Calculate returns on energy efficiency investments
EPA’s ENERGY STAR program offers financial calculators to help guide your financial decisions about energy efficiency and meet your energy performance goals.
Cash Flow Opportunity Calculator
Anyone can use the Cash Flow Opportunity (CFO) Calculator. It was developed to address the “we don’t have the money” objection that many organizations face when trying to implement energy efficiency projects, and to help you translate energy savings into “financial speak.” It’s the result of proven field experiences that have been used to sell energy efficiency projects to decision-makers around the country. And it uses simple financial arguments familiar to all financial managers.
The CFO Calculator can accelerate the installation of energy efficiency projects by addressing three critical questions about implementing these projects:
- How much new energy efficiency equipment can be purchased from the anticipated savings?
- Should this equipment purchase be financed now or is it better to wait and use cash from a future budget? (avoid paying interest)
- Will we lose money by waiting for a lower interest rate?
The CFO Calculator quantifies these costs and helps create a “sense of urgency” about these projects.
- Use the Cash Flow Opportunity Calculator.
- Take a look inside the Cash Flow Opportunity Calculator: Calculations and Methodology.
- View a self-guided presentation that gives an introduction to the Cashflow Opportunity Calculator spreadsheet.
Financial Value Calculator
Are you in corporate real estate? Then this calculator is for you. It presents key financial metrics to demonstrate the value of improved energy performance.
- Use the Financial Value Calculator.
Building Upgrade Value Calculator
Last but not least, are you in commercial real estate? Then we’ve got the tool for you! This calculator estimates the impact of proposed investments on an office building’s ENERGY STAR score.