Benchmarking Policies and Building Performance Standards: EPA Resources

Getting Started

• Join the Policymaker Network. EPA regularly convenes the network of state and local governments implementing building performance policies to share updates and emerging offerings, encourage best practice sharing, and create a venue for dialogue.
• Benchmarking and Building Performance Standards Policy Toolkit. This 39-page document comprises four sections, each focused on a different aspect of policy development:
  • Section 1: Overview of Energy Benchmarking and Transparency
  • Section 2: Overview of Building Performance Standards
  • Section 3: State and Local Government Coordination
  • Section 4: Data Access 
• What are Building Performance Standards (BPS)? A good overview for those new to BPS.

Technical Assistance

Benchmarking Policies

• Contact EPA for help with:
  • Information on existing Portfolio Manager benchmarking activity for your jurisdiction
  • Setting up data requests or property-sharing to collect data from building owners.
  • Training on Portfolio Manager for your Help Desk staff
  • Stakeholder engagement strategies
• Every year EPA provides a “List of Recommended Metrics to Collect.” This encourages collection of common metrics, facilitating research into the effectiveness of policies across jurisdictions. Contact us to join our mailing list.
• Refer to our List of Portfolio Manager Property Types, Definitions, and Use Details.
• For your building owners and service providers, EPA offers:
  • Regular, no-cost Portfolio Manager training
  • Year-round, no-cost help desk support

Utility Data Access

• Use EPA’s interactive data access map to see if utilities serving your jurisdiction offer benchmarking data to customers.
• For you: Sample policy language: Utility data access requirements
• For your utilities: How to Compile and Deliver Aggregate Whole-Building Data
• Go deeper and stay in-the-know: ENERGY STAR Data Access Network

Setting Goals and Evaluating Impacts

• Portfolio Manager Building Emissions Calculator: This online tool estimates the impact on building-level GHG emissions from changes in building energy use and electric grid emissions factors.
• AVoided Emissions and geneRation Tool (AVERT): This online tool estimates the detailed impact of electricity changes on GHG and criteria emissions.
• CO-Benefits Risk Assessment (COBRA) Health Impacts Screening and Mapping Tool. This online tool estimates the health co-benefits of policy options due to reduced criteria pollutants.
• Energy Savings and Impacts Scenario Tool (ESIST). This Excel-based planning tool analyzes energy savings and costs from energy efficiency programs and policy scenarios out to 2040, and estimates their impacts on emissions, public health, and energy burdens.

Developing a BPS Framework, Selecting BPS Metrics, and Establishing Targets

• See EPA's recommendations for metrics and normalization methods and statement on net energy metrics.
• Learn about the different options for BPS metrics in EPA’s comprehensive White Paper: Understanding and Choosing Metrics for Building Performance Standards.
• Refer to our List of Portfolio Manager Property Types, Definitions, and Use Details.
• Contact EPA for help with:
  • Outlining BPS components, including covered buildings, metric selection and normalization, and alternative compliance paths.
  • In-depth reviews of draft policy documents

Implementing BPS

• Contact EPA for help with setting up data requests or property-sharing.
• For your building owners and service providers, EPA offers:
  • Regular, no-cost Portfolio Manager training
  • Year-round, no-cost help desk support

Consider Complementary Policies

Benchmarking and BPS policies can work well alongside other programs and policies. EPA has resources to help with several of these:

• Voluntary energy efficiency programs for existing buildings (e.g., Building Competitions, Treasure Hunts)
• Promotion of ENERGY STAR Certification and ENERGY STAR Tenant Space recognition.
• Develop state or local financing programs to fund energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements.
• See the State Guide to Action and Local Action Framework for comprehensive sets of policies that can help state and local governments achieve their environmental goals.

Contact Us

• Contact the ENERGY STAR team at statelocal@energystar.gov.
• Sign up for EPA’s State, Local, and Tribal Energy Newsletters here.