Benchmarking through ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager
The ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager is the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) interactive energy management tool that allows you to track and assess energy and water consumption of your buildings. It generates weather-normalized energy intensity (kBtu/sq. ft.) and greenhouse gas emissions metrics for all buildings, as well as a percentile energy performance score for many eligible building types. Custom reports and graphs also allow users to see time trending information and compare facilities within their portfolio.
PG&E's Automated Benchmarking Service (ABS) (PDF, 186 KB) provides ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager with historical energy usage data and updates it monthly so you don’t have to enter meter data manually for each month.
Why benchmark?
- Assess energy performance baselines for buildings and set goals for improvement.
- Track and report on energy performance, costs, and environmental impact over time, for individual buildings and entire portfolios.
- Comply with California Assembly Bill 1103, which requires disclosure of benchmarking data at the point of whole building real estate transactions.
- Comply with the new San Francisco Ordinance that requires annual benchmarking of buildings >/= 10,000 square feet beginning in 2011.
- Apply for the prestigious ENERGY STAR® label with scores above 75.
- Earn points toward LEED® certification.
How do I get started?
- Learn about ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and collect basic building data using the Data Collection Worksheet.
- Collect the Service ID numbers for each meter you wish to sign up for Automated Benchmarking. (If you are not an authorized representative of the Customer of Record for a meter or meters that are required to benchmark your facility, have an authorized party complete and sign the Data Release Authorization (PDF, 92 KB) form, and then fax to 415-973-8494).
- Use the step-by-step instructions in our How To Guide (PDF, 2.7 MB) to register for a Portfolio Manager account, create a facility profile for each building you wish to include, and sign up for PG&E’s Automated Benchmarking Service. Owners of large portfolios of buildings have the option of importing data to Portfolio Manager using Import Templates.
For questions on Portfolio Manager, refer to ENERGY STAR's online Help and FAQ or contact buildings@energystar.gov. If you are having problems with PG&E's Automated Benchmarking Service, refer to our Troubleshooting Guide on page 11 of the How To Guide listed above, or contact us.
PG&E offers hands-on benchmarking workshops, and a webinar. See our Benchmarking Webinar on demand. Click on the registration links below to sign up for upcoming trainings near you.
Next Steps
PG&E is here to help you meet your energy management goals. Call your account manager today to learn about comprehensive audits, rebates, and incentives that may apply to you. Or, call the Business Customer Service Center at 1-800-468-4743.
To learn about more energy management solutions available for your type of business visit Money-Back Solutions.
