For first-time annual recognition requests: The Current Reporting Period is a consecutive 12-month time span that can be established with a starting date up to 25 months prior to the 50001 Ready recognition request date. Sites are highly encouraged to establish the Current Reporting Period so that it ends as close to the 50001 Ready recognition request date as possible.

The below illustration shows the earliest option to establish the Current Reporting Period based upon a first-time 50001 Ready recognition request date of January 1, 2020. With the first-time 50001 Ready recognition request date of January 1 the Current Reporting Period could start anywhere beginning December 1, 2017 to January 1, 2019.

For subsequent annual recognition requests: The Current Reporting Period is the 12-month period that follows immediately after the Prior Reporting Period. If there is a gap greater than 6 months between 50001 Ready Recognitions contact the 50001 Ready Help Desk for guidance on establishing a new Reporting Period.

Alternatively, sites may elect to report a first-time reporting period that aligns with any reporting period used for other energy related programs. If choosing this option for subsequent year recognitions, there may be a gap between the Current Reporting Period and the Prior Reporting Period that is greater than 6 months as a result of this initial adjustment period. The 50001 Ready Help Desk can assist you with aligning your reporting period for subsequent year reporting.

For first-time annual recognition request: No Prior Reporting Period will exist.

For subsequent annual recognition requests: The Prior Reporting Period is the same 12-month period as the Current Reporting Period for the previous 50001 Ready recognition.

The below illustration continues the example provided above focused on establishing the first Current Reporting Period.

Note: Small gaps between the new Current and Prior Reporting Periods due to new 50001 Ready recognition requests being submitted slightly before or after the 12-month expiration date of the prior recognition period may occur and are acceptable. If a gap of more than 6 months develops, contact the 50001 Ready Help Desk for guidance on establishing a new Current Reporting Period and a Prior Reporting Period to use.

Energy intensity

Resources:

1. Better Plants Energy Intensity Baselining and Tracking Guidance Document
2. Energy Performance Improvement Report (Excel)
3. EnPI Tool (Excel)

Introduction

Energy Intensity is measured by the quantity of energy required per unit of output or activity.

Reporting an improvement (positive or negative) in site-wide energy performance can be made by comparing the energy intensity of the current reporting period to the prior reporting period.

When reporting energy performance improvement as a percentage:

50001 Ready Navigator and Data Collection

As part of the 50001 Ready Navigator Task 8 Energy Data Collection and Analysis you will have collected energy consumption and relevant variable data. The output of this data collection can be used to calculate energy intensity-based energy performance improvement with a prominent relevant variable such as occupancy or production level.

Additional Guidance

The “Facility-Level Energy Intensity Approach,” section of DOE’s Better Plants Energy Intensity Baselining and Tracking Guidance document details how to calculate energy intensity based energy performance improvement. The Better Plants program is a corporate focused recognition program but the methods and guidance in the supporting document can be applied at the site level.

Calculating Energy Intensity based Energy Performance Improvement

Energy Performance Improvement Report

The required Energy Performance Report includes a feature to calculate energy intensity-based energy performance improvement. On the, “Report,” tab under Section 3, “Energy Performance Improvement,” you can enter the 12- month Current Reporting and 12-month Prior Reporting Period “output or activity level values.” To use the calculator, you only need to provide the numeric values for the unit of output or activity, not the unit itself (i.e., if you are calculating energy intensity based upon volume of production, floor area, or occupancy, you only need the quantitative value associated with these metrics and not list the metrics themselves). For example, if you measure energy intensity based on the total building area within your scope, and your total area is 800,000 ft2, then simply enter “800,000” as the output or activity value.

EnPI Tool

DOE provides a software tool that can be used to calculate energy intensity-based energy performance improvement. The tool, as well as a tutorial, is available online.

Users enter site-wide energy consumption and relevant variable data, and the tool allows users to calculate improvement in energy intensity.

Linear regression model

Resources:

1. EnPI Lite Tool (online)
2. EnPI Tool (Excel)
3. VERIFI Tool (online)

Introduction

A linear regression model utilizes statistical analysis to provide normalized site-wide energy consumption accounting for the effects of relevant variables such as changes in production, occupancy, and weather. If successfully developed, regression models can provide a more insightful understanding of a site’s relationship of energy to controllable and uncontrollable variables than an energy intensity-based approach can.

When a useable regression model is developed it can be advantageous to use it for multiple years until it is statistically no longer valid or the relevant variables no longer reflect to operations and equipment at the site.

When reporting Current Reporting Period energy performance improvement as a percentage use the below equation which is based upon equation 6 of the Better Plants Energy Intensity Baselining and Tracking Guidance document:

where

The above equation is based upon equation 4 of the Better Plants Energy Intensity Baselining and Tracking Guidance document and is specific to forecast modeling. Equations 5 and 6 of the same document can be used for chaining and backcast modeling.

50001 Ready Navigator and Data Collection

As part of the 50001 Ready Navigator Task 8 Energy Data Collection and Analysis you will have collected energy consumption and relevant variable data. The output of this data collection can be used to calculate energy performance improvement using multiple relevant variables in a linear regression model. The Energy Consumption Tracker presented in Task 8 Energy Data Collection and Analysis can be used as an input file to the online EnPI Lite Tool described below.

Additional Guidance

The DOE’s Better Plants Energy Intensity Baselining and Tracking Guidance provide guidance on how to develop and use linear regression models to calculate energy performance improvement.

Calculating Linear Regression Model based Energy Performance Improvement

EnPI Lite Tool

EnPI Lite is an online regression engine for public use that can be used to demonstrate energy performance improvement.

EnPI Lite accepts inputs from the Energy Consumption Tracker presented in Task 8 Energy Data Collection and Analysis, DOE’s Footprint Tool, and DOE’s Footprint Tool Lite to perform regression-based modeling.

The Energy Footprint Tool Overview and Tour details how to format data for entry into the EnPI Lite Tool. The EnPI Lite too may produce multiple valid models for each energy source. Use your best engineering judgement to select the model(s) that best describe how your facility uses energy. For example, if steam is used throughout the production process of a product, the model for the energy source that is used to generate steam (e.g., natural gas) should include a production variable. As another example, if the major uses of electricity in your facility are electric heating and cooling, then HDD and CDD should appear in your model of electricity.

EnPI Tool

The EnPI tool, as well as a tutorial, is available online.

Users enter site-wide energy consumption and relevant variable data and the tool allows users to calculate improvement in energy performance.

VERIFI Tool

The Department of Energy Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed VERIFI to track, visualize, analyze and forecast facility utility data in industrial settings. The tool is designed for industrial energy coordinators, plant managers, engineers, and personnel who are interested in tracking, predicting, and performing regression analysis on their energy use. VERIFI incorporates and expands on several existing DOE tools (EnPI, EnPI Lite, Energy Footprint Tool, Plant Energy Profiler), most of which currently are excel-based or excel-add-ons. VERIFI integrates them into a common, open-source framework which is harmonized with other DOE software tools – mainly the DOE’s MEASUR tool suite.

Better Plants Annual Report, with data reported at the site level rather than the corporate level.

The Better Plants Annual Report allows for reporting intensity and regression-based energy performance improvement values. Please refer to the Better Plants Energy Intensity Baselining and Tracking Guidance document for details.

If you are a Better Plants partner and do not have access to your most recent Better Plants Annual Report at the site level, contact your Technical Account Manager for assistance.

1. Download 50001 Ready Energy Performance Reporting with Portfolio Manager
2. Download Portfolio Manager Reporting Instructions for Entry into 50001 Ready EPIR

Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager may be used to collect information needed to demonstrate energy performance and energy performance improvement. For project’s seeking 50001 Ready recognition using Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager, follow the steps for getting it done below:

1. Verify the Portfolio Manager property information and metrics align to your 50001 Ready project’s scope and metrics.
2. Generate a 50001 Ready Portfolio Manager data collection report using one of the two applicable reporting templates:
   1. First Time Annual Recognition - 50001 Ready Reporting Template
   2. Subsequent Annual Recognitions - 50001 Ready Reporting Template
3. Enter data from the 50001 Ready Portfolio Manager Reporting Template to the 50001 Ready Energy Performance Improvement Report (EPIR) after converting metrics from KBtu to MMBtu.

For more information, refer to the guidance documents on Reporting 50001 Ready Energy Performance and Energy Performance Improvement with Portfolio Manager:

• 50001 Ready Energy Performance Reporting with Portfolio Manager
• Portfolio Manager Reporting Instructions for Entry into 50001 Ready EPIR