Why energy benchmarking is the first step to cost-effective savings

The adage “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” is especially applicable to energy management. Businesses and organizations across the country are under increasing pressure to reduce operating costs and increase efficiency to remain competitive. In addition, a growing number of U.S. cities are enacting policies that require businesses and organizations to gather and report data associated with building energy performance and efficiency.  So how can they assemble all the building energy data into relevant and actionable insights?

Energy benchmarking is a practical first step to measuring a building’s energy performance over time and comparing it against similar facilities or specific standards such as an energy code. Benchmarking can help assess opportunities for improvement and better quantify energy savings as well as key sustainability impacts. These activities create a culture of continuous improvement and establish high-performing buildings. To support their customers in a continuous improvement journey, utilities and energy efficiency program administrators can offer specific programs, incentives, and resources for facility benchmarking.

Energy benchmarking program considerations

When it comes to designing and implementing a benchmarking program, there are several important considerations for utilities related to data collection and analysis, collaboration, and follow-up and engagement.

Data Collection and Analysis

• Assisting customers in selecting benchmarking tools, like Energy Star® Portfolio Manager, to gain a greater understanding of the current state of their energy operations to identify areas of improvement
• Offering support with a concierge-style approach, providing dedicated Energy Advisors’ expertise in data collection and analysis to compare customers’ energy usage against the baseline
• Providing a roadmap for customer success by providing concise facility assessment summary reports that summarize findings, clearly convey next steps, and provide detail on identified energy efficiency project opportunities
• Delivering technical assistance in completing utility program applications, calculating energy savings, and securing project incentives

Collaboration

• Working with the city/community to understand energy benchmarking priorities from key stakeholders and creating partnerships to influence greater customer participation
• Providing support to the customer in gaining buy-in from organizational leadership to secure required resources and underscore the importance of energy benchmarking
• Fostering communication between utility account representatives and energy advisors to perform coordinated customer outreach and initiate first steps with customers
• Including contractors and equipment vendors in the facility benchmarking and project scoping process to make sure a variety of perspectives are considered

Follow-up and Engagement

• Offering ongoing, consistent follow-up with the customer on project opportunities, equipment and technology selection, and key challenges and hurdles
• Delivering post-project customer engagement that focuses on continual building energy performance improvements and the development of a master energy plan

Connecting with customer motivations

Understanding and tapping into customer motivations for energy benchmarking can help shape utility programs and drive program participation.  For example, National Grid, in partnership with energy efficiency implementer Leidos, is helping customers navigate New York City’s Benchmarking Law and connect with resources available to meet future building performance standards. New York City’s ambitious Climate Mobilization Act aims to reduce buildings-generated emissions by 40% by 2030, and 80% by 2050. These long-range goals present challenges for building owners and property managers to meet those requirements.

In addition to assisting customers in understanding requirements for compliance, National Grid highlights benefits of their benchmarking program to motivate customers to tackle energy efficiency improvements. Motivating factors for customers, as discussed in a recent article about the National Grid Benchmarking Program, include:

• Sustaining reduced energy costs. These savings from energy efficiency enhancements can potentially even recoup the bulk of capital costs, especially when combined with utility incentives.         
• Uncovering benefits beyond energy savings. Many upgrades pull double duty. For example, the energy team might determine that replacing an outdated or faulty control system not only optimizes efficiency but also frees up time for maintenance staff to handle other tasks. Or, they could solve a comfort issue that makes employees or tenants happier and elicits fewer complaints about rooms that are too hot or cold.
• Communicating energy efficiency achievements. In New York, for example, landlords of multifamily properties can use positive results as a marketing tool to attract and retain tenants by maximizing the connection between a high energy efficiency grade and the ecofriendly living environment consumers aspire to.

With more than 30 years of experience in the energy efficiency industry, Leidos specializes in providing energy advisory services to commercial, industrial, and multifamily customers across the country. Our team possesses extensive experience providing benchmarking services and leveraging these insights to generate impactful energy solutions for customers. For more information on Leidos and our benchmarking services, contact our team.