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Evaluating progress includes formal review of both energy use data and the activities carried out as part of the action plan as compared to your performance goals.
Evaluation results and information gathered during the formal review process is used by many organizations to create new action plans, identify best practices, and set new performance goals.
Key steps involved include:
- Measure results - Compare current performance to established goals.
- Review action plan - Understand what worked well and what didn't in order to identify best practices.
Regular evaluation of energy performance and the effectiveness of energy management initiatives also allows energy managers to:
- Measure the effectiveness of projects and programs implemented
- Make informed decisions about future energy projects
- Reward individuals and teams for accomplishments
- Document additional savings opportunities as well as non-quantifiable benefits that can be leveraged for future initiatives.
In Practice
Hines - Review Ensures Success
Hines is one of the largest privately held real estate development, investment, and management companies in the world. Energy efficiency is an important management strategy for Hines, which has received the ENERGY STAR label for over half of its 62.5 million square feet of managed building space (as of 2002).
To ensure continuous improvement, Hines regularly re-benchmarks its buildings using Portfolio Manager and conducts annual evaluations of all of its properties to evaluate progress, steps taken to increase efficiency, and conformity with established company energy management practices. Part of this annual review includes evaluating how a building's individual energy performance rating has improved as well as how their portfolio wide score has improved on the Building Performance Rating Tool developed by ENERGY STAR.
For Hines, obtaining the ENERGY STAR label is an important objective because these buildings are more profitable. Hines estimates that the difference in overall operational costs between Hines ENERGY STAR labeled buildings and non-ENERGY STAR Labeled buildings is more than $13 million.
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