Reporting Exemptions

(1) Buildings Exempt from Reporting Requirements. (a) Covered Buildings that meet any of the below criteria shall not need to have their Energy Usage reported pursuant to 225 CMR 27.04: 1. the Building was vacant for a full calendar year; 2. the Building was demolished during the previous calendar year; 3. the Building was vacant for more than 50% of the year due to natural causes, including, but not limited to fire, flood, and wind damage; 4. the Building Owner has filed or been dissolved in bankruptcy; 5. other unique or unforeseen circumstances that warrant an exclusion as determined by the Department from the Building Energy Reporting Requirements. (b) If a Building meets one or more of the criteria listed in 225 CMR 27.05(1)(a)1. through 5., the Building Owner may submit a letter to the Department by March 15th of the Compliance Year stating which criteria the Building meets and providing any applicable documentation. The Department will remove exempted Buildings from the Covered Buildings List prior to the March 30th publication date. (2) Exempt Building Uses. The Department may issue an Exempt Building Uses Guideline that details the types of Building Uses that are exempt from reporting under 225 CMR 27.05(1)(a)5. Any such Guideline issued by the Department shall include a process for Building Owners to submit a request for a Covered Building's Building Use to be updated to an exempt Building Use.