PG&E Rebates and Incentives - File by December 31, 2013

On January 1, 2014 a significant update to the California Title 24 building code will take effect. As a result, many of the current PG&E rebates and incentives may be significantly lower in 2014, if rebate applications and permits are filed after December 31, 2013.  Lighting projects will be most heavily impacted by the code change.

The following measures may have significantly reduced eligible rebate/incentive savings:

• Lighting retrofits (projects where at least 10% of luminaries in a given space are altered)
• Multi-level lighting controls (garage, stairwell)
• Occupancy sensors
• Day lighting controls
• Water-cooled chiller projects. Baselines for water-cooled chillers will increase on January 1st.

If BOMA members have been considering any of these upgrades, please consider highly recommend submitting your project applications (and City permits pulled, if applicable) prior to January 1, 2014.

Note: If permits for a project are not issued until after December 31, 2013 (and if the project is not installed and operational prior to June 1, 2014) your project will be subject to 2014 Title 24 code and your eligible savings may be significantly reduced. The Pacific Energy Center will be hosting free educational sessions about the 2014 Title 24 building code changes.

PG&E links:

Rebates Incentives and Resources
Customized Retrofit Incentives
PG&E Energy Education Classes
Electric Rates: Current and Historic
Gas Rates

Register for BOMA San Francisco's 2013 Building Codes Seminar

BOMA San Francisco Members:

BOMA's Annual Building Codes Seminar on November14, 2013 will feature presentations on a wide range of important topics for commercial property professionals including:

• 2013 San Francisco building and fire codes
• 2013 Green Building Code/CalGreen
• Title 24 Energy Codes
• Accessibility updates
• Water conservation
• Facade maintenance proposals
• Bicycle plan requirements, and much more!

This event is produced by the members of the Codes and Regulations Committee and is a unique opportunity for BOMA members to meet and interact with city officials responsible for enforcing these codes, and to listen to BOMA's own member design and construction professionals regarding code compliance. 

Online Registration - You can also register at the event!

Bechtel Conference Center At PPIC
500 Washington At Sansome
San Francisco, CA

8:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 

Major Sponsor

Program Sponsors

San Francisco Publishes Energy Consumption Data for over 400 City Buildings

BOMA San Francisco Members:

This second annual report published by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) details the energy performance of almost 450 of San Francisco’s municipal facilities during calendar year 2012, including more than 46 million square feet of building area.

Please click here to review the publication.

As the owner and occupant of hundreds of buildings, the City and County of San Francisco has chosen to lead by example and provide transparency about its own operations. The report also includes data on over 130 San Francisco Unified School District facilities.

By distributing this report on behalf of 26 different agencies, the SFPUC hopes to provide a fresh perspective on these public facilities, highlighting energy performance successes and focusing attention and resources on buildings that may benefit from energy improvements.

Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance

The catalyst for producing this report is the San Francisco Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance approved by the Board of Supervisors and signed by Mayor Edwin M. Lee in February 2011.

The ordinance requires owners of non-residential buildings over 10,000 square feet to annually benchmark and disclose the energy performance of their buildings, using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Portfolio Manager tool to obtain ENERGY STAR ratings when possible.

2009 Existing Commercial Buildings Task Force - BOMA San Francisco's Involvement 

In February 2009, then Mayor Gavin Newsom created the Existing Buildings Efficiency Initiative Task Force (Task Force), co-chaired by BOMA San Francisco's 2013 president Steven Ring, to recommend policies and actions to improve the energy efficiency of existing commercial buildings in San Francisco. The Task Force continued the work of the 2007 Green Buildings Task Force that was convened by the Mayor to develop expanded green building standards for major new private construction projects in San Francisco.

The Task Force report identified seven areas as key factors to improving energy efficiency in existing commercial buildings.  The Task Force's recommendations provided the framework for the City and County of San Francisco to introduce and enact the Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance.

BOMA San Francisco's applauds the City and County of San Francisco for leading municipalities in environmental sustainability and stewardship.  BOMA members look forward to partnering with the City of San Francisco achieve it's future environmental goals.  Indeed, the Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance is a manifestation of a true private/public agency partnership.

BOMA Succeeds at ICC Hearings

BOMA International’s codes team successfully represented the interests of BOMA members during final action hearings to determine the content of the 2015 editions of eight of the International Code Council’s (ICC) sixteen codes. The hearings, held in Atlantic City, N.J. earlier this month, saw more than 800 code change proposals debated and balloted by ICC voting members. Working in concert with other real estate and construction groups, BOMA’s team once again preserved safe, achievable and cost-effective codes against the growing influence of powerful product manufacturers and special interest industry groups.

BOMA and its allies were successful in keeping unnecessary and extremely costly mandates on new and existing buildings out of the ICC codes. Victories included the defeat of:

• Retro-commissioning for energy and mechanical systems in existing buildings every five years
• Solar-ready provisions, including dedicated roof space, for all buildings
• Increased insulation levels for wall, floor, roof and windows
• Whole building air barrier testing
• Auto shut-off controls on 50 percent of electrical receptacles
• Inspection of existing building energy code compliance triggered by any permit application
• Renewal of building certificates of occupancy every five years
• Retroactive sprinkler system installation for all business occupancies over three stories and all existing hotels and motels
• Mold inspection and remediation of all existing buildings
• Radon abatement system installation triggered by renovation permits

BOMA also secured approval of proposals to keep prohibitively costly firefighter air breathing replenishment systems and building energy/mechanical system commissioning out of the body of the ICC codes. A full report on the results of the ICC hearings will be available on the BOMA website and in the next issue of BOMA Magazine.

UPDATE: Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Commercial Buildings Ordinance - Bicycle Access Plan and Exception Due October 31, 2013

BOMA San Francisco Members:

UPDATE - October 30, 2013

With regard to the Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Commercial Buildings Ordinance a property owner or manager must file a Bicycle Access Plan and/or any applicable exemptions with the San Francisco Department of Environment by October 31, 2013.  If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact CommuteSmart@sfgov.org.

Bicycle Access Plan

BOMA members only need to fill out this form if there are specific details and limitations on bicycle access in the building.  This includes the route to elevators or stairs that accommodate bicycle access or the route to a designated area for bike parking and other information as listed in the law.  If you allow full bicycle access in your building without restriction, you do not need to fill out the Bicycle Access Plan.  

It is user friendly and can be submitted online.  You will receive an email confirmation of your submission (please check your spam filter if you do not see it).  The Plan will be kept on file at the Department of Environment and made available upon request to tenants. If you have already submitted a Bicycle Access Plan and would like to update a it, simply re-submit a Plan with the included updates. 

Exemption

An exemption form is required if

• Your building’s elevator is not available for bicycle access due to substantial safety risks; or 

• Alternate covered off-street or alternate indoor no-cost bicycle parking that meets the security requirements of Planning Code Section 155.1(a)(6) and (7), meets the quantity and other requirements identified in the existing Planning Code, and is available within three blocks or 750 feet, whichever is less, that accommodates all tenants requesting bike access. 

The Department of the Environment, after consultation with the Municipal Transportation Agency and Department of Building Inspection, will either approve or deny the exception request. Commercial properties that file for an exception should also complete a Bicycle Access Plan to ensure that tenants are aware of the specified location to park their bicycles. 

 

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UPDATE - May 21, 2012

The Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Commercial Buildings Ordinance is now law.  We're honored to work with the San Francisco Bicycle Collation and Supervisor John Avalos' office to make this a reality.

Two articles were published in FM World (BIFM’s Facilities Management magazine) regarding the new law:

• San Francisco beefs up bike access laws | FM World – the BIFM’s Facilities Management magazine http://shar.es/2yUee
• Think Tank: FMs vote for cycle parking | FM World – the BIFM’s Facilities Management magazine http://shar.es/2yOi3

What are the next steps for BOMA San Francisco Members?

Please click here to access a FAQ sheet to review what this ordinance now requires of commercial building owners and managers.  BOMA members (and non-BOMA members) will, at a tenant’s request, now have to:

• Allow bicycles to be brought into the tenant space/or into a bike room on site for tenant employees only.
• A building owner and manager will have to allow bicycles in the building without restriction (e.g., no prescription on path of travel, elevator use), but if they choose to restrict full access in anyway, they must fill out a Bicycle Access Plan (BAP) and submit that document to the San Francisco Department of Environment.  NOTE: the San Francisco Department of Environment is currently developing the BAP. 
• If a building owner and manager chooses to restrict bicycle access, they must provide  parking (e.g., a bike room on site) and detail the location of the parking area and access to it in a BAP.
• OR a building owner and manager can fully restrict bicycle access to the building.
• If the building owner and manager decides to file an exemption to the BAP then they must locate no-cost secure bicycle parking (e.g., via neighboring garage) within three blocks or 750 feet - whichever is less - for all employees of a tenant who requests bicycle parking. 

The new law does not require building owners to build a bike room or dedicate a specific space for bicycle parking. It does allow the tenant’s employees to bring their bikes inside their rented space if the building owner does not provide them with a separate and secure storage area. If a building owner chooses to build a bike room, this legislation does not prohibit charging a reasonable fee for use.

If you have any questions please contact John Bozeman at johnb@boma.com or (415) 686-9652 x 116.

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UPDATE - April 26, 2012

BOMA San Francisco is honored to be the recipient of the prestigious San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) Golden Wheel Award.  This honor will be bestowed upon the organization on June 5th from 5:30-9:00 p.m. in the Green Room, War Memorial Building (401 Van Ness Avenue).

From the SFBC:

For leading the business community in support of groundbreaking local legislation that will significantly expand bicycling as an option for employees in San Francisco. We were proud to partner closely with BOMA on the Employee Bicycle Access Bill, which was signed into law this year and ensures secure bicycle parking for San Francisco Employees. Thanks to BOMA’s support, San Francisco has the strongest bicycle access legislation in the country.

Thank you BOMA for building bridges and partnering with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition for a stronger economy and a healthier workforce.

Please consider attending this event!  Click here for more information.

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UPDATE - April 12, 2012

BOMA San Francisco's President, Meade Boutwell, recently authored an opinion editorial that has been published in Buildings Magazine: San Francisco Approves Bicycle Parking Ordinance.

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UPDATE - March 19, 2012

On March 13, 2012, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed the Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Commercial Buildings Ordinance on a 9-2 vote.  The measure now goes to Mayor Ed Lee's desk for his consideration.

NOTE - the Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Commercial Buildings Ordinance will take effect thirty days after Mayor Ed Lee (potentially) signs the measure.  Please be sure to review the ordinance and the FAQ sheet to understand what will be required of building owners and managers regarding tenants' employee bicycle parking in an existing commercial building.  If you have any questions regarding this legislation please contact John Bozeman at johnb@boma.com or Ken Cleaveland at kenc@boma.com.   Representatives from the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition are also available to conduct a site visit of your existing bicycle parking facility to determine if it is acceptable under the requirements of the ordinance.

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition distributed a press release on this news which quoted Meade Boutwell, BOMA San Francisco's President and part-time bicycle commuter: 

Members of the Building Owners and Managers Association are concerned about the environment and promote the use of sustainable transportation options, including bicycles. With many companies expressing the desire for bicycle parking and storage, BOMA recognizes the need to provide safe, secure parking for bicycling employees....[t]he opportunity to work closely with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and Supervisor John Avalos' office to increase the availability of bicycle parking options for tenants' employees, and help sustain the environment made sense.

On behalf of Mr. Boutwell and the BOMA membership, thank you to the Board of Supervisors - especially John Avalos - and San Francisco Bicycle Coalition for their leadership on the issue of bicycle parking in existing commercial buildings.

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Supervisor Scott Wiener Honored as BOMA San Francisco's Public Official of the Year

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Supervisor Scott Wiener was honored with BOMA San Francisco's Public Official of the Year award for 2013 at the October 24th BOMA general membership luncheon at the City Club.  The award is given annually to an individual who epitomizes BOMA San Francisco's Public Policy Principals.

BOMA San Francisco President Steven Ring at left and BOMA's Vice President of Public Policy Ken Cleaveland at right honor Supervisor Scott Wiener with BOMA's Public Official of the Year award

Scott believes in improving San Francisco's foundation: maintaining and rebuilding our infrastructure, reforming and revitalizing our transportation systems, ensuring neighborhood safety, supporting our system of public education, and creating an atmosphere of job creation so that we build our tax base. Focusing on these core issues will allow San Francisco to flourish as the beacon of innovation, hope, and tolerance that draws people from all over the world to live, work, and visit the City.

In his acceptance speech, Supervisor Wiener kindly mentioned his long-term, collaborative relationship with BOMA San Francisco members and staff.  A recent example of this was the two year discussion with BOMA members and various stakeholders to amend the existing mobile food facilities (food truck) law.  Our members appreciate Mr. Wiener's intrepid leadership in helping all parties come to an agreement.

Mr. Wiener also spoke about how he is focused on addressing the long term issues that are plaguing San Francisco.  For example, rising housing costs are at the top of his list, "affordable housing for all residents is important to the overall economic and social vitality of the City," said Wiener.  Funding and improving public transportation is another matter Supervisor Wiener is championing at City Hall.

Please click here to learn more about Supervisor Scott Wiener.  Click here to receive his monthly newsletter that will keep you abreast of his work improving San Francisco's public policy decisions at City Hall.

Accessible Parking Forum: Feedback Requested on Proposed Changes to Disabled Parking Placard and Blue Zone Policies

UPDATE - October 14, 2013

BOMA San Francisco Members:

There is an upcoming Accessible Parking Forum on October 19, 2013 hosted by the Mayor’s Office on Disability and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).  The meeting is a chance to provide feedback on the Accessible Parking Policy Advisory Committee’s recommended policy changes to improve access to parking for people with disabilities.

Accessible parking forum

Saturday, October 19, 2013

10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. – welcome and poster session

11 a.m. to noon – presentation and discussion

Port of San Francisco, Pier 1, The Embarcadero

Event flyer

Members of San Francisco’s Accessible Parking Policy Advisory Committee, including BOMA San Francisco member Jeff Spicker with Parking Concepts, Inc. (see below), a stakeholder group comprised mostly of people with disabilities, will present their package of state and local policy recommendations to increase access to parking and reduce disabled parking placard misuse. The recommendations include:

• Increase blue zones
• Improve enforcement of placard misuse
• Improve DMV oversight of placard approvals
• Allow communities to require placard holders to pay at the meter
• Use revenue for accessibility improvements
• Allow communities to establish reasonable time limits for placard holders

Learn more about the committee and its recommendations at the project web page

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UPDATE - May 28, 2013

BOMA San Francisco Members:

San Francisco’s Accessible Parking Policy Advisory Committee, a group of 16 stakeholders gathered by the Mayor’s Office on Disability and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), have announced an integrated set of recommended state and city policy changes intended to improve parking access for people with disabilities.

Learn more at the project web page
Read the overview brochure (PDF)

Thank you to BOMA member Jeff Spicker with Parking Concepts, Inc. for representing BOMA members on the advisory committee.

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Original Post - December 7, 2012

BOMA San Francisco's Government and Public Affairs Committee (GAPAC) member Jeff Spicker with Parking Concepts Inc. will volunteer his time and expertise as BOMA's representative on the SFMTA Accessible Parking Policy Advisory Committee.  Mr. Spicker will provide updates on the group's discussions and actions to members of the GAPAC when warranted.

The Accessible Parking Policy Advisory Committee will review and make recommendations regarding on-street accessible parking policies, including those governing disabled placards and blue zones. These issues affect access and mobility for people with disabilities in San Francisco, whether they travel by car, paratransit, or public transit.

Accessible parking policies affect all transportation in the city: when parking is crowded, drivers circle the block and double-park, congesting the streets, slowing transit, and decreasing pedestrian safety. When parking is difficult to find, access is reduced, especially for those with disabilities.

To improve access, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) would like to assess and improve how it manages accessible parking. The problem of too much demand for too few spaces is critical: San Francisco has 29,200 metered on-street parking spaces but 60,750 disabled placards have been issued in San Francisco as of November 2012, with an additional 453,830 issued in the surrounding eight Bay Area counties. With these numbers, it is important to gather stakeholders to assess accessible parking policies and consider solutions.

Please click here to review the Accessible Parking Policy Advisory Committee summary.

Reception to Support San Francisco District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener for Re-Election

BOMA San Francisco members are encouraged to support the re-election of BOMA’s 2013 Public Official of the Year, Supervisor Scott Wiener, by attending a fundraising reception hosted by Sterling Bank & Trust.

The event takes place this Wednesday, October 16th from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., on the 40th Floor of the Transamerica Pyramid, 600 Montgomery Street.

Attendees will be able to converse with Supervisor Wiener and listen to him speak to his legislative accomplishments and ambitious proposals to make San Francisco a better place to live and work. Contributions up to $500 are acceptable, but must be personal or partnership checks or credit cards only (no corporate checks, please). All amounts appreciated! Contributions are not tax deductible.

To attend, please RSVP directly to Mr. Steve Adams, Vice President, Sterling Bank & Trust at (415) 773-1530 or sadams@sterlingbank.com.

UPDATE - BART Transit Workers May Strike - Alternative Commute Options

Image retrieved here.  Click here to visit the BART website. 

BOMA San Francisco Members:

UPDATE - October 12, 2013

BART unions have agreed to continue work through the weekend. 

In the event of a BART strike starting Monday, please continue to monitor local media outlets for updates and information. Click here for a supplement to the transit information guide that the TMASF sent out yesterday.  

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Original Post - October 11, 2013

Please click here to review the Transit Management Association of San Francisco's (TMASF) transit information guide to the potential BART strike.  The guide includes alternative transportation options for those who rely on the BART system for their daily commute to work.  

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and its unions are currently operating service under a temporary extension of the original labor contract that expired on June 30, 2013. On August 11, 2013, a court upheld Governor Brown’s 60-day cooling-off period, which ends at 11:59 pm today, Thursday, October 10. In the event that a settlement is not reached between BART management and its unions by midnight on October 10th, BART workers may go on strike for the second time this year. A strike could become effective by Friday October 11, 2013 during the AM commute period.

BART Transit Workers May Strike - Alternative Commute Options

Image retrieved here.  Click here to visit the BART website. 

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Please click here to review the Transit Management Association of San Francisco's (TMASF) transit information guide to the potential BART strike.  The guide includes alternative transportation options for those who rely on the BART system for their daily commute to work.  

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and its unions are currently operating service under a temporary extension of the original labor contract that expired on June 30, 2013. On August 11, 2013, a court upheld Governor Brown’s 60-day cooling-off period, which ends at 11:59 pm today, Thursday, October 10. In the event that a settlement is not reached between BART management and its unions by midnight on October 10th, BART workers may go on strike for the second time this year. A strike could become effective by Friday October 11, 2013 during the AM commute period.

UPDATE - Planning Code Amendments for Bicycle Parking

Image retrieved here

UPDATE - September 10, 2013

The new bicycle parking requirements in San Francisco became effective on September 9, 2013. The new bicycle parking law sets San Francisco as a national model for bicycle parking requirements resulting from a one-year collaborative effort between different City departments, bicycle advocacy groups, BOMA San Francisco members, and development community.

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UPDATE - July 2, 2013

The San Francisco Board of Supervisor's Land Use and Economic Development Committee will hear the proposed planning code amendments for bicycle parking on Monday July 15, 2013 at 1:30 p.m.   Please email johnb@boma.com if you have any comments regarding the measure.  Details below.

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UPDATE - May 14, 2013

The San Francisco Planning Commission will hold a hearing on the proposed planning code amendments for bicycle parking on Thursday, May 16, 2013 commencing at 12 Noon.  BOMA San Francisco members and your BOMA Advocacy Team have been working with the Planning Department staff on this proposal over the last few months.  We will be reviewing the latest draft of the proposal (also below: Exhibit G) to determine if our member's concerns have been addressed as noted in the last  blog post on March 29, 2013.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the changes, please email johnb@boma.com.

Resources

• Executive Summary
• Exhibit A: Excerpt from SFMTA’s Bicycling Strategy on benefits of bicycling
• Exhibit B: Bicycle Parking in Cities Similar to San Francisco
• Exhibit C: Draft Zoning Administrator Bulletin
• Exhibit D: CalGreen State Requirements for Bicycle Parking
• Exhibit E: Draft Planning Commission Resolution
• Exhibit F: Draft Ordinance for General Plan Amendments
• Exhibit G: Draft Ordinance for Planning Code Amendments
• Exhibit H: Draft Resolution for Planning Code Amendments

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UPDATE - March 29, 2013

BOMA leaders met with Planning and Department of Environment staff regarding this proposal recently.  Code development is an issue that members take seriously so this additional meeting was fruitful for all stakeholders.  The gathering produced the following suggested amendments/issues of concern to BOMA members:

• Planning, Environment Codes - Bicycle Parking; In Lieu Fee 
• References to No Cost Bicycle Parking in the Proposal 
• BOMA members ask that the commercial property owner and tenants negotiate the reasonable amount to charge for bicycle parking, if required, in an existing commercial building or parking garage. Based on BOMA member interactions with tenants, charging for bike parking will incentivize tenant employee cyclists to ride their bicycles to work and care for their bike investment (i.e., they won’t want to damage their costly bicycle as well as the commercial property). 
• Applicability (pg. 26) 
• New Entitlements 
• Planning Department staff suggested strongly that the new bicycle parking requirements in the proposal affect entitlements for new developments, not existing buildings.  
• State Law California Title 24, Part 11, Sec 5.701.6.2 
• We spoke about BOMA members’ concerns about ‘code creep’ which is a colloquial term to explain the unintended consequences of a code proposal at any level of government. BOMA members interpret and implement existing code and work closely with San Francisco Department of Building Inspection, San Francisco Fire and the Planning Department when pulling permits for Tenant Improvements and other projects for existing buildings. 
• (5) where DBI determines that an addition or alteration meets the bicycle parking thresholds set in the State Law California Title 24, Part 11, Sec 5.701.6.2 
• Planning Department staff mentioned that this new addition to the Applicability section of the proposal is required by State law. They also stated that Barry Hooper with the Department of Environment would be the correct person to speak with.  BOMA staff has reached out to Mr. Hooper but have yet to receive his comments.
• Tenant Bicycle Parking in Existing Commercial Buildings Environment Code 
• BOMA staff has communicated member concerns to the Department of Environment and are awaiting a response.  Most importantly, as detailed in the January 24, 2013 update below, is that the new bike parking requirements may affect existing buildings and parking garages based on specific criteria. 

We are awaiting an updated draft of the proposal before it is heard at the Planning Commission later in April.  Thank you to the staff from the Planning and Environment Department for listening to our member's concerns.

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UPDATE - February 28, 2013

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Please click here to review the most recent draft of the executive summary and language for the Planning Code Amendments for Bicycle Parking.   We've received word that the proposal will be continued at today's Planning Commission meeting and will be heard in the near future.

In the meantime, please continue to send in your feedback to johnb@boma.com.  The Planning Department and San Francisco Bicycle Coalition have been gracious partners in this process.  Collectively, we feel that most BOMA member issues have been addressed.

What is the major issue identified in the proposal at this time?

As present, BOMA members and other commercial property owners will have an August 2013 deadline to build a bike room to current standards or the NEW standards after August 2013.  The new layout/design requirements may impact existing building property owners that file for a specific exemption under the Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Buildings Law.

Your BOMA Advocacy team and members are working on a compromise to extend the deadline.

What are the next steps?

We will recommend that the Planning Department/Commission consider reviewing future existing building bicycle parking facility build outs by square footage.  More details on this as the dialogue continues.

Once the Planning Commission approves the amended code changes at an upcoming meeting it then goes to the Board of Supervisors and relevant committees (most likely Land Use and Economic Development) for review. BOMA members and other stakeholders can suggest amendments at the appropriate time.

History

This large scale update to San Francisco’s Codes that relate to bicycles is based entirely on the 2009 Bicycle Plan that was adopted unanimously by the Board of Supervisors on August 11, 2009.

I want to know more. Where can I review this proposal?

Take a moment to review the Executive Summary of the Planning Code Amendments. Specifically:

• Triggers for Bike Parking Requirements in Existing Uses (p. 4) 
• Bike Parking as an Active Use (p. 5) 
• Related to bike parking rooms/facilities.  
• Bike Parking Requirements for Existing Garages (p. 6) 
• Bicycle Parking in the Environment Code (p. 7) 
• This is referencing your feedback so far regarding the Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Buildings Law. 
• Public Comment (pp. 8-9) 
• BOMA feedback 
• Department of Environment feedback 
• San Francisco Bicycle Coalition 
• City and County of San Francisco Department of Real Estate 

If you’re so inclined, please review the language of the Planning Code Amendments. Specifically:

• Standards for Location of bicycle parking spaces – Class 1 (p. 19-20 of the ordinance)
• These are the bicycle parking requirements AFTER August 2013 if you want to build or expand your bike room.
• Effective Date (p. 26 of the ordinance)
• Note the language that identifies bicycle parking rooms (or facility) and the effective date for new bicycle parking requirements as August 1, 2013

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UPDATE - February 13, 2013

The San Francisco Planning Commission will hear this measure on February 28th.  Please email johnb@boma.com if you have any questions or concerns.

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Original Post - January 24, 2013

Your BOMA San Francisco Advocacy team has been working with our partners at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) and the San Francisco Planning Department on an ordinance that will affect the way all property owners - including the City and County of San Francisco - administer bicycle parking on and adjacent to their premises.  This new proposal includes the Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Commercial Buildings law that our members worked on with the SFBC in 2011 and was signed into law in 2012.

The aim of this new measure is to streamline all references to bicycle parking and to provide for new requirements in the San Francisco Planning and Environment Codes.  The catalyst for these updates is the San Francisco Bicycle Plan adopted in 2009.  Please note that the Planning Department is still working on amending the proposal language to reflect stakeholder issues, including BOMA San Francisco's concerns mentioned below.  Please contact johnb@boma.com with any questions when you review the available proposal dated December 13, 2012.

About the San Francisco Bike Plan

The San Francisco Bike Plan set as one of its major goals to ‘ensure plentiful, high quality bike parking’ in San Francisco. In order to achieve this goal, this Plan asks that the existing Planning Code be amended to better address bicycle parking. The plan identifies changes that would expand and increase these requirements and also organize and consolidate the existing Code sections. The proposed legislation would help implement many of these actions specified in the adopted San Francisco Bike Plan.


Potential BOMA Member Issues - Your Feedback Is Requested

The new measure will target primarily new construction projects and existing buildings where building alterations increase the gross square footage of a structure by 20% or more.  There are a few issues that will affect a BOMA members' ability to facilitate bicycle parking in an existing building going forward.   Any feedback on the following is appreciated.  Please send to johnb@boma.com.

Bike Parking Facilities (Bike Rooms) - Grace Period Until August 2013

The aforementioned 2012 Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Commercial Buildings law requires that commercial building owners allow bicycles to be brought into the tenant space/or into a bike room on site for tenant employees only.

If a BOMA member has elected to allow tenants to park their bicycles in a bike room and they have not built it by August 2013, they will have until that time to do so under the current Planning/Environment Code.  After August 2013, they will be subject to the new bicycle parking requirements including: new parking design standards, number of parking spaces based on square footage, path of travel (e.g., no stair or escalators may used to access parking) and parking facility location requirements that are included in the 2013 bike parking proposal.

 - Charging a Reasonable Fee for Bike Parking Facilities

If you charge a reasonable fee for use of your building's bicycle facilities, you'll need to provide the bike parking facility at no charge if you build it after August 2013.

 - Existing Bike Parking Facilities 

According to the Planning Department, if a property owner has an existing bike parking facility on site that meets the current code, they do not have to meet the new requirements (after August 2013) unless they have building alterations that increase the gross square footage of the structure by 20% or more.

- Allowing Full Tenant Employee Bicycle Access

If a property owner or manager allows all tenant employees bicycle access into the building without restriction, they are not impacted by the new proposal.

We'll update this post once we receive the next draft of the proposal outlining these changes.  Please email johnb@boma.com with any questions you may have.

Mandatory Soft Story Retrofit Program Workshop - October 28, 2013

BOMA San Francisco Members:

If your property portfolio includes soft story (wood framed) buildings please note that there will be a workshop produced by the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection to review the Mandatory Soft Story Seismic Retrofit Ordinance.  BOMA San Francisco members helped to craft this new law as it moved though the legislative process at San Francisco's City Hall.

Register here

Workshop topics will include:

• Soft Story Program 2013 for Stronger Seismic Safety
• How to Complete the Screening and Optional Evaluation Forms 
• Compliance Tiers and Engineering Criteria
• Financing Options
• Products for Seismic Retrofit

The Monday, October 28, 2013 

11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

San Francisco Public Library 

100 Larkin St. (at Grove) 

Koret Auditorium – Lower Level 

Enter 30 Grove St., proceed down stairs

BOMA San Francisco Leaders Meet with Supervisor Jane Kim

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Leaders of BOMA San Francisco's Political Action Committee (BOMA SF-PAC) and Government Affairs Public Advisory Committee (GAPAC) met with San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim recently.  

The BOMA contingent provided an overview of what the association represents and discussed a few issues that are important to our members including:

• Formula Retail
• The supervisor favors a balanced, data driven approach to reforming the current formula retail restriction.
• Congestion Pricing
• Supervisor Kim supports congestion pricing as she feels it will be necessary to handle future population increases in San Francisco. 
• San Francisco Police Department 10b Program 
• This program allows for the hiring of off-duty police officers for special events patrols. 
• Kim would support updating San Francisco's 10b program as long as the San Francisco's Police Officer Association supports the changes.

BOMA California Legislative Update - AB 1103 Benchmarking Webinar

UPDATE - October 3, 2013

A video of the August 29, 2013 AB 1103 webinar hosted by BOMA California and the California Energy Commission is available.  Please click here to access it.  

A Portable Document Format (PDF) version of the webinar is also available.  

UPDATE - August 19, 2013

BOMA California will be hosting a webinar on August 29, 2013 to assist BOMA members comprehend the policy issues related to AB 1103 - The Mandatory Benchmarking and Disclosure Law.  A representative from the California Energy Commission will detail the requirements of the law, and a member from BOMA San Francisco's commercial real estate industry who is implementing the new policy.

Please pre-register for the webinar by following the link below – space is limited and due to high demand we expect this webinar to fill quickly.

AB 1103 - California Mandatory Benchmarking Implementation Webinar

Thursday, August 29, 3:00 p.m.

Presenters include:

Matthew Hargrove, Sr. VP Government Relations, CBPA;

Joe Loyer, Mechanical Engineer, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Division with the California Energy Commission;

Zach Brown, Sustainability Manager, CBRE | Asset Services Group

Click here to register.

The Energy Commission has released a FAQ to help with some queries regarding how to comply with the law. Click here to see the AB 1103 FAQ.

BOMA California thanks the Energy Commission members and staff for working with the commercial real estate industry to address issues raised and resolve our members' concerns throughout this process.

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UPDATE - August 14, 2013

Regarding AB 1103 (Mandatory Benchmarking), please review the notification, below, from the California Energy Commission stating that the regulations will not be enforced until January 1, 2014.

The California Energy Commission is suspending the enforcement of AB 1103 regulations from September 1, 2013 to January 1, 2014. The Nonresidential Building Energy Use Disclosure Program (AB 1103) regulations, under certain circumstances, require nonresidential building owners to disclose benchmarking data to potential buyers, lessees and financiers.

The Data Transfer interface on ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, which was updated during the month of July, and was expected to allow the regulation to be fully operational by September 1, continues to have technical issues that have prevented several Utilities from uploading energy use data to Portfolio Manager Accounts as required under Section 1684(b) of the regulations.

On January 1, 2014, all aspects of the regulations, including disclosure requirements for commercial buildings greater than or equal to 10,000 square feet, will be enforced.  

We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this additional delay may cause.

If you have questions, or would like additional information on the status of AB 1103 compliance, please email AB1103@energy.ca.gov, or contact Daniel Johnson at (916) 651-3746 or Daniel.Johnson@energy.ca.gov

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UPDATE - June 14, 2013

Regarding AB 1103 (Mandatory Benchmarking), please review the notification, below, from the California Energy Commission stating that the regulations will not be enforced until September 1, 2013, due to Energy Star system maintenance.


The ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (Portfolio Manager) will be unavailable for public use during a planned upgrade to the system between June 24 and July 9, 2013.

Additionally, several California Investor Owned Utilities have indicated that they will not be able to upload energy use data to owners’ Portfolio Manager accounts under section 1684(b) of the regulations for an additional two weeks after Portfolio Manager is back online.

This coincides with the implementation date of Assembly Bill #1103, the Nonresidential Building Energy Use Disclosure regulations (California Code of Regulations, Title 20, §1680 et seq).

The California Energy Commission will suspend enforcement of these regulations until August 1, 2013 because of the unavailability of Portfolio Manager. In the interim, the Energy Commission encourages nonresidential building owners to disclose the required information to prospective buyers, lessees, and lenders to the extent feasible. For recommendations on how to comply with the regulations while Portfolio Manager is unavailable, please review the Frequently Asked Questions.

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Original Post - May 13, 2013

AB 1103 Benchmarking Resources

BOMA California has been working on the The Nonresidential Building Energy Use Disclosure Program (AB 1103) for over five years.  The mandatory Energy Star disclosure law commences this summer.

The effective date of the regulations is July 1, 2013 for large buildings (more than 50,000 square feet); January 1, 2014 for medium buildings (more than 10,000, and up to 50,000 square feet); and July 1, 2014 for small buildings (5,000 up to 10,000 square feet).

Anytime you finance, sell, or lease a whole building, you are required to run the Energy Star numbers and provide that information to the other party in the transaction as well as the California Energy Commission (CEC).

The Energy Commission staff is working to provide online resources to help you comply with this new law. Here are several items you can find already online:

• Final AB 1103 Regulations 
• AB 1103 Disclosure Summary Sheet
• Sample Statement of Energy Performance
• Sample Data Checklist
• Sample Facility Summary

The Energy Commission is also working on a FAQ document and requests BOMA member input. If, after reading through the materials, you are unclear on how to comply with the law, or if there are lingering questions, please email mhargrove@cbpa.com and your comments will be submitted to the CEC.

BOMA California thanks the staff at the CEC for working with our industry to address issues and resolve concerns throughout this process. They will continue to work with them as they move forward and are implemented. 

Free PG&E Workshops on October 16, 2013 - Benchmarking Your Commercial Building

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Please note these upcoming workshops sponsored by PG&E.

Benchmarking Your Commercial Building 

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

8:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Register

California law (AB 1103) will soon require the disclosure of an energy performance benchmarking score prior to selling, refinancing or leasing buildings. Learn how to benchmark your building's energy performance with the help of PG&E's Web Services—a free, easy-to-use service that automatically sends your commercial building's energy use information to the EPA's ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager every month. This class will include a hands-on benchmarking exercise using portable Wi-Fi hotspots so that attendees can evaluate an actual building from start to finish and see the ENERGY STAR score.

You've Benchmarked Your Building: What's Next? 

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

1:00PM – 4:30 PM

Register

Getting your building's benchmarking score is just the beginning. This course explores how to set targets for improvement: estimating the actual amount of energy savings needed to reach a higher score; which low-/no-cost or capital upgrades might produce various magnitudes of savings; which utility incentive programs could help identify or finance those improvements; etc. It's not about what your building's score is today—it's about what you want that score to be and how to get it there!

Tom Hui Appointed as Permanent Director of San Francisco Department of Building Inspection

BOMA San Francisco Codes and Regulations Committee Leaders with SFDBI Director Tom Hui (second from right).

The Building Inspection Commission (BIC), the policy oversight body that oversees the Department of Building Inspection (DBI), recently announced its selection of Tom Hui as Permanent Director of the Department.  He was sworn as Director by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee on October 3, 2013.

Director Hui's appointment is effective immediately. He is already working on a Strategic Action Plan that will address a number of issues raised in the June 2013 Civil Grand Jury Report, including a timeline to complete the implementation of the Business Process Reengineering recommendations, the launching of a new and more effective Permit Tracking System, implementation of the Mayor's new mandatory seismic retrofit program to protect highly vulnerable residential buildings from collapse following a major earthquake, and completion of a facilities study to determine how to expand the customer service and staff working space within the building department to improve operational efficiencies and public transparency.

BOMA San Francisco's Codes and Regulations Committee members have had a long and well established working relationship with Director Hui for years and they are honored to have his continued participation at the committee's monthly meetings.  The Director's reports are relevant to those who work in commercial real estate market and the cross pollination of information that is exchanged at these meetings is indispensable.

SFCTA Transportation Demand Management Workshop

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Your BOMA Advocacy Team and BOMA members attended a workshop recently hosted by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) and the Business Council on Climate Change (BC3).  The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the participants' current commuter programs and provide feedback on the potential strategies to manage employee parking demand and incentives the public sector can provide via Transportation Demand Management.

Please click here to review the discussion summary.

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) is a set of programs and policies that respond to real and perceived barriers to taking trips by transit, bicycling, walking or ridesharing. TDM strategies include providing easily accessible, clear information about travel choices; encouraging and incentivizing mode shift; and, affecting and complementing land use.

The TDM partnership project is between 4 public agencies, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), the Planning Department, and San Francisco Department of the Environment (SF Environment), and private sector partners interested in participating in a series of pilot projects.

SFPUC Sewer System Improvement Program Presentation to BOMA Members

BOMA San Francisco Members:

It was a pleasure to welcome back Karen Kubick, the Wastewater Enterprise Capital Program Director at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). Karen provided an update of the Sewer System Improvement Program (SSIP) in San Francisco.

Please click here to review her presentation.

If you have any questions about SFPUC SSIP work near your commercial property, please contact the BOMA San Franciso Advocacy Team at johnb@boma.com and kenc@boma.com.

About the Wastewater Enterprise

The (SFPUC) Wastewater Enterprise operates and maintains the City’s combined sewer system which collects and treats both sewage and stormwater. This system consists of 1,000 miles of pipes which collect sanitary sewage from homes, businesses, and stormwater runoff; large transport storage box facilities; 27 pump stations that transport the wastewater; three treatment plants and 8 deep water outfalls that discharge the treated water into the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean. These miles of pipes and facilities create a “city under the City” for the City’s sewage and stormwater to journey through as it is pumped, treated, and discharged 365 days a year.

Many parts of this system is aging and in need of upgrades. San Francisco is in dire need of fixing our 100-year old sewer system because vital infrastructure is failing and beyond repair, threatening public health.

After eight years of public input and feedback along with in-depth analysis of long-term sewer capital projects, the SFPUC is now moving forward with a plan to upgrade, replace and seismically retrofit this aging system. This plan is the Sewer System Improvement Program (SSIP) a citywide investment to upgrade failing infrastructure and ensure the reliability and performance of our sewer system, now and in the future.