Targeting Building Energy Efficiency Opportunities: An Open-source Analytical and Benchmarking Tool

Generally, U.S. municipal and state benchmarking and disclosure programs have proven effective in reducing building energy consumption and encouraging a strong building energy efficiency market. However, these programs have shortcomings, including lack of standardized, automated, and cost-effective approaches to assess building energy efficiency upgrades at scale. To address these shortcomings, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Johnson Controls, Inc., and ICF International are developing a free, open-source, online, building energy analytic and retrofit targeting tool. This paper discusses the U.S. market’s need for the tool, analytical methodology, and innovations with industry impact. The outcomes of early pilot applications are also presented.