Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 14 § 14.523.01
ENERGY DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS (Bloomington Time-of-Sale Housing Evaluations and Manufactured Home Park Regulations)
Operative Text
(a) Purpose. The Council finds the following: (1) Climate change disproportionally harms BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities. (2) Bloomington's Energy Action Plan outlines a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2035. (3) Residential units account for 30% of Bloomington's energy-related greenhouse gas emissions and 44% of community-wide natural gas use. (4) Improving existing buildings through energy efficiency upgrades is one of the most cost-effective ways to achieve the city's greenhouse gas emission goal. (5) Eighty-nine percent of Bloomington's single-family homes were built before there was an energy code requiring insulation in homes. (6) Approximately one in five households living in owner-occupied single-family homes experience a high-energy burden. (7) Weatherization can provide health benefits by modifying the indoor environmental conditions of a home. (8) Energy disclosure at the time of sale brings awareness, resources, and value to home energy improvements. (b) Energy disclosure report. An energy disclosure report must be generated and disclosed in accordance with §§ 14.523 and 14.524 and include the following information: (1) The energy disclosure report must provide an energy asset rating that includes information on the following structural and mechanical assets: (A) Attic insulation. R-value of insulation, calculated based on industry standards for insulation type and number of inches, recorded for each attic area in the home, including square footage of that area. (B) Wall insulation. R-value of insulation, calculated based on industry standards for insulation type and number of inches, plus the square footage of exterior walls. For homes built before 1980 insulation levels must be visually verified by drilling and capping a single hole in an exterior wall, or utilizing an existing hole from a previous evaluation. An invoice with scope of work from a licensed contractor showing installation of wall insulation, or other reasonable forms of proof, as determined by the Building Official, may also be used as an alternative for compliance with this portion of the report. If other technologies for determining wall insulation R-value are approved by the Building Official they may also be used. (C) Heating system efficiency. Heating system type, AFUE, venting and age. (D) Window efficiency. Window type, and presence of any single pane windows with no storm windows or broken windows. (E) Water heaters. Fuel type, venting type, and age. (F) Air conditioning. Type and age. (2) The energy disclosure report must provide recommendations to improve the energy asset rating of the home. (A) Recommendations must be expected to have a simple payback of ten years or less. (B) Recommendations must be prioritized based on energy savings potential and cost effectiveness. (C) Recommendations must include information on the expected cost and savings of the project, based on city approved methodology. (3) The energy disclosure report must identify next steps. (A) The report must sequence recommended actions so that next steps are clear and easy to understand. (B) The report must include information about who to contact with questions. (c) Exceptions. The energy disclosure report requirement may be satisfied by a time-of-sale of housing evaluation that included an energy disclosure report or an energy audit that included an energy asset rating within the last five years. An energy certification approved by the Building Official will also qualify. The asset rating and audit report or certification must be disclosed in accordance with § 14.523 and this Division C . (d) Appeals. (1) Insulation inspection appeals. Any owner of property or other person directly and personally affected by the insulation inspection of a property, either personally or through their representative, can make an appeal to the Building Official. The Building Official will have authority to hear and decide all insulation inspection appeals. (2) Insulation inspection appeal process. Insulation inspection appeals must be made by written notice filed with the Building Official within five days from the date of the initial inspection. The notice of appeal must contain a concise statement of the grounds for the appeal and will be accompanied by a fee of $100. The Building Official has the authority to summarily grant the appeal and to waive the appeal fee. The insulation inspection will not be required if the Building Official determines it is not feasible or would cause significant structural damage to the home. The official receipt date of the appeal is the date when all necessary information has been submitted to the city. The Building Official shall rule on the appeal within three business days of the official receipt date of the appeal. The decision of the Building Official shall be final. (Ord. 2021-29 , passed 9-13-2021)
Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 14.523.01 establishes an energy disclosure requirement for residential properties sold within the city. At the time of sale, a detailed energy disclosure report must be generated covering structural and mechanical features — such as insulation R-values, heating system efficiency, window types, and water heater age — along with prioritized recommendations for cost-effective improvements. The rule also provides an exceptions pathway for recent audits or approved certifications, and an appeal process for disputes over insulation inspections, with a $100 filing fee and a three-business-day ruling timeline.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 14.523.01, property owners selling a residential home in Bloomington are generally expected to ensure that a compliant energy disclosure report is prepared and disclosed before or at the time of sale. Compliant operators typically verify that the report covers all required asset categories — including attic and wall insulation R-values, heating and cooling system details, and water heater information — and that it includes prioritized improvement recommendations with expected costs and savings. Owners whose properties received a qualifying energy audit or approved certification within the past five years may be able to satisfy the requirement using that prior documentation, provided it meets the standards outlined in § 14.523 and Division C.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 14.523.01 gives prospective home buyers in Bloomington the right to receive an energy disclosure report as part of any covered residential sale, providing transparency about a home's energy efficiency before purchase. This report must include not only an asset rating of key systems and building components, but also actionable, prioritized recommendations with estimated costs and savings — information that can inform negotiations or future improvement planning. Buyers or other directly affected parties who have concerns about the insulation inspection component of the report may pursue the formal appeal process outlined in § 14.523.01(d), which involves filing a written notice with the Building Official; tenant-rights organizations or housing counselors can be a resource for understanding how this process works.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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