Officials in Portland are considering an ordinance designed to keep better track of the energy use of larger buildings in the city.

The City Council will consider a proposal requiring “utility benchmarking” for public and private buildings that have more than 20,000 square feet or more than 50 residential units.

The ordinance says utility benchmarking means the use of an Internet-based tool to track and assess the relative energy performance of buildings. The federal Environmental Protection Agency promotes the practice.

The council is scheduled to vote Wednesday to refer the proposal to the Energy & Sustainability Committee for review. It will then come back to the full council for a potential vote.