Des Moines, IA · Reviewed November 2026

Des Moines benchmarking compliance, filed for you

The Des Moines Energy and Water Benchmarking Ordinance requires covered buildings to report energy and water use every year. We gather the data, check it, and file it — usually within a week.

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Who’s covered

Commercial and multifamily buildings of 25,000 sq ft or more, plus city buildings.

Annual deadline

July 1 for the previous calendar year.

Verification

No routine third-party verification — but the program runs its own data checks, so accuracy still matters.

Penalties

$50 if more than 30 days late, $300 if not fixed within 30 days, and $500 for later violations.

What to report

All energy and water used by the whole building — including tenant spaces — for January 1 to December 31:

Electricity — every meter serving the building
Natural gas
District steam, hot or chilled water, if you have it
Delivered fuels (oil, diesel, propane) — all delivery receipts for the year
On-site solar production, if any
Water — whole-building water use

Leave out backup generator fuel. Note any meters added or removed during the year.

Good to know

Exemptions include LEED-certified buildings and some newer multifamily buildings.

What we’ll need from you

Building address, plus any utility service addresses that differ from it
Gross floor area for the whole building and each use (office, retail, residential…), number of units and year built
Your Des Moines Building ID (we can look it up)
Utility data for the full calendar year, January 1 – December 31 (usually 13 months of bills)
If tenants pay their own utilities: whole-building (aggregated) data from the utility, or signed tenant authorization forms
Access to your ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager account, if you have one
Any notice or letter you received about this law

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FAQ

Des Moines benchmarking questions

When is the Des Moines benchmarking deadline?

Reports are normally due July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year’s energy and water use.

Does Des Moines benchmarking apply to my building?

Commercial and multifamily buildings of 25,000 sq ft or more, plus city buildings. Exemptions are limited — if you’re not sure, send us the address and we’ll check.

What happens if I miss it?

$50 if more than 30 days late, $300 if not fixed within 30 days, and $500 for later violations. If you’ve already missed the deadline, we can usually get you filed quickly and help you respond to any notice.

Official program information: Des Moines benchmarking website. Requirements change — we confirm current rules for every filing.

Let us handle your Des Moines benchmarking filing

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