19.27A.170 - Qualifying utilities -- Maintenance of records of energy consumption data -- Disclosure. - Washington Statutes

Qualifying utilities — Maintenance of records of energy consumption data — Disclosure.

(1) On and after January 1, 2010, qualifying utilities shall maintain records of the energy consumption data of all nonresidential and qualifying public agency buildings to which they provide service. This data must be maintained for at least the most recent twelve months in a format compatible for uploading to the United States environmental protection agency's energy star portfolio manager.

     (2) On and after January 1, 2010, upon the written authorization or secure electronic authorization of a nonresidential building owner or operator, a qualifying utility shall upload the energy consumption data for the accounts specified by the owner or operator for a building to the United States environmental protection agency's energy star portfolio manager in a form that does not disclose personally identifying information.

     (3) In carrying out the requirements of this section, a qualifying utility shall use any method for providing the specified data in order to maximize efficiency and minimize overall program cost. Qualifying utilities are encouraged to consult with the United States environmental protection agency and their customers in developing reasonable reporting options.

     (4) Disclosure of nonpublic nonresidential benchmarking data and ratings required under subsection (5) of this section will be phased in as follows:

     (a) By January 1, 2011, for buildings greater than fifty thousand square feet; and

     (b) By January 1, 2012, for buildings greater than ten thousand square feet.

     (5) Based on the size guidelines in subsection (4) of this section, a building owner or operator, or their agent, of a nonresidential building shall disclose the United States environmental protection agency's energy star portfolio manager benchmarking data and ratings to a prospective buyer, lessee, or lender for the most recent continuously occupied twelve-month period. A building owner or operator, or their agent, who delivers United States environmental protection agency's energy star portfolio manager benchmarking data and ratings to a prospective buyer, lessee, or lender is not required to provide additional information regarding energy consumption, and the information is deemed to be adequate to inform the prospective buyer, lessee, or lender regarding the United States environmental protection agency's energy star portfolio manager benchmarking data and ratings for the most recent twelve-month period for the building that is being sold, leased, financed, or refinanced.

     (6) Notwithstanding subsections (4) and (5) of this section, nothing in this section increases or decreases the duties, if any, of a building owner, operator, or their agent under this chapter or alters the duty of a seller, agent, or broker to disclose the existence of a material fact affecting the real property.

[2009 c 423 § 6.]