Energy costs for commercial buildings in Portland, Oregon, are currently $335 million per year. The Portland Business Journal reports that the city is considering a policy that would require commercial buildings over 20,000 square feet to track and report their energy use.

The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) introduced the proposal in a bid to build awareness in the commercial building sector about energy performance. If implemented, the policy would require commercial buildings to use the Energy Star Portfolio Manager to track energy performance. Commercial building owners would be required to report their energy use annually.

The policy would apply to offices, retail spaces, grocery stores, hotels, health care facilities and higher education buildings. Commercial buildings larger than 50,000 square feet would be required to report energy use starting in 2016; buildings from 20,000 to 50,000 square feet would be required to begin reporting in 2017.

According to the BPS, energy efficiency investments have occurred in 10 other US cities as a result of energy use reporting policies.

Photo of Portland skyline via Shutterstock.