Registering as a BESO Energy Assessor

Berkeley’s Building Emissions Saving Ordinance (BESO) requires property owners to hire a qualified assessor to conduct an energy assessment and prepare a report about the building’s energy performance and opportunities for improvement. Learn more about the BESO assessment requirements.

Register with the City be included in the lists of BESO registered energy assessors for houses (1-4 unit residential) and/or multifamily and commercial buildings.

Qualifications for becoming a BESO energy assessor

All BESO energy assessors must have a valid Berkeley business license and agree to the terms of the BESO Energy Assessor Registration Agreement. Additional minimum qualifications depend on the type of building you wish to assess.

Houses (1 to 4 units)

• Single Unit Buildings – Must be Certified Home Energy Score Provider. To get started on the Home Energy Score training process, send an email to HomeEnergyScore@bki.com. To find out more about the Home Energy Score program, visit the Home Energy Score regional partner website.
•  2 to 4 Attached Dwelling Units – If units are stacked or front to back, must also be Energy Upgrade California participating Home Performance Contractor or Rater. For more information about the Energy Upgrade California program, see Energy Upgrade CA overview.

Multifamily/Mixed Use Buildings

Must have two of the following:

• HERS Whole House (HERS II) Rater
• BPI Certified Multifamily Building Analyst
• GreenPoint Rater Existing Home Multifamily Rater

Commercial/Mixed Use Buildings

Must have one of the following:

• ASHRAE Building Energy Assessment Professional Certification (BEAP)
• Association of Energy Engineers Certified Energy Manager (CEM) or Certified Energy Auditor (CEA)
• Energy Management Professional (EMP) Certification
• California Professional Engineer licensed through the National Society of Professional Engineers

Apply to become a BESO energy assessor

Follow the steps below to register as a BESO energy assessor:

1. Meet minimum qualifications and obtain a current Berkeley Business License. Please see Administrative Regulations for details.
2. Complete the Energy Assessor Registration Agreement and submit to BESO@cityofberkeley.info.
3. Contact BESO staff for a BESO Assessor Orientation: BESO@cityofberkeley.info. 

Resources for BESO energy assessors

After completing your assessment, submit your report to the City.

• Buildings under 25,000 ft2: Submit online using the BESO Portal. Read the user guide for support with using the portal.
• Buildings over 25,000 ft2: Submit by email to BESO@cityofberkeley.info.

Resources for residential (1-4 unit houses) assessors

• Assessor Quick Guide for Houses
• Supplemental BESO Assessment Form for Houses
•  BESO Sample Home Energy Score Report
• Additional Resources
  • Becoming a Home Energy Score Assessor through the StopWaste Partnership      
  • U.S. Department of Energy’s website for Home Energy Score 
  • Home Energy Advisor (BayREN)
  • Energy Upgrade CA rebates
  • Electrification Checklist Training Webinar

Resources for multifamily & commercial assessors

• Supplemental BESO Assessment for Multifamily and Commercial Buildings Form (email BESO@cityofberkeley.info to receive the most updated form in excel)
• Asset Score Reporting Template (Please note: To complete and submit an ASHRAE Level 2 Reporting Template to the City of Berkeley, you must select "New Audit Report" > "Other City Report" within the Asset Score platform. This is separate from the full modeling and scoring capability, which is also optional and available through the platform. Please read Quick Start Guide and watch Introduction webinar below for further explanation before using.)
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Reporting Template Introduction Webinar (for closed captioning, please contact BESO@cityofberkeley.info)
  • Reporting Template Users Guide
  • Asset Score Help Desk
  • Asset Score Log-in
• Assessor Quick Guide for Multifamily and Commercial Buildings
• Additional Resources
  • Bay Area Regional Energy Network(BayREN) Bay Area Multifamily Building Enhancements 
  • East Bay Energy Watch (previously SmartLights) for Commercial Buildings