Basics of Benchmarking | Complying with Ordinances

Are you a building owner who needs to comply with a mandatory benchmarking requirement? Do you have little or no experience using EPA’s Portfolio Manager tool? 

You’ve come to the right place! This webinar will serve as a beginner’s guide to Portfolio Manager and provide you with all the essential “how-to” information you need to start benchmarking and reporting your building data to your local or state government.

Part 1: A Beginner’s Guide to Using Portfolio Manager for Benchmarking Law Compliance

Topics covered will include understanding how state and local jurisdictions use EPA’s Portfolio Manager tool to facilitate reporting, setting up your Portfolio Manager account and properties, entering energy data, and reporting or sharing data with your jurisdiction. 

NOTE: Each jurisdiction has different requirements for compliance. This webinar will not address requirements specific to any one local or state government, but will present general information on how to use Portfolio Manager and report data in the ways most commonly required under these laws.

Topics include:

  • How to comply with a U.S.-based state or local benchmarking ordinance
  • Getting started using Portfolio Manager
  • Requesting energy and water data from your utility 
  • Getting assistance from an ENERGY STAR service and product provider company
  • Responding to a data request
  • Sharing your property with a local jurisdiction for reporting  

Relevant Building Sectors: Commercial Buildings and Industrial Plants
Recommended For: Owners, Managers, Service Providers
Level: Beginner  


Part 2: Using Benchmarking Results to Understand your Building’s Performance

Now that you’ve benchmarked, what’s next? Join us to understand how to interpret your results and your building’s performance. Learn how you can take things to the next level with more insights into your building’s performance metrics, and use your data to identify actionable energy and cost saving opportunities! 

NOTE: This session will focus on U.S. benchmarking ordinances only.

Topics include:

  • Understanding building performance metrics including:
    • The 1-to-100 ENERGY STAR score 
    • Energy use intensity
    • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • How to check your building and energy data for errors
  • Using benchmarking data to develop an energy management plan

Relevant Building Sectors: Commercial Buildings and Industrial Plants
Recommended For: Owners, Managers, Service Providers
Level: Beginner

Part 3: To Efficiency and Beyond! How to Benefit from Benchmarking Compliance with Strategies for Improving your Energy Performance 

Now that you’ve benchmarked and understand your results, it’s time to work on improving your buildings energy performance. In this session, you’ll learn about low-and-no-cost improvements that can help you reduce energy consumption and save money without significant capital investments. You’ll also learn about a variety of free ENERGY STAR resources that are available to help you improve your energy performance. Finally, you’ll learn how to connect with service provider organizations that can help you achieve your energy efficiency goals and earn ENERGY STAR certification for your building. 

NOTE: This session will focus on U.S. benchmarking ordinances only.

Topics include:

  • Low-and-no-cost energy efficiency improvements
  • ENERGY STAR program tools, resources, and additional training opportunities 
  • Connecting with ENERGY STAR service providers 

Relevant Building Sectors: Commercial Buildings and Industrial Plants
Recommended For: Owners, Managers, Service Providers
Level: Beginner and intermediate

Commercial Buildings