After all of the energy audit data has been entered for your building, use this section to submit a completed audit report to city officials associated with the Report Type selected on the Building Information screen, by following the steps below.
- Review building inputs for accuracy. Address any issues marked with a warning icon.
Fields required for city reporting must be completed before an audit report may be submitted. Incomplete fields will result in a warning icon displayed in the toolbar and the headings of the associated input sections:
A list of incomplete fields and their associated input sections is also available to view by selecting the 'Validation Errors' link at the top of the screen.
- Add additional comments for submission. Notes, comments or special instructions for city officials may be added in the memo field on this screen.
- Download audit reports for your records. An XML, CSV, or PDF report containing the building inputs entered for your records may be downloaded by selecting the yellow Download button.
- Upload attachments if applicable. Attachments may include images or pdf files that may emphasize or clarify entries such as HVAC Systems, or other sections of the report. Some Cities may require the submission of additional forms along with the Audit report. Select the blue “Add Attachment” button to upload and submit along with the audit report to the City.
- Select the “Submit to City” button to submit a completed audit report to city officials associated with the selected Report Type. Once the building has been submitted, the City will be notified that audit report files are available to download. Users will also receive a confirmation email and may download the same files for their own records.
Once a building has been submitted, it will be locked for editing. A notice will appear on the City Submission screen referencing the city the report was submitted to, the submission id, date of submission, and version number. Submitted reports may be viewed or downloaded in XML, CSV, XLSX or PDF file formats by selecting yellow Download button.
Note that the XLSX file format is a new (2022) feature which includes all of the inputs that have been entered into a report. The file contains formatted and grouped row headings for ease of viewing. The 'New CSV' report file format contains the same columns and inputs as the XLSX file but without formatting. This is in contrast to the old 'CSV' file which included limits to the amount of lighting fixtures, HVAC systems, and energy efficiency measures and packages that could be displayed.
Audit Report buildings that have submitted reports to cities will be listed as Submitted in the Status column of the Audit Template table on the Buildings home page.
Users may unlock the building to edit and resubmit if necessary by selecting the ‘Edit Your Building’ link from the City Submission page, or by selecting ‘Reopen’ from the Options gear icon available from the Options column of the Audit Template table on the on the main Buildings page.
Notes may be added in the ‘Additional comments for submission’ field to inform the city of revisions made since the last submission. These comments are sent to the City along with the latest version of the building submitted. City officials may access all submissions for a building.
Audit Template report version numbers will begin with ‘0’ for the first submission, and will increase by +1 every time a report is submitted, edited and re-submitted. The date and version of the most recent submitted report is viewable from the Submission Information screen and in the pdf report.
Q&A #
What Does It Mean to Submit to the Agency/Jurisdiction? #
Submitting to an agency or jurisdiction involves officially sending your completed energy audit report to city officials for review, compliance checking, and archival. This is done after ensuring all required data about your building is accurate and complete. Here’s what typically happens when you submit:
Review and Completion: You need to review all data inputs for accuracy and completeness. Any missing fields or errors will be flagged by the system. Only a fully completed report can be submitted.
Submission: By clicking the “Submit to City” button, you officially send the report to the designated city officials. This action communicates that your report is final and ready for their use.
Confirmation and Notification: Upon submission, city officials are alerted that your report is available for download. You will receive a confirmation email, ensuring that your submission was successful.
Access Restrictions and Editing: After submission, the building report is initially locked to maintain the integrity of the data reviewed by city officials. However, if updates or corrections are necessary, you can unlock the building for editing. This is done by selecting the ‘Edit Your Building’ link from the City Submission page, or by choosing ‘Reopen’ from the Options gear icon available from the Options column of the Audit Template table on the main Buildings page. Once edits are made, the building can be resubmitted, which updates the version counter for the report.
City Review: Submitted reports are accessible to city officials who may use them to assess your building’s energy efficiency, compliance with local regulations, or for statistical reporting.
Ongoing Interaction: If necessary, you can unlock and edit your submission if further updates are required or if corrections are needed. This will involve resubmitting the updated report, which will be logged as a new version.
This process is crucial for ensuring that your building meets local energy regulations and standards, and helps city officials manage and plan energy usage policies effectively. Each submission is treated as an official document and handled accordingly by the city.