From Benchmarking to Retro-Commissioning
The first step toward energy efficiency is often the easiest to overlook: understanding your data. With the Los Angeles EBEWE ordinance now in full effect, building owners across California need to realize that compliance is more than just filing a benchmarking report. It’s about turning that data into measurable plan of action.
At Inland Empire Energy, we help property owners do just that. Here’s how we turn benchmarking data into real results—and how an experienced energy compliance service can help you make the most of your energy profile.
Step 1: Understanding Benchmarking Requirements
EBEWE Compliance rules state that all buildings over 20,000 square feet in Los Angeles are required to benchmark their energy and water usage annually. Yet this is only the first part to full-compliance
In other words, benchmarking alone doesn’t improve your building’s performance. It simply just reveals how your building is currently performing in comparison to others of a similar type. If you stop there, you’re leaving both savings and compliance risks on the table.
Step 2: Analyze Your Building’s Energy Profile/Identify Red Flags
Once your benchmarking data is submitted, it can be used to identify things like inefficiencies, spikes in usage, and poor-performing systems. Some common red flags we see are:
HVAC systems running outside scheduled hours
Lighting systems with high wattage or long runtimes
Inefficient water heaters and/or plumbing fixtures
Poor insulation or outdated windows
These insights are the foundation for the next step: helping you decide what actions to take.
Step 3: Starting EBEWE Phase II Requires
The second part of Los Angeles EBEWE requires buildings to take corrective action every five years through one of the following:
An ASHRAE Level II Energy Audit and Retro-Commissioning (RCx)
OR achieving high performance benchmarks that exempt the building from further auditing
This is where the shift from benchmarking to retrofit really happens. Buildings that don't meet exemption criteria must complete the audit and retro-commissioning process. However, the quicker retrofits are implemented, the sooner your building can qualify for an exemption.
Step 4: Conducting a Detailed Energy Audit
If your building does not qualify for am exemption, an ASHRAE Level II Audit and Retro-Commissioning is required. This involves:
A walkthrough inspection
Review of utility bills and operational data
Interviews with facility managers or engineers
Identification of Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs)
The goal is to provide a set of actionable recommendations so that your building can be compliant for years to come. Examples include:
Replacing outdated lighting with LED fixtures
Installing programmable thermostats
Adding motion sensors to reduce lighting waste
Upgrading HVAC systems
Upgrading insulation
Step 5: Prioritize and Plan Retrofits
Don’t worry, you don’t need to implement every recommendation at once. A good energy compliance partner will help you prioritize upgrades based on:
ROI and payback period
Budget constraints
Upcoming city or state deadlines
Ease of implementation
For example, sealing air leaks and installing low-flow fixtures are relatively inexpensive improvements with quick returns. On the other hand, replacing a boiler might be a costly improvement, yet it would offer substantial energy savings. With the help of our licensed engineers, you can decide what retrofits are right for your building.
Step 6: Implement and Document
Once upgrades and operational changes are made, documentation becomes critical for proving compliance.
Submit updated reports and audit findings to LADBS
Maintain records of installation, calibration, or retrofitting
Store all receipts and invoices to support future audits
An experienced energy compliance service will manage this process for you, ensuring that every box is checked and submitted on time.
Step 7: Track Performance Year Over Year
By continuing to track your energy use each year, you can:
Confirm that improvements are delivering savings
Adjust strategies as your building ages or tenant usage changes
Qualify for performance exemptions in the next EBEWE cycle
Annual benchmarking becomes much more useful when you use it to validate your efforts.
The ROI of Doing More Than the Minimum
Staying compliant with EBEWE Compliance requirements in Los Angeles is important, but many building owners find that going beyond compliance yields real business benefits:
Reduced operating costs from implementing more efficient systems
Improved tenant satisfaction due to better indoor regulation/comfort
Increased property value and marketability
Enhanced ESG scores that appeal to modern investors
Rather than treating energy compliance as a burden, the most successful owners treat it as a roadmap for continuous improvement.
Why Choose a Professional Energy Compliance Service?
We know that navigating benchmarking platforms, audit requirements, and city deadlines isn’t easy.
A trusted energy compliance service like Inland Empire Energy can:
Handle all benchmarking and audit reporting
Conduct ASHRAE Level II audits and RCx in-house
Manage documentation and communication with LADBS
Identify the most valuable and cost-effective improvements
Keep you ahead of future compliance cycles
Because our team is based in California, we are fully versed in Los Angeles’ EBEWE regulations. We’re not just checking boxes, we’re helping clients transform their properties, avoid fines, and save money.
In Conclusion…
Benchmarking tells you what is happening. Retrofits change why it’s happening.
To turn your data into action, you need to go beyond reports and commit to smart improvements. After all, EBEWE Compliance is really about creating buildings that are more efficient, valuable, and future-ready.
Need help interpreting your data or planning your audit? Contact Inland Empire Energy for a free compliance review and find out how we can help you take the next step.
