Approximately 40% of all US energy used in the United States is consumed by buildings making it the largest single category of energy use.
If you are responsible for operating or maintaining one or more buildings, you have some experience in budgeting for the energy usage required to keep your buildings operating. You may have asked yourself, “How are we doing with our energy use? Can we reduce our energy expenses? How and by how much?” The first step to answering these questions is to evaluate your energy use compared to peer facilities through benchmarking.
Energy Star is perhaps the largest and most widely accepted resource for benchmarking efforts. In order to access this resource you will need:
- Building street address, year built, and contact information
- At least 12 months utility bills – Include natural gas and electricity plus any bulk fuel deliveries that are used for the building – furnace / boiler fuel oil, diesel for any standby / emergency generators, and water
- Building gross floor area in square feet for each major space type.
Establish a Portfolio Manager account and enter the appropriate facility information. You will receive a national energy performance rating from 1 to 100. A rating of 50 indicates your facility’s energy usage is average.
Knowing where you stand is an important first step in understanding how you use energy. For more information or questions about benchmarking or other energy related services, contact Ed Ritter, PE at elr@ba-inc.com or (717) 845-7654.