Benchmarking 101: Unlocking Efficiency & Sustainability

Energy benchmarking is becoming a pivotal tool in the quest for sustainable building management and operational efficiency. It provides a snapshot of a building’s energy performance compared to similar buildings. Paired with energy auditing, which helps identify the source of inefficiencies and areas for improvement, you can achieve optimal alignment with your broader sustainability goals. Let’s explore energy benchmarking, its benefits, and how to use it to enhance your building’s performance!

So, what is Energy Benchmarking?
Energy benchmarking is the systematic process of measuring and comparing a building’s energy performance over time. This involves tracking energy consumption through utility data and evaluating this data against a baseline or similar buildings. Simply put, especially with auditing in the picture, benchmarking tells you where you stand, while auditing explains why you stand there and what you can do about it.

Whether you are a business owner or part of a municipality, utilizing strategies like benchmarking and auditing can lead to significant savings on utility bills by driving energy efficiency, supporting sustainability by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enhancing market competitiveness by boosting property value and appeal.

These are some of the specific metrics used in energy benchmarking that allow us to gather more information:

• Energy Use Intensity (EUI): Measures energy consumed per square foot annually.
• Energy Cost Intensity (ECI): The energy cost per square foot.
• ENERGY STAR Score: A score from 1 to 100 comparing a building’s performance nationally.
• Total Energy Consumption: Total energy used over a period.
• Carbon Dioxide Emissions (CO2e): Greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy use.
• Site vs. Source Energy: Site energy is measured at the building, while source energy includes all raw fuel used.

The Benchmarking Process
Considering the costs and effort required to collect and analyze energy data, energy benchmarking can seem daunting. However, solutions are available, like utilizing data management systems to simplify data collection, leveraging financial incentives to offset costs, staying informed about regulatory changes, and working with experts like the Energy Sciences team to make navigating and enhancing your benchmarking efforts easier.

To get you started, we recommend adhering to a step-by-step process that begins with setting clear objectives and choosing the right tools:

1. Gather Utility Data (electricity, gas, water, or steam) and details about the building(s), such as size, type, and occupancy levels. This will typically give you the information you need to get started.

2. Choose a Benchmarking Tool to input and analyze your data to ensure accurate results. We recommend using a recognized tool like ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. From there, input your utility consumption figures into the benchmarking tool, which will calculate your key metrics.

3. Compare your Building’s Performance Metrics against a baseline or against similar buildings to identify performance gaps.

4. Analyze Your Results and understand trends and inefficiencies to set improvement goals and report your findings to stakeholders. In some cases, jurisdictions will require public reporting of benchmarking results.

5. Plan Improvements you will make to address the building(s)’ inefficiencies with cost-effective measures.

But it doesn’t stop there—regular monitoring and data updates will also be needed to track progress toward your goals!

Benchmarking Ordinances & The Future of Energy Benchmarking
You may be familiar with energy benchmarking ordinances, which are becoming more commonplace. These ordinances require building owners to track, report and sometimes disclose their energy performance, driving improvements in energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enhancing market transparency. All the ordinances vary from state to state, but cities like New York and San Francisco have already set strong examples with effective benchmarking ordinances, demonstrating their impact on building performance and sustainability.

Looking ahead, energy benchmarking will be more widespread, thus increasingly relying on advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) for real-time data and predictive analysis. These innovations will make benchmarking more precise and actionable, supporting broader sustainability and energy efficiency goals.

For now, we encourage you to keep in mind that energy benchmarking isn’t just for large buildings or organizations; it benefits any facility. It’s also an ongoing process, not a one-time task. With the right tools and support, benchmarking is manageable and cost-effective, driving significant energy efficiency and sustainability improvements. Energy benchmarking is more than just a measurement tool—it’s a powerful driver of efficiency, cost savings, and sustainability. By understanding and implementing effective benchmarking practices, organizations can achieve significant gains in energy performance and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Are you looking to learn more about how energy benchmarking can benefit you? Or maybe you need assistance to get started? We’re here to help!