Short answer: Commercial and multifamily landlords operating across San Diego County encounter two separate municipal ordinances running alongside California statewide AB 802: San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 14, Article 14 (annual June 1 benchmarking at >=50,000 sq ft) and Chula Vista BESO (Municipal Code Ch. 15.26), which sweeps smaller >=20,000 sq ft buildings into benchmarking plus periodic audit/efficiency upgrade duties.
Even inside the City of San Diego, matching AB 802’s >=50,000 sq ft cutoff does not substitute for local compliance: property owners must share Portfolio Manager reporting templates directly with San Diego’s City Planning Department every June 1, while South Bay landlords inside Chula Vista track sub-50k buildings excluded from AB 802 altogether.
- San Diego (Ch. 14, Art. 14 — >=50,000 sq ft): Annual June 1 whole-building energy disclosure via Portfolio Manager for commercial and multifamily buildings; aligns date with CEC AB 802.
- Chula Vista BESO (Ch. 15.26 — >=20,000 sq ft): Lower floor pulls 20k–49,999 sq ft retail, office, and apartment properties into annual benchmarking plus phased audit/upgrade compliance.
- SDG&E Automated Sync: Setting up SDG&E aggregated electric and natural gas feeds once covers CEC AB 802, City of San Diego, and Chula Vista filings cleanly.
Download the San Diego & Chula Vista Compliance Sheet
Handling Jurisdictional Borders & Chula Vista Upgrade Duties
Regional asset managers with retail centers or industrial-flex parks spanning Mission Valley, Sorrento Mesa, and Eastlake/Chula Vista should verify municipal boundary lines on County parcel maps: Chula Vista’s >=20,000 sq ft threshold captures dozens of medical offices and multifamily complexes invisible to statewide AB 802.
Where Chula Vista BESO identifies below-threshold performance during audit phases, owners should check whether recent HVAC, lighting, or high-performance ENERGY STAR scores qualify for compliance deferral or exemption prior to commissioning engineering studies.
- Direct City Share Required: Confirm separate Portfolio Manager sharing links for San Diego City Planning and Chula Vista Sustainability.
- June 1 Combined Sprint: Complete SDG&E data pulls in April to clear municipal and AB 802 filings on June 1 simultaneously.
| City & Citation | Covered Floor Area | Annual Timing | Mandate Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego (Ch. 14 Art. 14) | Commercial & multifamily >=50k sf | Annual June 1 | Benchmarking & municipal public transparency |
| Chula Vista BESO (Ch. 15.26) | Commercial & multifamily >=20k sf | Phased annual cycle | Benchmarking + energy audits / upgrade pathways |
Compliance Execution Checklist
| Step | Owner / Team | Auditable Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| 1. City Boundary Audit | Asset Management | Separate >=50k San Diego parcels from >=20k Chula Vista assets. |
| 2. SDG&E Auto-Benchmarking | Property Ops | Enable SDG&E aggregated Portfolio Manager meters by mid-April. |
| 3. Chula Vista BESO Status | Engineering / Compliance | Verify benchmarking scores and periodic audit/upgrade compliance window. |
Keep This San Diego & Chula Vista, CA Compliance Checklist Handy
Frequently Asked Questions
If my San Diego building >=50,000 sq ft already files California AB 802, do I still file locally?
Yes. San Diego Municipal Code Ch. 14, Art. 14 requires submitting a Portfolio Manager benchmarking report directly through the City of San Diego's municipal reporting template by June 1.
How is Chula Vista BESO different from San Diego's benchmarking ordinance?
Chula Vista BESO (Ch. 15.26) covers smaller properties starting at >=20,000 sq ft rather than 50,000 sq ft, and adds phased energy audit or performance upgrade obligations beyond benchmarking.
Primary Authorities & Official Resources
- City of San Diego — Building Energy Benchmarking Ordinance (Ch. 14, Art. 14)
- City of Chula Vista — Building Energy Saving Ordinance (BESO Ch. 15.26)
Informational notice: This guide summarizes enacted statutes, regulations, or pending legislative records from the primary authorities linked above as of November 14, 2026. It is not legal, accounting, or licensed engineering advice.