How Energy Efficient Is Your Building?
Want a quick way to gauge your building’s energy efficiency?
Start with Energy Use Intensity (EUI)—the energy used per square metre (GJ/m²) or square foot (kBtu/ft²) each year.
But EUI alone isn’t enough. You need context: how does your building compare? Use our tool to calculate your EUI and get a quick comparison to similar buildings.
For more accurate benchmarking, we recommend using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager® (ESPM). It’s a free tool that compares your EUI to the national median for similar buildings—helping you see how you’re doing and what’s possible.
Managing multiple buildings?
Compare their EUIs side by side as shown below to find your top performers and biggest opportunities.
ESPM also calculates a building’s % variance from the national median EUI. Charting this variance for your buildings —as shown below—makes it easy to spot which sites are performing well and which are using more energy than they should.
Track Your EUI Over Time
If a building’s EUI is rising year over year, it could signal a problem. Use weather-normalized EUI if heating or cooling account for a significant portion of your building’s energy use.
In the real-world example below, the EUI increased by 13% over two years. This is a red flag to the building owner.
Is Your EUI is Already Below the National Median?
Congratulations—you’re ahead of the curve. There may still be opportunities to improve, but you’re starting from a strong position.
What Next?
Once you know where you stand, set realistic goals—and track your progress.
Energy Star Portfolio Manager® is easy to use, well-documented, and free. So give it a try. And if you’d like some help getting started, GRCL is here for you. Because if you’re not managing your energy—who is?
2-Minute Payback is GRCL’s weekly blog of energy-saving tips and tools for busy building managers. This post was written by Chuck Faulkner.
