Energy Benchmarking - What Is It and Why Is It Valuable?
Benchmarking is process in which a business compares its processes and performance metrics to best practices within its industry or another industry, with changes to its processes ideally resulting in business performed in a faster, cheaper, and overall better manner.
In energy benchmarking, the benchmarking process is focused on achieving better energy results using best industry practices on two levels.
First, efficiency providers implement the latest research based practices in their arsenal of efficiency measures.
Second, companies implement the practices prescribed by efficiency providers instead of consulting non-professionals or handling their own equipment implementation.
Depending on a company's line of business, location, building type(s), and other factors, energy benchmarking practices can vary significantly.
But in cases, two building systems are targeted for equipment upgrades: interior lighting and HVAC.
Before new equipment is installed, an efficiency provider performs an energy audit of the building, assessing its energy use per square foot and identifying specific problem areas using more refined analysis, such as a lighting audit.
Only after an energy audit is performed can specific solutions be targeted on a priority basis.
How Does Energy Benchmarking Apply to Interior Lighting and HVAC Upgrades? The biggest misconception about energy efficiency is that it requires new equipment from top to bottom.
If this were the case, efficiency providers would be failing their industry's business benchmarks by offering solutions that few could afford.
In most instances, achieving efficiency focuses on retrofitting existing building systems, and sometimes an individual machine, with more efficient parts.
Concerning interior lighting, existing lighting systems are supplied with more efficient lamps and ballasts, and an automatic lighting control system may be implemented to reduce energy use further.
Concerning HVAC systems, HVAC parts that are traditionally oversized, such as chillers and air distribution fans, are downsized to reduce their energy use.
Interior lighting accounts for roughly 60 percent of the average commercial building's annual electrical usage, and HVAC elements account for roughly 30 percent.
In many cases, these percentages can be reduced by more than half, allowing companies to realize a 50 percent or greater reduction in their annual utility bill, especially when interior lighting and HVAC changes are combined with other, smaller changes recommended by efficiency providers.
Until recently, the question of how to pay for efficiency projects kept many companies from going forward with them.
But today, more efficiency providers are offering long-term, interest-free, in house financing to small business that qualify, part of which deals with a company's perceived commitment to making energy efficiency part of its future.
With a first year ROI of 50 percent or higher being common, many companies pay for an efficiency project within two years using money saved from reduced utility costs.
In energy benchmarking, the benchmarking process is focused on achieving better energy results using best industry practices on two levels.
First, efficiency providers implement the latest research based practices in their arsenal of efficiency measures.
Second, companies implement the practices prescribed by efficiency providers instead of consulting non-professionals or handling their own equipment implementation.
Depending on a company's line of business, location, building type(s), and other factors, energy benchmarking practices can vary significantly.
But in cases, two building systems are targeted for equipment upgrades: interior lighting and HVAC.
Before new equipment is installed, an efficiency provider performs an energy audit of the building, assessing its energy use per square foot and identifying specific problem areas using more refined analysis, such as a lighting audit.
Only after an energy audit is performed can specific solutions be targeted on a priority basis.
How Does Energy Benchmarking Apply to Interior Lighting and HVAC Upgrades? The biggest misconception about energy efficiency is that it requires new equipment from top to bottom.
If this were the case, efficiency providers would be failing their industry's business benchmarks by offering solutions that few could afford.
In most instances, achieving efficiency focuses on retrofitting existing building systems, and sometimes an individual machine, with more efficient parts.
Concerning interior lighting, existing lighting systems are supplied with more efficient lamps and ballasts, and an automatic lighting control system may be implemented to reduce energy use further.
Concerning HVAC systems, HVAC parts that are traditionally oversized, such as chillers and air distribution fans, are downsized to reduce their energy use.
Interior lighting accounts for roughly 60 percent of the average commercial building's annual electrical usage, and HVAC elements account for roughly 30 percent.
In many cases, these percentages can be reduced by more than half, allowing companies to realize a 50 percent or greater reduction in their annual utility bill, especially when interior lighting and HVAC changes are combined with other, smaller changes recommended by efficiency providers.
Until recently, the question of how to pay for efficiency projects kept many companies from going forward with them.
But today, more efficiency providers are offering long-term, interest-free, in house financing to small business that qualify, part of which deals with a company's perceived commitment to making energy efficiency part of its future.
With a first year ROI of 50 percent or higher being common, many companies pay for an efficiency project within two years using money saved from reduced utility costs.
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