How does energy benchmarking contribute to energy efficiency improvements?

Maintaining energy efficiency in your building is of utmost importance, especially in today’s world. It not only helps you secure a substantial amount on your utility bills but also helps reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. 

Energy Benchmarking is a great way to enhance your building efficiency. In this post, you will get to know all about this concept and how it can help you make improvements to enhance your property’s energy efficiency. 

Keep reading to learn all about it! 

What is Energy Benchmarking?

Energy Benchmarking is a method to recognise the energy inefficiencies in your building through a basic comparison of a building’s efficiency with the optimum standards. This approach uses various metrics to calculate and compare the energy consumption. 

Other than identifying the inefficiencies by comparing buildings’ performances, energy benchmarking is also used to track the progress after you have taken energy-saving measures. You can also set goals and take help from this process to achieve them. 

The Energy Benchmarking process begins with gathering all the information about the energy consumption of a place. Then this data is adjusted with respect to the size, structure, occupancy, and type of the building. Different benchmarking tools help analyse this data for performance comparisons later on. After a thorough examination, a report that lists all the results and details of the analysis is created. This report further helps develop action plans to improve energy efficiency. 

Benefits of Energy Benchmarking

Energy Benchmarking comes in handy when you want to save electricity, energy, water, and all your resources in the long run. Some major benefits you can get through it are as follows. 

• Identification of Inefficiencies:

This process can identify which systems in your buildings are consuming the most energy and which ones are wasting the most. That helps identify inefficiencies accurately. 

• Performance Comparison:

It compares your building’s performance with the set standards and other similar buildings present around. As a result, you get to compare and find the best strategies others have adopted to save more. 

• Informed Decision-Making:

You can easily choose the systems in your building that you want to upgrade or invest in based on the Energy Benchmarking report. You also get to prioritise your investments depending on the energy consumption rate and ROI. 

• Tracking Progress:

You get to track your building’s progress continuously and change any decision regarding energy-saving if it isn’t effective enough. 

• Regulatory Compliance:

The process helps you run your property in accordance with the standards set by the local, state, or federal committees. That helps you stay transparent and avoid penalties. 

How Energy Benchmarking Works

Energy Benchmarking is a thorough process that involves a series of steps to give you the required information. These steps are given as, 

• Data Collection:

The process starts with gathering data on the entire energy consumption of the building. Then this data is documented with respect to the size, type, usage, operating hours, and structure patterns of the building. 

• Data Analysis:

After the data is properly documented, it is analysed. As a result of this analysis, performance metrics are generated. Different benchmarking tools come in handy for this purpose. 

• Performance Metrics:

The performance metrics of a building tell all about its energy consumption. It uses key metrics such as EUI and Energy Star Scores. These metrics help measure and compare a building’s performance to other similar buildings. 

• Reporting:

Once the key metrics do their job, the results are presented in the form of reports. One can use visual tools to prepare detailed reports. 

Tools and Platforms for Energy Benchmarking

Some tools and platforms are specifically designed for energy benchmarking. For example, 

• Energy Star Portfolio Manager: 

Energy Star is the most widely used benchmarking tool. It was by the EPA to help building owners maintain a proper record of their energy and water consumption. 

• Other Benchmarking Tools:

Other major benchmarking tools include BREEAM, LEED, BAS, and others. All these tools have special features that help in maintaining the energy efficiency of a property. 

• Choosing the Right Tool:

Choosing the right tool is substantial when it comes to Energy Benchmarking. Only then can one thoroughly enjoy the results and make improvements. 

Steps to Get Started with Energy Benchmarking

To get started with Energy Benchmarking, you will first need to assure the completion of the following tasks. 

• Initial Assessment: 

Conduct an initial energy audit of a building to assess the present energy consumption. This must include identifying areas with the most energy usage, evaluating equipment, and getting professional advice for proper recommendations. 

• Setting Up Benchmarking: 

Choose a benchmarking tool like Energy Star Portfolio Manager. Create an account on it. Click on ‘Add a Property’ and define your building properly by adding all its details. Those details must include exact measurements, structure, and details. If you have already done an energy audit, use that initial audit data. 

• Data Entry:

While entering data for benchmarking, make sure you use accurate and relevant results. They must be detail-oriented too. Moreover, you will also need to keep an eye on the data and update it whenever you observe any change in it. Only then can you achieve the results you’ve been striving for. 

• Ongoing Monitoring:

Make sure to monitor the data online regularly. Change your energy consumption status according to the analysis to reach high energy efficiency. Staying consistent with the monitoring and data updates will provide faster and more positive results. 

Challenges and Solutions in Energy Benchmarking

• Common Challenges:

Common challenges you have to face during the benchmarking process are dealing with inaccurate data and inconsistent entries. Moreover, not being able to access your building’s data from anywhere can also be an issue. These problems automatically lead to unreliable results. 

• Overcoming Challenges:

To overcome these challenges, you must use reliable automated systems to reduce errors. Stay consistent with benchmarking while ensuring fair comparisons. Secure all of your data properly to be accessed anytime. 

Future Trends in Energy Benchmarking

• Technological Advances:

There are various technological advancements in the energy benchmarking industry. For example, with the Internet of Things (IoT), you get access to real-time data. Moreover, enhanced sensors, AI, Blockchain, and so many other options have been introduced into the market that increase the accuracy of data to a great extent. 

• Policy and Regulatory Changes:

With time, the energy efficiency standards might become stricter so you will have to be more accurate with your data. Lesser greenhouse gas emissions would become necessary with the increase in global warming. There might also be properly set International Standards you’d have to follow. 

Conclusion

Energy Benchmarking is a systematic approach that helps improve your buildings’ energy efficiency. You must know by now how this process contributes to saving energy, water, and other resources. You can also become a part of this just by following the above-mentioned steps. However, always make sure to keep in mind the importance of accuracy in your data. To achieve that, use a reliable benchmarking tool. Add your property to it and maintain consistency.

You can get accurate results with proper analysis and comparisons. Strive for a substantial change in the environment by encouraging transparency and accountability in these methods.