We have implementation experience at every level of the energy benchmarking process, including:
- Assisting in drafting an energy benchmarking ordinance
- Synthesizing data sources to identify covered and exempt buildings
- Educating building owners about the benchmarking process
- Operating a full-time help center to provide personalized support to building owners via phone and email
- Reviewing submitted benchmarking information to identify incomplete or inaccurate data
- Reporting on energy benchmarking results such as number of buildings covered, compliance rates, potential energy savings, and potential greenhouse gas reductions
Why Should Cities Benchmark Their Energy Use?
Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is one of the biggest and most cost-effective ways to reduce carbon emissions in cities. As more cities set climate goals, they need energy benchmarking data to meet their target greenhouse gas reductions.
Benchmarking Experience: City of Chicago
Elevate supports the City of Chicago in its successful implementation of its Energy Benchmarking Ordinance. Since 2014, Elevate has operated the bilingual Chicago Energy Benchmarking Help Center. Our staff provide detailed guidance to owners, from how to gather initial data to electronically submitting a benchmarking report to the City of Chicago.
Benchmarking Experience: Northwestern University
Northwestern University hired Elevate in 2017 to benchmark the energy use in its 240 residential and commercial buildings on both its Evanston and downtown Chicago campuses and satellite outposts in Miami, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Elevate entered all the buildings into ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager and analyzed building energy use, initiating a larger effort to create an energy management system for the university.