This document provides an overview of ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and the process for benchmarking building energy performance. It discusses how Portfolio Manager can be used to measure, track, and benchmark energy use across buildings to identify underperformers and cost savings opportunities. A 4-step process is outlined for benchmarking that includes creating an account, adding a property, adding spaces, and entering energy meter data. Additional features like bulk data imports, multi-facility updates, and sharing data with master accounts are also summarized.

1. Benchmarking Building Energy Performance with
ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager

2. Agenda
 ENERGY STAR and Benchmarking Overview
 Strategies for Benchmarking
 Getting Started: Four Simple Steps
 Appendix: Additional Features

3. What is ENERGY STAR?
 A government-backed, voluntary program
that helps businesses and individuals protect
the environment through superior energy
performance by providing energy-efficient
solutions for homes, businesses, and
institutions.
 The national symbol for environmental
protection through energy efficiency,
recognized by more than 75% of all U.S.
households.

4. Opportunities in Buildings
 Commercial buildings and industrial facilities
generate about 50 percent of U.S. carbon
dioxide emissions.
 30 percent of energy consumed in
commercial and industrial buildings is
wasted.
 Reductions of 10 percent in energy use can
be possible with little or no cost.

5. Portfolio Manager
Measure and track the energy use of all of your buildings
– receive an energy use intensity (EUI). Many buildings,
including office buildings can receive energy
performance scores on a 1-100 scale.
Track changes in energy and water use over time in
single buildings, groups of buildings, or entire portfolios.
Track and report cost savings and CO2 emissions.
Apply for the ENERGY STAR.
www.energystar.gov/benchmark
Benchmarking

6. Why Benchmark?
 Verify pre- and post-project energy use, GHG
emissions, and energy costs
 Identify under-performing facilities
 Assess effectiveness of current operations,
policies and practices
 Assist in planning: set goals, targets, and
timelines
 Set investment priorities
 Identify billing errors
 Set standard for your community
 Prepare for certifications such as LEED or
EnergyStar
www.energystar.gov/benchmark

7. Medical Offices Office Buildings
Hospitals
Warehouses
Dormitories
Supermarkets
Courthouses
K-12 Schools
Bank/Financial
Institutions
Hotels
Wastewater
Treatment Plants
Retail Stores
1-100 ENERGY STAR Score
Eligible Building Types
Houses of
Worship
Data Centers
Senior Care

8. Remember, All Buildings Can be
Benchmarked
• Mixed Use
• Multifamily
• Police Stations
• Fire Stations
• Restaurants
• Convention Centers
• Laboratories
• Libraries
• Malls
• Movie Theatres
• Stadiums and Arenas
• And more…

9. Required Information for
Benchmarking in Portfolio Manager
• Building Identifiers
Name, street address, zip code for weather normalization
• Space Type Data (office example)
– Office - Square footage, hours of operation, Number of workers
on main shift , # of PC’s, Percent of gross floor area that is air
conditioned, heated
– School – Square footage, # of PC’s, # of refrigerators, school
type, open weekends (y/n), on-site cooking (y/n), % of area air
conditioned, heated
• Energy Use
– Bldg specific invoice information from all purchased energy. Begin
with at least 11 consecutive months for each source and update
with monthly usage data.

10. Agenda
 ENERGY STAR and Benchmarking Overview
 Strategies for Benchmarking
 Getting Started: Four Simple Steps
 Appendix: Additional Features

11. Steps for Benchmarking
Successfully
 Planning
 Training
 Data Collection
 Benchmarking
 Verification and Monitoring

12. Planning
• Hold a Kick-off Meeting and invite your energy and
facility managers, EPA, and your utility providers. Discuss
ways to streamline process. Determine:
– Points of contact for your organization.
– Number of Portfolio Manager accounts to be opened.
– Personnel from each division who will manage these accounts.
– Number of buildings to be entered into Portfolio Manager.
• Standardize Usernames & Passwords to allow
administrators access to different accounts for quality
assurance or for sharing purposes.

13. Planning
• Create a Naming Convention for Buildings so the top-
level account manager can easily understand which
building belongs to which agency. For example, if South
Building belongs to the State Department of Natural
Resources (DNR), it could be named
“StateGovDNRSouthBuilding” or “DNRSouthBuilding.”
• Agree on a Data Entry Method for transmitting energy or
water consumption data to Portfolio Manager:
– Manual Data Entry – enter building and energy use data manually.
– Bulk Data Upload – upload large sets of building data using an import
template (10 or more buildings).
– Automated Benchmarking Services (ABS) – have your Energy Service
Provider or utility automatically send your data into your Portfolio
Manager account.

14. Training
Conduct Training using the following sessions:
www.energystar.gov/buildingstraining
• ENERGY STAR Overview / Portfolio Manager Overview
• Portfolio Manager detailed training (train-the-trainer session). At
minimum, the these topics should be included:
– Benchmarking Starter Kit
– Four steps of benchmarking
– How to construct bulk data “import templates” to save time
– Sharing buildings with Master Accounts
– Portfolio Manager’s other features and Questions & Answers section
• Homework for account managers—encourage all account managers
to view a training session and benchmark at least one building.
• For more information, visit www.energystar.gov/benchmark

15. Data Collection
• Gather Building Data:
– Building/plant address.
– Building space characteristics.
– Energy use (determine baseline and current period and metrics).
– Other variables, such as water use or other space data such as
server rooms or parking spaces.
• Collect Building Attribute Data such as space types, square
footage, and number of people and computers. Store this bulk data in
import templates.
• Utilize EPA’s Data Collection Worksheet

16. Benchmarking
• Create Accounts for your users (Portfolio
Manager Accounts and Master Accounts).
• Enter Buildings into Portfolio Manager using the
collected data.
• Create & Assign Meters in Portfolio Manager.
• Input Energy and Water Data, and access
useful metrics such as EUI and GHG.
• Share Access with Master Accounts to allow
all buildings across your portfolio to be viewed
and tracked.

17. Verification and Monitoring
• Conduct Additional Training once the benchmarking
process begins.
– Perform ongoing data quality assurance.
– Use the Multi-facility Meter Update feature.
– Create reports to track progress toward goals.
• Track Progress & Celebrate Achievements
– Identify agencies or buildings that have improved their energy
efficiency over time and recognize their achievements. Encourage
continuous progress toward meeting and exceeding your energy
and water reduction goals.

18. Agenda
 ENERGY STAR and Benchmarking Overview
 Strategies for Benchmarking
 Getting Started: Four Simple Steps
 Appendix: Additional Features

19. Portfolio Manager
Four Simple Steps
1. Create/edit a Portfolio Manager account
2. Add/edit a property
3. Add/edit a space
4. Add/edit energy meters

20. Access Portfolio Manager Web
Page
(1) Click
BUILDINGS &
PLANTS on the
ENERGY STAR
home page.
(2) Click the
Portfolio
Manager link to
login or create a
new account
(3) Click Portfolio
Manager to read
more about the
rating system.
(2)
(3)
(1)

21. 1. Creating an Account

22. Creating an Account

23. 2. Adding a Property

24. Adding a Property

25. Add/Edit a Space3. Adding a Space

26. Adding a Space

27. Adding a Space

28. Adding Energy Meters

29. 4. Entering Energy Use

30. Example

31. EPA’s Portfolio Manager Training
• Benchmarking Starter Kit:
1. Animated Portfolio Manager training
• Opening an account
• Entering building and energy information
• Updating energy use data
• Interpreting results
2. Data Collection Worksheet
3. Step-by-step Quick Reference Guide
• Cost-free live and recorded trainings
www.energystar.gov/businesstraining

32. • Click the "Help" button to access searchable online user-
support information.
• Click the "FAQ" button to access a searchable database of
Frequently Asked Questions.
• Click the “Contact Us" or email for buildings@energystar.gov
further technical assistance
On-demand Portfolio Manager
User Support

33. Agenda
 ENERGY STAR and Benchmarking Overview
 Strategies for Benchmarking
 Getting Started: Four Simple Steps
 Appendix: Additional Features

34. Additional Features of
Portfolio Manager
 Bulk Data Import Templates
 Multi Facility Meter Updates
 Create Custom Views
 Reports and Graphs
 Sharing Data with a Master Account
 Campus Benchmarking
 Automated Benchmarking Services

35. Sharing Data with a Master Account
• Allows your organization to measure and track energy and
water use and monitor performance metrics including
greenhouse gas emissions by building type or sector, for
example:
• School buildings
• Small businesses
• Commercial real estate
• Local government buildings
• Process:
• Institution creates a Master Account
• Master Account appears in a public registry
• Individual users can share facilities with Master Account
• Master Account holder can view progress for all facilities that have
been shared

36. Sharing Data with a Master Account

37. (1) Designate a Master Account or click on “Account
Information” in the “My Profile” view
(2) or, Click Share Facilities to create a Master Account
Creating a Master Account
(1)
(2)

38. (1) In My Portfolio, click on
“Share Facilities”
(2) Type in Portfolio Manager
User Name
or
(2) Select a Portfolio Manager
Master Account from the
drop down menu
(3) Click “Add and Modify”
Sharing Facilities:
Allowing Access by a
Master Account
(1)
(2)
(3)

39. (3)
(1) Select the Access Role that you would like to give to the Master Account
(2) Select the optional rights that you would like to give to the Master Account
(3) Specify the group from the Master Account to place the shared facility(ies)
(4) Click “Continue”
Sharing Facilities:
Allowing Access by a
Master Account
(Continued)
(1)
(2)
(4)

40. Sharing Facilities:
Allowing Access by a
Master Account
(Continued)
(1) Select the facilities that you would like to share with the Master Account by
checking the boxes next to the facilities you would like to share or check the
“select all” box to share all facilities
(2) Click “Continue” (not shown)
(3) On the next screen, verify that all access changes are correct. If they are not,
click cancel to return to the previous screen. If they are correct, click “Save”
(not shown)
(1)