The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is requesting public comments on a proposed requirement that owners of HUD-funded multifamily housing report energy and water usage at their properties. Comments on the Federal Register notice are due Dec. 5.
The proposed utility benchmarking requirements “would allow owners to better understand their buildings’ energy and water performance, prioritize operational and capital improvements, verify the return on those investments and plan future budget needs,” reports the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA).
As the notice stands, HUD-funded property owners would submit energy and water data for their properties through the Department of Energy’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager software. “HUD recommends that owners collect data from utilities at the whole-building level. Owners may also provide a sample of tenant data as laid out in the notice,” according to NCSHA.
The notice proposes reporting schedules based on whether the HUD-funded property has a utility allowance and other scenarios. The notice does not affect properties with 20 or fewer units or those insured under the Federal Housing Administration Risk Share programs.