On August 26th, the ENERGY STAR scores for most building types will drop. This is part of EPA’s regular cycle of updating ENERGY STAR performance metrics to reflect changing market conditions. The scores for office buildings, schools, and retail properties will see the largest reductions (see below).
Why this is good for your organization
It is important to remember that we are all in the same boat. Most portfolios will see 50%+ of their ENERGY STAR certified buildings become ineligible overnight. However, raising the bar provides a valuable opportunity to set new performance goals and seek new opportunities to improve building operations. These changes are designed to be a win-win for your organization by spurring continuous improvement, competition, and improved financial and environmental performance.
Why the scores are changing
Every 3-9 years, the U.S Energy Information Administration (EIA) distributes the Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) to property owners across the country to gather information on their energy usage. The EPA then uses these energy metrics to update their algorithm that drives the 1 to 100 ENERGY STAR score. The EPA is currently using CBECS energy metrics from 2003, which will be replaced by the 2012 survey results on August 26th. We are long overdue for an update!
As the energy performance of the US building stock continues to improve, the average performer (i.e., ENERGY STAR score of 50) uses less energy. Therefore, ENERGY STAR scores typically drop when the EPA updates their metrics.
2018 certification deadline- July 26th!
There is still time to achieve the 2018 ENERGY STAR certification using the current metrics. Properties with current ENERGY STAR scores ≥ 75 must submit their applications to the EPA by July 26th (with an energy period ending date of 4/30/18 or later) to be guaranteed a review prior to the Portfolio Manager updates.
Critical dates
July 26th- Last day to submit for the 2018 ENERGY STAR certification with a guaranteed review prior to the Portfolio Manager updates.
August 26th- Portfolio Manager taken offline as updates are made.
August 27th- New metrics and models are released in Portfolio Manager.