Detroit, MI · Reviewed November 2026

Detroit benchmarking compliance, filed for you

The Detroit 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.

Get a quote →All deadlines

Who’s covered

Commercial and multifamily buildings of 25,000 sq ft or more (buildings over 100,000 sq ft started in 2024, the rest in 2025), plus city buildings of 10,000 sq ft or more.

Annual deadline

June 1 for the previous calendar year.

Verification

Data verification every three years.

Penalties

A blight violation notice with a civil fine.

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 exist for low occupancy, demolition, missing occupancy certificates and data that can’t be obtained.

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 Detroit 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

Start my quote

FAQ

Detroit benchmarking questions

When is the Detroit benchmarking deadline?

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

Does Detroit benchmarking apply to my building?

Commercial and multifamily buildings of 25,000 sq ft or more (buildings over 100,000 sq ft started in 2024, the rest in 2025), plus city buildings of 10,000 sq ft or more. Exemptions are limited — if you’re not sure, send us the address and we’ll check.

What happens if I miss it?

A blight violation notice with a civil fine. If you’ve already missed the deadline, we can usually get you filed quickly and help you respond to any notice.

Is third-party verification required?

Data verification every three years. We provide verification in-house.

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

Let us handle your Detroit benchmarking filing

Get a free quote