SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS

Asset Classes

Focus Area

Energy and Carbon

Topic

Tracking and Monitoring

Question #

E4.1a – Energy Use Tracking

Question

Was whole-building energy use data tracked before and during Covid?

Applicability

Office, Healthcare, Multi-Unit Residential Building
Owner/landlord occupied building
Tenant occupied building – Owner has access to utility data =

Answer & Scoring

  • Yes = 2 points

Enter all available information for the following:

    • ENERGY STAR score, if applicable, before Covid (2017, 2018 or 2019)
    • Average Normalized Energy Use Intensity (EUI), before Covid (2017 to 2019)
    • ENERGY STAR score, if applicable, during Covid (2020, 2021 or 2022)
    • Average Normalized Energy Use Intensity (EUI), during Covid (2020 to 2022)
  • No = 0 points
  • Not Applicable – Tenant occupied building: Owner/Landlord does not have access to utility data OR Tenant occupied building: Pursuing E4.1b OR Building built during or after the year 2022 = 0/0

Max of 2 points

Requirements

To generate the whole-building energy use intensity, EUI (ekWh/ft²):

  • Enter the past years’ whole-building energy use data under the Benchmarking section of the online hub (bomabesthub.com)
  • Enter any 12-month average EUI under the Answer section, over the 2017 to 2019 years before Covid
  • Enter any 12-month average EUI under the Answer section, over the 2020 to 2022 years during Covid
  • If whole-building energy use is calculated by adding data from different bills or sub-meters, provide a brief narrative describing the methodology applied. Show how the 12-month total use was calculated
  • If any spaces were excluded, provide a brief narrative describing the methodology applied
  • For any sub-meters referenced, provide details, such as make, model, location, photo and year of installation
  • Indicate whether any energy is generated on-site and whether that use has been sub-metered
  • Calculate EUI for the building based on the utility data available and the floor area

OR

  • Documentation demonstrating that the building was built during or after the year 2022

Note that tenant occupied buildings that cannot pursue E4.1a, must answer E4.1b.

Documentation

Provide all of the following:

  • Data Verification Checklist printed from ENERGY STAR or a screenshot from BOMA BEST Benchmarking section showing the past years’ energy use (ekWh/ft2) before 2020 and after 2019
  • Calculation method used to determine the 12-month average
  • Narrative of benchmarking methodology and sub-meter data, if available

OR

  • Documentation demonstrating that the owner does not have access to utility data (e.g. lease agreement)

OR

  • Narrative indicating that E4.1b is being pursued

Suggested Lead

In-house

Value

  • The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant effect on building energy use
  • Analyze whole-building energy data to better understand the building’s energy use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Determine how energy use has changed since the pandemic to assess if the building is on track to achieve their energy reduction goals

Description

Utility data must be tracked and monitored to provide information necessary for assessing a building’s energy consumption. This measurement will allow the team to set and track progress toward goals, implement corrective actions and inform larger strategies.

References

Adapted BB 3.0 Question

New in BOMA BEST 4.0