Energy benchmarking is essential if improved energy efficiency and reduced operating costs are required. Building owners can measure and compare their buildings’ energy consumption with other buildings in the state or around the world to improve their energy usage system. It also contributes to environmental sustainability.
The importance of energy efficiency in today’s market is great and energy benchmarking can help be among the competitive companies and buildings. This guide will help navigate the key steps required to get started on energy benchmarking of your building.
The process through which the use of energy in a building is tracked and recorded and then compared to other similar buildings is called energy benchmarking. The main purpose is to identify where optimization can be done to avoid wastage. By monitoring the use of energy in the building, the owners can improve energy efficiency, reduce costs, and contribute more towards sustainable goals for the environment.
Energy benchmarking has some crucial objectives when it comes to highlighting the competitiveness of the building. Benchmarking provides a clear picture of how the building is performing energy-wise in comparison to other buildings. It also highlights the inefficiencies from where energy can be saved. It also allows you to track the success of energy efficiency if you do it regularly.
Assessing Your Current Energy Use
Assessing the energy consumption is the first step in any energy benchmarking efforts. This can be done by gathering and organizing data from energy bills and other monitoring systems. However, it is important to have correct information about how much energy is being used by the building so that helpful strategies can be developed to save energy.
To gather energy data a few steps are required. The first one is the utility bills. Electricity, water, and gas bills of at least a year are required to see the variations in energy consumption in varied seasons. For detailed insights, submeters can be installed in specific areas such as HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems, to track the energy use in those specific areas. And if you want to bring it up a notch then consider using an energy management software that collects and manages data automatically.
Some specific tool that can be used for good energy benchmarking is Energy Star, Portfolio Manager. It is a free tool provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that inputs data on energy usage and then tracks the performance over time. Another excellent tool commonly used is the Building Management System (BMS). It automatically records data, keeps track of it, and provides real-time monitoring.
Identifying Benchmarking Standards
To make accurate comparisons and invest accurately, some appropriate benchmarking standards are crucial. Energy Star Benchmarking is the famously used standard that provides a score from 1 to 100. And if the score is 75 or above the building is thought to be at its highest energy efficiency. Many cities and municipalities ask commercial buildings to comply with the local buildings and use standards like Energy Star Benchmarking.
Some of the common energy benchmarking standards are Energy Star Portfolio Manager, ASHRAE Building Energy Quotient (bEQ), and local energy benchmarking ordinance. All of these tools allow the building owners to have the data gathered and a comparison between their and other buildings while also comparing the type and size of the building. As a lot of cities require the buildings to have energy benchmarking as a part of their climatic action plans. This binds the building owners to report their energy use annually.
Another important thing to do is that choosing the right standards also matters, that ensures that the comparisons are fair and meaningful. Different kinds of buildings will have different energy consumption demands. For instance, a hospital will consume more than some small office buildings in terms of energy usage. So selecting the right standard like Energy Star adjusts for building types and makes it a versatile choice for most of commercial purposes.
Analysing and Comparing Data
The next step after collecting data with the use of the right benchmarking standard is to analyze and compare the data. The analysis will help see where there is an excessive use of energy and what steps could be taken for energy-saving improvements. The first step is to check how the building is performing concerning other buildings in that area. This can be done by using some good energy benchmarking tools.
Looking for patterns such as increased energy use during off-hours or seasonal fluctuations to find inefficiencies can be done to do work for the betterment. Analyzing which systems or areas of the building are responsible for the most energy use is also important for greater energy efficiency. Such as HVAC or lighting systems can be monitored and can be upgraded for the greater good.
The common areas for improvement in any building are mostly the HVAC systems, which are responsible for significant energy consumption. Improving their efficiency can improve them greatly. Using energy-efficient lighting like LED bulbs can save up to 30% of the energy. Enhancing the insulation system in the building can reduce heating and cooling costs. Improving all these things can result in substantial savings.
Setting Energy Efficiency Goals
After analyzing the energy data of the building, the next step is to measure Energy Efficiency goals. The goals should align to the performance of the building and should be realistic that would be easy to achieve. Setting clear goals ensures that the energy efficiency initiative is focused and measurable. It also helps in tracking the success of these efforts and justifies future investments and energy-saving projects like this.
Implementing Energy Efficiency Measures
Energy-saving measures can be implemented If the goals are set. These energy-saving measures range from simple operation changes to very complex upgrades. Some of the common Energy Efficiency measures are HVAC upgrades. Improved controls can better regulate temperature and can significantly reduce energy consumption.
Another easy method is to switch to LED lighting and also to install motion sensors or daylight controls that can cut lighting and save energy during the day. Adding insulation, sealing air leaks, and upgrading windows can reduce heating and cooling demands in terms of energy use.
Prioritizing energy-efficient projects is also necessary. For instance, low-cost, high-impact improvements can be made By upgrading lighting or adjusting HVAC schedules. Heating and cooling systems consume the most energy if they are outdated. Larger upgrades can improve energy efficiency. Looking for tax incentives or other financial support can also help offset the cost of energy efficiency improvements.
Monitoring and Reporting Progress
Regular monitoring and reporting are required in energy benchmarking as it is an ongoing process. Tracking the progress from time to time ensures that the energy-saving measures are effective. It also allows us to identify additional opportunities for improvement in the future. Additionally, many cities and municipalities require annual energy reporting to regulatory bodies.
There are many famous tools for monitoring and reporting energy consumption such as Energy Star Portfolio Manager. Automatic reporting and analysis is done by this tool. and it allows tracking performance over time and report to local authorities as required. These types of systems have real-time monitoring of energy consumption that makes it easy to track progress toward energy efficiency goals and a sustainable environment. Energy audits are also very useful in the verification of the effectiveness of energy efficiency and in providing new opportunities for improvement.
Conclusion
Energy when marking is a vital tool that helps in improving the energy performance of commercial residential and other buildings. By understanding the energy use of the building and setting up some realistic goals, the operating costs can be reduced and improvements can be made towards environmental sustainability. It also acts following the local energy benchmarking ordinances. Starting with energy when smoking is the first step in the journey toward a more energy-efficient and sustainable future. Now is the high time for building Honours and managers to take action and begin benchmarking the energy performance of their building. It also adds a responsibility towards our environment and surroundings. And by taking one small action, maybe it urges people to do more for their environment and ultimately their future.
