owners and homeowners to complete and publicly report comprehensive energy assessments to uncover energy and GHG emissions saving opportunities. The assessments are conducted by registered energy assessors (for Commercial, Multifamily & Mixed Use or Houses [1-4 unit residential buildings]) who provide tailored recommendations on how to save energy, eliminate fossil fuels and link building owners to incentive programs for energy efficiency and electrification upgrades (for residential see bayrenresidential.org; for multifamily see bayareamultifamily.org). Energy efficiency improvements and electrification recommendations are voluntary and encouraged. BESO is required prior to sale of a house or whole building under 25,000 square feet, and on a 5-year reoccurring cycle for large multifamily and commercial buildings.
BESO Requirements:
| Building Type/Size |
Previous Requirements |
New Requirements |
| 1-4 unit Homes |
• Assessment at time of sale |
• Assessment at time of listing (Spring 2021) |
| 850 - 14,999 ft2 |
• Assessment every 10 years |
• Assessment at time of listing (Spring 2021) |
| 15,000 - 24,999 ft2 |
• Assessment every 10 years |
• Assessment at time of listing (Spring 2021)
• Annual benchmarking (Summer 2022) |
| 25,000 ft2 or more |
• Assessment every 5 years
• Annual benchmarking |
• Assessment every 5 years
• Annual benchmarking |
How to Comply with BESO:
To learn more about ways to save energy, lower utility bills, and improve the comfort of your home, please see our Energy Efficiency Incentive Programs page. Participation in one of these verified programs may qualify you for a High Performance exemption.
BESO Governing Documents:
BESO Evaluation Documents: