(UPDATE) Why Use ENERGY STAR and EnergyCAP

Benchmarking your buildings thru ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager website is an energy management best practice. Not only does a favorable building rating promote energy management success, but it can deliver fiscal advantages.

Why ENERGY STAR?

1. It may be the Law

The EPA reports that, “as of the end of 2019, 32 local governments, three states, and one Canadian province rely on EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager as the foundation for their energy benchmarking and transparency policies.” Dozens of state and local governments have mandated some form of ENERGY STAR tracking program for buildings exceeding a certain size/square footage, while others offer voluntary programs. Click here to see what your state and municipality may require.

2. Tracking Enhances Your Building’s Value
Studies have demonstrated that ENERGY STAR-tracked buildings command statistically significant higher building value, including elevated sale and lease rates. According to the EPA, “facilities can reduce their energy use by up to 30% through low- or no-cost measures. ENERGY STAR is a significant energy management tool. Half of the country’s Fortune 100® companies work with ENERGY STAR to improve building performance.

In ENERGY STAR-certified buildings, rental rates are up to 16% higher, and occupancy rates are as much as 6% higher than similar buildings. (Reference)

3. Certification Offers Great Publicity

The ENERGY STAR building score is a one to 100-point scale based on utility billing data and other factors unique to the building type. When the building achieves a 75+ score, it becomes eligible for ENERGY STAR certification. Certification ensures enduring value, since you are leveraging the authority of the ENERGY STAR brand, which is recognized by nine out of ten people.

4. Participation Contributes to More Savings

ENERGY STAR participation naturally leads to greater availability and transparency of energy data. This rising level of energy awareness contributes to an energy-saving culture that is difficult to quantify but should not be underestimated. Building residents and tenants will get the message that energy efficiency is important—that energy savings are a priority with building owners and managers. This awareness will contribute to more savings and environmental benefits.

5. It’s Readily Available

ENERGY STAR tools are available to everyone, and leading ENERGY STAR partners—like EnergyCAP—have discovered ways to leverage them to bring added value to your existing energy management program.

Why Team ENERGY STAR with EnergyCAP?

EnergyCAP, Inc. (ECI) is a five-time ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year, and one of the few software providers so honored. Our “Sustained Excellence” designation is the most coveted status among award winners. We achieved this status by refining our interface to make it easy for EnergyCAP users to submit all required energy and building data to ENERGY STAR without having to learn another software system and without having to do double data entry.

With a few clicks, you can submit all required data from EnergyCAP to the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager application. Benchmarking couldn’t be much simpler. EnergyCAP takes care of all the details. But, benchmarking your buildings is just one piece of the puzzle. EnergyCAP completes the picture with comprehensive utility bill accounting and energy management functionality:

If you’re already an EnergyCAP user but have not yet taken advantage of the ENERGY STAR interface, now’s the perfect time to check it out. EnergyCAP’s completely redesigned Portfolio Manager interface is being released July 1^st. For organizations that use Portfolio Manager but can benefit from the expanded functionality of an energy management information system (EMIS), EnergyCAP is the ideal solution. Schedule a demonstration to see firsthand how EnergyCAP can meet your energy benchmarking, utility bill accounting, and overall energy management needs.