ENERGY STAR Automated Benchmarking System:

Top 10 Best Practices for Implementation

September 2010

The Automated Benchmarking System (ABS) is a framework for exchanging data between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) energy performance rating system and a third party Energy Service Provider (ESP) system. EPA created ABS to exchange data with variety of ESPs, includingenergy software and bill payment companies, regional efficiency programs, utilities, operations management software providers, and large multi-site organizations. EPA has found that ESPs that understand the ENERGY STAR program and ABS before integration have a more positive experience. The following top ten list is provided to highlight important aspects of ENERGY STAR and ABS.

  1. Review ABS Documentation– Visit the ABS login page and download and review theABS Design Overview and the User’s Guideto learn about the purpose and interaction of all the ABS services. Registering for an ABS account gives you access to additional documentation, such as sample XML schemas and schema maps.
  1. Join ENERGY STAR - Join the ENERGY STAR Partnership Program.

Service & Product Providers (SPP)

  • Read the SPP partnership requirements and submit an application for partnership once you have conducted at least 10 benchmarks for clients or have assisted one client with applying for and receiving an ENERGY STAR Label.
  • Review the SPP section of the ENERGY STAR Web site to understand the resources available for your organization to use with clients.
  • See the list of existing automated benchmarking providers and set a goal to be on that list to distinguish your company from your competitors.

Utility and Regional Energy Efficiency Program Sponsors (EEPS).

  • Read the EEPS partnership requirements and submit an application for partnership.
  • Review the EEPS section of the ENERGY STAR Web site to understand the opportunity to incorporate benchmarking into efficiency programs.
  • See the list of existing automated benchmarking providers and set a goal to be on that list to publicize the benchmarking service to customers.
  1. Understand EPA’s Portfolio Manager – Explore and understand Portfolio Manager on the ENERGY STAR Web site at Discover the benefits of tracking utility information for all building types. Learn how some property types are eligible to earn the ENERGY STAR as an added bonus.
  1. Login to Portfolio Manager - Create an account and login to Portfolio Manager to see one example of how energy performance information is captured and displayed in a web interface. ESP interfaces can and should replicate many of the functions of Portfolio Manager. For instance, Portfolio Manager provides users the ability to:
  • Include several different space types (e.g. office, retail, parking, etc.) in a building.
  • Capture the effective date of changes to building space attributes to maintain a historical record of the changes in attributes.
  • View key performance indicators such as energy use intensity (EUI), rating or greenhouse gas emissions with an “as of month” and compare to previous months.

Instead of developing an interface to manage building information, ESPs and particularly utilities may prefer to focus on managing meter data only. In this scenario, the ESP can send energy data to Portfolio Manager and let customers use the Portfolio Manager interface to manage building information.

  1. Understand the Purpose of Authorization - Review and understand how the authorization web services apply to customers that have already set up facilities in Portfolio Manager and want these existing facilities updated through ABS. ESPs should review the Automated Benchmarking Console in Portfolio Manager; the sections of the User’s Guide on the authorization services; and the Portfolio Manager authorization process screen shots posted underAdditional Resources on the ABS Web site.
  1. Provide Customer Support – To help answer routine questions from clients about benchmarking with ENERGY STAR, your organization can link directly to the Portfolio Manager “Help” Section from your software. The “Additional Resources” section of the ABS Website includes links to the most common pages in the “Help” section, such as the space type definitions and how to apply for ENERGY STAR recognition.It also provides instructions to link to any other page in the “Help” section.
  1. Demo ABS System for EPA - Contact your ENERGY STAR account manager to schedule a demonstration of your system after developing an ABS interface or process to present performance data to customers. The automated benchmarking team can provide valuable feedback on your system.
  1. Identify Potential ENERGY STAR Partners as ABS Customers – For help developing an initial list of potential customers for ABS, cross-reference your customer list with the ENERGY STAR Partners list.
  1. Leverage EPA Resources in Marketing Efforts - Consider existing EPA support and resources as you develop a marketing plan to promote your ABS services. This could include:
  • Inviting EPA as a subject matter expert to present or participate in internal sales training, customer webinars, customer conference calls, or user conferences.
  • Utilizing marketing materials designed for ABS providers. Contact your account manager to learn about using co-brandable marketing materials.
  • Asking your account manager to review any marketing materials, press releases, and Web sites about ENERGY STAR to ensure that the messaging is consistent with ENERGY STAR branding and logo use guidelines.
  1. Select An Internal ENERGY STAR Expert – An internal expert is a valuable resource for sales support, customer support, and product development. Internal expertise can be developed by attending ENERGY STAR training and reviewing the Guidelines for Energy Management.

If you have any questions about these practices and how to best move forward in your relationship with ENERGY STAR, please contact or your account manager.