ENERGY STAR Automated Benchmarking Service

The EnergyCAP software works in tandem with the ENERGY STAR Automated Benchmarking Service (ABS); This functionality provides the means to easily and efficiently submit multiple facilities for participation in the EPA’s Energy Performance Rating System.

The EPA's Energy Performance Rating System

The EPA developed the National Energy Performance Rating System (“Performance Rating”) to provide a means to compare a building’s energy performance to that of similar buildings throughout the United States.  By benchmarking a 'portfolio' of buildings, it is possible to identify exemplary performers, as well as below-average performers, in order to prioritize upgrade investment opportunities.

The performance rating is calculated on a scale of 1 to 100 using basic building data:

• Physical attributes
• Operating characteristics
• Location
• Monthly energy consumption

The rating is derived by analyzing the primary drivers of facility energy consumption and their relative impact on energy use, based on the Energy Information Agency’s (EIA), “Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey,” as well as other industry-specific data sets.

The EPA creates a model for each facility type by normalizing energy use based on the facility’s:

• Specific climate
• Weather
• Space use
• Energy consumption characteristics

Then the EPA scores the facility relative to its peers.

Buildings that attain a score of 75 or higher and maintain a healthy indoor environment are eligible to receive the ENERGY STAR label.  Building space types eligible to receive the ENERGY STAR label include the following:

• Computer Data Centers
• Offices
• K-12 schools
• Hotels
• Hospitals
• Supermarkets
• Financial centers
• Bank branches
• Courthouses
• Warehouses
• Residence halls
• Medical offices

Entire portfolios from organizations that improve performance measurably can be awarded recognition under the ENERGY STAR Leaders Challenge (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=leaders.bus_challenge).

Through the ENERGY STAR Buildings Program, the EPA has partnered with more than 1,500 commercial, industrial, and public organizations that have agreed to benchmark and upgrade more than 10 billion square feet of facility floor space.  To facilitate the commitment, ENERGY STAR delivers the rating through a suite of online ENERGY STAR software applications.  ENERGY STAR is now promoting the use of commercial energy tracking products as the most efficient method to obtain the rating for large portfolios.

EnergyCAP and the EPA's Portfolio Manager

In 1999, the EPA introduced Portfolio Manager, a Web-based tool that allows users to manage their facility data by entering existing facility information, such as energy and space use, to generate a rating.  Portfolio Manager analyzes the data and determines the performance rating, as well as several other metrics based on the data entered.  Users can set up a Portfolio Manager account and monitor their ratings over time by manually entering the building and energy consumption information.

The Portfolio Manager is a useful tool. However, entering data manually into Portfolio Manager and the organization’s energy management software could result in many hours of redundant data entry. Automating the creation of, and submission to, the EPA's Portfolio Manager through EnergyCAP greatly simplifies the process, eliminates any duplication of effort, and assures that all of the organization’s energy-related data is stored in one easy-to-access location.

Here are some additional items of interest regarding Portfolio Manager and the EnergyCAP interface:

• The first time EnergyCAP submits your organization data, a new Portfolio Manager account will be created.  It will be automatically populated with all of the EnergyCAP submittal data.
• After the initial Portfolio Manager account creation, EnergyCAP’s Customer Service department will email you the login instructions for your new Portfolio Manager account in the event that you would like to review the submissions there. Although EnergyCAP manages your data submissions completely, there are several things that can currently only be done from within the Portfolio Manager including application for a building label (an ENERGY STAR plaque) or a Leader’s Award.  Portfolio Manager can also display prior year ratings.

NOTE: If you have previously created a Portfolio Manager account for a building or buildings, EnergyCAP has no way of synchronizing with it.  EnergyCAP will create a new Portfolio Manager account.  Once you are comfortable with the EnergyCAP account, you can delete the prior PM account.  Because EnergyCAP lets you submit all of your prior bills, you will still be able to see ratings in past years in Portfolio Manager.

More information about the EPA’s Portfolio Manager and the Automated Benchmarking Services can be found on the EPA website. Login is available from  https://www.energystar.gov/istar/pmpam/.

See Also: EPA's Criteria for Rating Building Energy Performance

In EnergyCAP, building utility data may be submitted for an EPA ENERGY STAR rating at any time. Facilities achieving a rating of 75 or higher and professionally verified to meet current indoor environment standards are eligible to apply to the EPA for the ENERGY STAR.

However, the following criteria must also be met before a facility is eligible for the ENERGY STAR award:

• The facility must be located in the United States or in one of its U.S. territories.
• The facility is not a "Wastewater" or "Water" facility (i.e., facility type is not "municipal wastewater treatment plant" or "water treatment and distribution utility").
• 90% or more of the facility's gross floor area must be owned or managed.
• Twelve months must elapse from the Period Ending Date of the previously approved ENERGY STAR application.
• Space attributes cannot use system default data.
• Temporary energy meter values cannot be used in the 12 months preceding the current Period Ending Date.
• The current Period Ending Date must be no older than 120 days from today’s date.

The ENERGY STAR plaque can be displayed to convey superior performance to tenants, customers, and employees. Highlighting the ENERGY STAR Qualified Buildings in your portfolio sends a positive message to lenders, appraisers, owners, investors, and potential tenants or customers.

There are three primary tasks involved in using EnergyCAP to receive an ENERGY STAR rating:

• Defining building attributes in EnergyCAP
• Submitting data to ENERGY STAR
• Retrieving ENERGY STAR results

Use the checklist that follows to define building attributes in EnergyCAP for automated ENERGY STAR submittal. Then follow the procedures indicated to submit and retrieve ENERGY STAR ratings.

Ensure that the user has necessary system permission to submit ENERGY STAR data to the EPA.

Before an EnergyCAP user can perform most ENERGY STAR-related tasks, the user must have permission to submit ENERGY STAR data. To check user permissions, run EnergyCAP and navigate to Setup>Facilities.  TheENERGY STAR shortcut button should be visible. If it is blue, the user has the necessary permissions. If it is grayed out, the user must be granted ENERGY STAR Submittal Execute permission (User Manager>User Properties).

Ensure that building attribute details are up-to-date.

As the EPA makes changes to the ENERGY STAR rating system by adding or changing the attributes used in the statistical rating process, EnergyCAP will keep you up-to-date with periodic updates.  To check for available updates, click on the ENERGY STAR shortcut button/icon from the Facility Manager.  If an Apply Update button appears in the lower left corner of the ENERGY STAR Interface window, this means that the ENERGY STAR building attribute list has been changed. Click Apply Update to apply the update if the button is present; otherwise, click Cancel.

When an update has been successfully applied, the Apply Update button will disappear and a confirming message will appear in the Status window.

Configure the building properly for ENERGY STAR submittal.

Each building that you wish to submit to the ENERGY STAR must be properly configured, using the ENERGY STAR tab from Building Properties.

NOTE: A building must be saved to the Place hierarchy before ENERGY STAR tab options become active.

To fully configure your building for ENERGY STAR:

1. Use the Facility Manager navigation pane to locate and highlight/select the desired building.
2. Right-click and select Properties to open the Place Properties window for your ENERGY STAR participant building.
3. On the General tab, be sure the building has an address and ZIP Code.  The ZIP Code is mandatory; this is how ENERGY STAR associates the building with the correct weather data.
4. On the Building tab, ensure the building has a floor area record.  This is also mandatory.
5. On the ENERGY STAR tab:
1. Make sure that the ENERGY STAR participant building checkbox is checked.
2. Select the ENERGY STAR Building Type from the drop-down list.
   
   
   
   NOTE: Building types that don’t appear in the list (for example, a college library) must be submitted as ‘Other.’  Other building types will not receive an ENERGY STAR rating but will still receive the results of energy and environmental  calculations (kbtu/sq ft, greenhouse gas emissions).
3. From the ENERGY STAR Values tab, enter the required building attributes. Some responses may need to be estimated. 
   
   
   
   The ENERGY STAR website (http://www.energystar.gov) provides guidance on attribute definitions.
   NOTE: The ZIP Code field is automatically populated from the building address on the General tab, and the Gross Floor Area is automatically populated from the Building tab.
   
   
4. From the ENERGY STAR Sub-Spaces tab, define any spaces within the building that have a different primary use than the main space.
   
   
   
   NOTE: The ENERGY STAR rating will be most accurate (and often higher) if subspaces are properly identified within the building. The Parking subspace is particularly important. IF the utility bills submitted to ENERGY STAR will include the electricity used to light an adjacent parking area, be certain to identify a parking subspace. An enclosed parking structure has solid walls, such as below ground parking, and requires 24/7 lighting and ventilation.  A non-enclosed structure requires 24/7 lighting but uses natural ventilation.  An open parking structure is a surface lot with nighttime lighting.  If the lot is available all the time, input 168 for weekly access hours (7x24=168 hrs).
   
   
   
   
   
5. Click the Meter Include/Exclude tab to identify meters assigned to this building that should be excluded from the ENERGY STAR data submittal because the energy usage is external to the building.  For example, if you have a parking lot with its own meter, exclude the meter and do not identify the lot as a subspace.  Do the same for meters on exterior signage or separately metered ancillary buildings.
   
   
6. After building properties have been configured properly, click OK to save changes and close the Place Properties window.

Submitting ENERGY STAR Data to the EPA Portfolio Manager for a Rating

To submit ENERGY STAR data to the EPA Portfolio Manager, follow the procedure below.

1. Ensure that the latest utility bills have been entered. 
   NOTE: A full year of data is required for each utility meter associated with the submitted building.
2. Click the blue ENERGY STAR button/icon from the Facility Manager title bar. The ENERGY STAR Interface window will open.
3. Click the Selective Building Submittal tab to view and edit the list of buildings to be submitted. If you have configured many buildings but do not want to submit all of them, click in the Submit column to select the desired buildings for submittal. All buildings with a checkmark in the Submit column will be submitted,
   NOTE: If desired, click the Submit column header to toggle ALL buildings on or off.
   
   
4. After buildings have been selected, click the Submittal information and Status tab. Then click the Submit button. The message pane will indicate how many buildings and meters were submitted. 
   
   

ENERGY STAR Submittal Notes:

Normally, EnergyCAP will only submit new bills entered since the last submittal, plus any bills that have since been edited.  That means that for the first submittal, ALL historical bills will be submitted, and later submittals will be limited to newly-edited bills in order to eliminate needless data transfer.  It also means that when a building has no new or edited bills, the building will NOT be submitted even if the Place is an ENERGY STAR Participant Building.

If you want to force a building to be resubmitted with all its available historical bills, uncheck the checkbox below the building list (“Only submit buildings having new/edited bills since last submittal”).  You can use this checkbox (uncheck it) to force a building to be resubmitted when you have no new/edited bills but you made changes to building attributes.

Resetting Portfolio Manager Settings for Buildings with Meter or Subspace Changes

!  If you decide to exclude a meter or remove a sub-space that has been previously submitted to ENERGY STAR, it is necessary to Reset the building’s Portfolio Manager data.  Otherwise, even if the meter or sub-space no longer exists in EnergyCAP, it still exists in Portfolio Manager and will continue to affect your ratings. !

After making meter or subspace changes in EnergyCAP, always make certain to click the Reset Portfolio Manager Data for this Building button from the ENERGY STAR Interface window (the button will only be active if ENERGY STAR information has been previously submitted to the EPA).  Cicking Reset Portfolio Manager Data for this Building sends a command to Portfolio Manager to delete all meters and sub-spaces for the building.  This will is essence give the building a 'clean start' in Portfolio Manager.

! Do not neglect to reset Portfolio Manager data! Even if you login to Portfolio Manager at the EPA website and delete a meter or sub-space there and delete it in EnergyCAP, the meter or subspace will re-appear in future submissionsbecause it’s also stored in an intermediate submittal database.  The Reset button must be used to ensure that meter and subspace data is accurate and up-to-date!

An XML log of the most recent submittal file is maintained on the computer hard drive at the path indicated.  This makes it possible to view the data file that has been submitted. Note that subsequent submittals will overwrite this file.

If the message shown below in yellow is received, this means that the ENERGY STAR building attribute list has been revised by EPA, and one or more buildings cannot be submitted until building attributes are edited to comply with the new submittal requirements.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• The Submit button is multi-functional and will change its title based on the status of the submittal:
• Submit: Begin the submittal process
• Continue: Ratings were in the process of being submitted but did not finish. This can happen if there was a communications error or if the user clicked Cancel during the submission process.
• Get Ratings: Submittal is complete. Awaiting Ratings. EnergyCAP immediately checks for ratings results each time the Get Ratings button is clicked
• The Cancel button will abort a submittal that is in process.
• The Continue button will initiate submittal, beginning with the last building submitted. During submittal, the number of buildings submitted is recorded in the database SystemData table. This number is referenced when the Continue button is clicked.
• If a meter does not have at least 12 months of bills (required), data for that meter will not be sent to ENERGY STAR.

Receiving an ENERGY STAR rating

Shortly after the Submit button from the ENERGY STAR Interface window has been clicked, it will be replaced by a Get Ratings button.This indicates that data has been submitted to the EPA. Results will generally be available in two hours or less.An email notification will be sent to the specified email address when results are available.

Click the Get Ratings button to retrieve results. If results are not yet available, a message to that effect will be displayed in the Submittal Information and Status message panel. If ratings are available, they will be displayed in the Ratings History tab (Place Properties>ENERGY STAR tab) for the building.

Click on a note to see the complete text when a note is present.

Understanding Results

To view the Ratings History for a building, navigate to the desired building in the Facility Manager hierarchy. Then right-click the building name/icon and select Properties from the popup menu to open the Place Properties window for the building. Then click the ENERGY STAR tab and click Rating History.

The ENERGY STAR ratings grid is a history of the last 10 ratings received for a building.

The Rating History tab shows the results returned from the EPA, with the most recent submittal at the top of the list. In addition to the ENERGY STAR Rating, the following information is also provided:

• Bldg kbtu/SF non-wthr: The total energy usage per sq ft, expressed in kbtu (thousands of btu), for the most recent 12-month period for which bills were available at the time of submittal.  Not weather normalized.
• Bldg kbtu/SF for a 75. The energy usage per sq ft that corresponds to a 'target' rating of 75 for this building, given the building type, location and attribute values.  Ratings higher than a 75 would require a lower usage/sq ft.
• Bldg kbtu/SF wthr: The total energy usage per sq ft, expressed in kbtu (thousands of btu), for the most recent 12-month period for which bills were available at the time of submittal, with weather normalization.
• Label Eligible? Indicates if the building is eligible for an ENERGY STAR label.  If Yes, you can login to your Portfolio Manager account on the ENERGYSTAR.gov website and apply for an official ENERGY STAR label.  This requires a licensed engineer to certify your data and code compliant building operations.
• Source kbtu/SF non-wthr: The total energy usage per sq ft, expressed in kbtu (thousands of btu), for the most recent 12-month period for which bills were available at the time of submittal, adjusted to “source” energy.  Source energy is adjusted for the fuel input  at the power plant required to supply the output of electricity actually used.  ENERGYSTAR.gov explains this in greater detail.
• Source kbtu/SF with wthr: Same as the previous column, but adjusted to minimize the effect of weather differences between the submitted building and the comparison set.
• Direct GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions in equivalent metric tons of carbon dioxide. (A metric ton is 2,205 lbs).  Direct emissions are emissions released from your building due to the burning of gas, oil or coal.
• Indirect GHG.  These are emissions released from a distant power plant due to your use of electricity.
• Total GHG. The sum of direct and indirect.
• Notes.  Any notes returned by the EPA’s rating system are shown in the far right column.

Double-clicking on a row of the grid will open a window presenting all the alerts associated with the data in a more readable format.

ENERGY STAR reports in EnergyCAP

Use Analysis reports AN24 and AN24A to display ENERGY STAR ratings for submitted buildings. The AN24 Energy Star Ratings report is listed by Place. It provides the most current ENERGY STAR Rating Date, Rating and Notes. The AN24A Energy Star Ratings With History report provides a record of all results available, including the ENERGY STAR Rating Date, Rates, and Notes for each submission.

Following notification of results availability, there are several ways to view ENERGY STAR ratings that have been returned from the EPA:

• From the PowerView General tab for the specific building. Just click on the ENERGY STAR participant building to reveal the PowerView. The current rating will be displayed as a hyperlink. NOTE: Clicking the link will open the Place Properties window for the selected place (ENERGY STAR tab), where the current rating information can be viewed along with the other building properties.

   

 

• From a new ENERGY STAR custom spreadsheet (available with EnergyCAP Enterprise Release 5.1 and later--see Custom Spreadsheet topic for information on spreadsheet creation).

   

 

• From the new AN24 and AN24A reports. The AN24 Energy Star Ratings report is listed by Place. It provides the most current ENERGY STAR Rating Date, Rating and Notes. The AN24A Energy Star Ratings With History report provides a record of all results available, including the ENERGY STAR Rating Date, Rates, and Notes for each submission.
• From the Place Properties ENERGY STAR tab:

1. Navigate to the Facility Manager (Setup/Facilities) and highlight the desired building.
2. Right-click and select the Properties option. The Properties window for the selected building will open.
3. Click on the ENERGY STAR tab and click Rating History. The ENERGY STAR Ratings grid will be displayed. The grid presents the last 10 ratings achieved by the building.  

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/.

The Building Attributes are defined separately for each ENERGY STAR category. Click the desired category to view building attribute definitions appropriate for that category:

• Computer Data Center
• Office Space
• Hospital
• Hotel/Motel
• K-12 School
• Medical Office
• Multi-Family Housing
• Retail Store
• Supermarket/Grocery
• Residence Hall/Dormitory
• Warehouse
• 'Other' Building Types
• Houses of Worship
• Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/. 

OFFICE SPACE: What are the descriptions of the data fields for the office space (General, Bank branch, and Courthouse)?

Space Name

An identifying name for the portion of the facility that you are defining (for example, Main Office, Third Floor Conference Area, East Wing, etc.).

The office space type is intended to define facility space used for general office, professional and administrative purposes. Relevant businesses and industries include banks, insurance, real estate, securities, brokerage firms, consulting, corporate, engineering, law, management, medical, mixed professional, computer center, and data entry. Floor area for all supporting functions, such as lobbies, stairways, rest rooms, storage areas, elevator shafts, atriums, mechanical rooms, etc., should be included in the sum of all the office spaces for the facility.

Gross Floor Area

Total floor area, expressed in square feet or square meters, for a given space within a facility. The total of all office spaces must include the floor area for all supporting functions, such as lobbies, stairways, rest rooms, storage areas, elevator shafts, etc., in the facility. To generate an energy performance rating, the minimum total floor space for Office depends on the type of Office facility:

• Office (General Administrative): 5,000 square feet (464.5 square meters) or greater
• Office (Bank Branch): 1000 square feet (92.9 square meters) or greater
• Office (Courthouse): 5,000 square feet (464.5 square meters) or greater

NOTE: The floor area of all Computer Data Center space(s) cannot exceed 10% of the Facility’s total floor area (not including Garages and Parking Lots).

Number of PCs

Indicates the total number of personal computers and servers in this office space.

Default Value = 2 PCs per 1,000 square feet (92.8 square meters).

Workers on Main Shift

Indicates the total number of employees who work in this office space. Indicates the number of employees who are present during the main shift. This is not the total number of employees or visitors who are in a building during an entire 24 hour period. For example, if there are two daily 8 hour shifts of 100 workers each, the Workers on Main Shift value is 100. The normal worker density ranges between 0.3 and 10 workers per 1000 square feet (92.8 square meters).

Default Value = 2.2 Occupants per 1,000 square feet (92.8 square meters).

Operating Hours/Week

The total number of hours per week that this office space is in operation, excluding hours when the facility is occupied only by maintenance, security, or other support personnel. For facilities with a schedule that varies during the year, "operating hours/week" refers to the total weekly hours for the schedule most often followed. Office space operation time averages 65 hours per week, rather than 40 hours per week. Operating hours per week must be 35 or greater for office spaces and must not be greater than 168.

Default Value = 65 Hours per Week

Percent of Gross Floor Area that Is Air Conditioned

The percent of gross floor area that is air conditioned.

Default Value = >=50%

Percent of Gross Floor Area that Is Heated

The percent of gross floor area that is heated.

Default Value = >=50%

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/.

HOSPITAL: What are the descriptions of the data fields for hospitals (acute care and children’s)?

Below are the descriptions of the data entry fields for the hospital space type.

Hospital applies to facility space of at least 20,000 square feet in total gross floor area used as Acute Care and Children's Hospitals. These facilities typically provide a variety of services within the same facility or among multiple facilities on a campus, including emergency medical care, physician's office services, diagnostic care, ambulatory care, and surgical care.

NOTE: The rating system for Hospitals accounts for Medical Office spaces located within the Hospital building/campus. Thus, if a Hospital space is selected, Portfolio Manager does not allow any other spaces to be selected. If any other space type is first selected, a Hospital space cannot then be selected. One or more spaces that are not eligible to receive a rating, however, can exist with a Hospital space.

Total Floor Area

The total gross floor area is measured between the principal exterior surfaces of the enclosing fixed walls and includes all supporting functions such as kitchens and break rooms used by staff, storage areas, administrative areas, elevators, stairwells, atria, vent shafts, etc.

Also note the following:

• Existing atria should only include the base floor area that it occupies.
• Interstitial (plenum) space between floors should not be included in total.
• Gross floor area is not the same as leasable space. Leasable space is a subset of gross floor area. Maximum floor area value available is 999999999.

Add the total floor area from all facilities within the campus. (Note: If the campus has centrally-metered computer data centers, garages, and open parking lots, they should be defined as separate space types. Their floor area should not be included here).

NOTE: The floor area of all Computer Data Center space(s) cannot exceed 10% of the Facility’s total floor area (not including Garages and Parking Lots).

Maximum Number of Floors

The number of floors in the building on the campus facility with the greatest number of floors.

Default Value = 5

Number of Staffed Beds

The number of staffed beds within the facility as defined by Medicare/Medicaid. The default value depends on the number of buildings. Integer required.

One hospital building:

Default Value = 2.8 Licensed Beds per 1,000 square feet (92.8 square meters).

Two or more hospital buildings:

Default Value = 2.8 Licensed Beds per 1,000 square feet (92.8 square meters) divided by 5.

Tertiary Care

Tertiary Care is defined as care provided beyond secondary. For example, Level I trauma centers, highly specialized medical care such as organ transplant centers or prenatal/neonatal intensive care centers.

Default Value = Yes

Laboratory (optional and not used for benchmarking)

These spaces typically have independently controlled and specially designed environmental systems.

Laundry On-Site (optional and not used for benchmarking) 
The facility has an on-site laundry complex (one in which all linens are processed at the facility).

Number of Buildings (optional and not used for benchmarking) 
The number of buildings comprising the campus.

Full-time equivalent workers per week

The number of full-time equivalent workers per week (integer).

Number of MRI machines permanently on-site

The number of permanently-placed MRI machines available on-site (integer).

Ownership Status (optional and not used for benchmarking)
Non-profit is a community-based, not-for-profit hospital that is not owned by the government. For-profit signifies a publicly-owned or privately-owned hospital company. Government indicates a federally owned hospital facility such as a Veteran's Administration or other military hospital.

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/.

K-12 SCHOOL: What are the descriptions of the data fields for K-12 schools?

 K-12 School applies to facility space used as a school building for Kindergarten through 12th grade students. This does not include college or university classroom facilities and laboratories, vocational, technical, or trade schools. The total gross floor area should include all supporting functions such as administrative space, conference rooms, kitchens used by staff, lobbies, cafeterias, gymnasiums, auditoria, laboratory classrooms, portable classrooms, greenhouses, stairways, atria, elevator shafts, small landscaping sheds, storage areas, etc.

Gross Floor Area

The total gross floor area used as part of the school building for Kindergarten through 12th grade students. The total gross floor area is measured between the principal exterior surfaces of the enclosing fixed walls and includes all supporting functions such as kitchens and break rooms used by staff, storage areas, administrative areas, elevators, stairwells, atria, vent shafts, etc.

Also note the following:

• Existing atriums should only include the base floor area that they occupy.
• Interstitial (plenum) space between floors should not be included in total.
• Gross floor area is not the same as leasable space. Leasable space is a subset of gross floor area.

NOTE: The floor area of all Computer Data Center space(s) cannot exceed 10% of the Facility’s gross floor area (not including Garages and Parking Lots).

Open Weekends

Is this building normally open at all on the weekends? This includes activities beyond the work conducted by maintenance, cleaning, and security personnel. Weekend activity could include any time when the space is used for classes, performances or other school or community activities. If the building is open on the weekend as part of the standard schedule during one or more seasons, the building should select “yes” for open weekends. The “yes” response should apply whether the building is open for one or both of the weekend days.

Default Value = No

Number of Walk-in Refrigeration/Freezer Units

Indicates the total number of large walk-in refrigeration or freezer units in use within the K12 School. This typically includes large refrigeration units located in the back of a K12 School cafeteria used to store refrigerated goods.

Default Value = 0.01 Walk-in Units per 1,000 square feet (92.8 square meters).

Presence of Cooking Facilities

Does the K12 School have commercial or institutional cooking on-site? This typically includes cooking facilities associated with lunch counters or cafeterias located onsite. This does not include employee lounges or galleys with food preparation equipment and/or vending machines.

Default Value = Yes

Percent of the Gross Floor Area that is Cooled

This is the percentage of the total floor space within the facility that is served by mechanical cooling equipment. The percent cooled cannot be greater than 100.

Default Value = 100%

Percent of the Gross Floor Area that is Heated

This is the percentage of the total floor space within the facility that is served by mechanical heating equipment. The percent heated cannot be greater than 100.

Default Value = 100%

Number of PCs

The total number of personal computers used at the K12 School. This number should include computers used in classrooms and/or student computer labs. It should also include computers that are used in managerial offices and break rooms.

Default Value = 1.75 PCs per 1,000 square feet (92.8 square meters).

High School

Is this building a high school (teaching grades 10, 11, and/or 12)? If the building teaches to high school students at all, the user should check ‘yes’ to ‘high school’. For example, if the school teaches to grades K-12 (elementary/middle and high school), the user should check ‘yes’ to ‘high school’.

Default Value = No

School District (optional and not used for benchmarking) The school's administrative district.

Months Used (optional and not used for benchmarking)

This is the number of months out of the year that the school is open for use.

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/.

HOTEL/MOTEL: What are the descriptions of the data fields for hotels/motels?

Hotel applies to buildings that rent overnight accommodations on a room/suite basis, typically including a bath/shower and other facilities in most guest rooms. The total gross floor area should include all interior space, including guest rooms, halls, lobbies, atria, food preparation and restaurant space, conference and banquet space, health clubs/spas, indoor pool areas, and laundry facilities, as well as all space used for supporting functions such as elevator shafts, stairways, mechanical rooms, storage areas, employee break rooms, back-of-house offices, etc.

Below are the descriptions of the data entry fields for the hotel space type:

Gross Floor Area

The total gross floor area is measured between the principal exterior surfaces of the enclosing fixed walls and includes all supporting functions. The total gross floor area should include all interior space, including guestrooms, halls, lobbies, atria, food preparation and restaurant space, conference and banquet space, health clubs/spas, indoor pool areas, and laundry facilities, as well as all space used for supporting functions such as elevator shafts, stairways, mechanical rooms, storage areas, employee break rooms, back-of-house offices, etc. The total gross floor area should not include covered walkways, balconies, or out-door pools. Also note the following:

• Existing atriums should only include the base floor area that they occupy.

• Interstitial (plenum) space between floors should not be included in total.

NOTE: The floor area of all Computer Data Center space(s) cannot exceed 10% of the Facility’s gross floor area (not including Garages and Parking Lots).

Number of Rooms

The total number of hotel rooms available within a given hotel property, including occupied rooms, non-occupied rooms, rooms in the process of being renovated, and permanent house use. This is the number of rooms typically found in a travel guide that describes specific hotels and general features, including the number of rooms.

Default Value = 1.95 rooms per 1,000 square foot

Workers on Main Shift

Workers on Main Shift should reflect the average number of workers that are present during the primary shift (that is, the shift with the most workers). Note: this is not the total number of staff employed at the property. For example, if there are three daily 8 hour shifts of 100 workers each, the Workers on Main Shift value is 100. For many hotels, this number will vary seasonally. Hotels should estimate the average number for the year. Accurate ratings can be determined for Hotels that estimate the number of workers within 20%.

Default Value = 0.32 Workers per 1,000 square foot

Number of Commercial Refrigeration/Freezer Units

This number should be a count of all commercial-type refrigeration and freezer units at the hotel. This count should include all walk-in refrigeration/freezer units, which may be used in cooking areas to support restaurants, banquet areas, and conference facilities. This count should also include any open or closed refrigeration cases, which may be used to sell refrigerated goods to hotel guests (e.g. a display case with beverages). This count should not include ice makers, vending machines, or residential-type units that may be found in employee break rooms or guest rooms.

Default Value = 0.023 Units per 1,000 square foot

Presence of Cooking Facilities

Does this hotel use energy for commercial or institutional cooking or food service on-site? Answer ‘Yes’ if this property includes cooking facilities to support room service, restaurants, conference space, and/or banquet facilities. Answer ‘No’ if the hotel’s food service consists only of continental breakfast service or other prepackaged or light offerings that do not require a full service kitchen. Answer ‘No’ if this property only includes equipment in employee break rooms, vending machines, and/or kitchens in guest suites.

Default Value = No

Percent of the Gross Floor Area that is Heated

This denotes the percent of the gross floor area that is served by mechanical heating equipment. The percent heated cannot be greater than 100%.

Default Value = 100%

Percent of the Gross Floor Area that is Cooled

This denotes the percent of the gross floor area that is served by mechanical cooling equipment. The percent cooled cannot be greater than 100%.

Default Value = 100%

Average Occupancy Rate (optional and not used for benchmarking) 
The average percentage of rooms that are occupied in the hotel during the course of a year.

Does this hotel process its laundry on-site? (optional and not used for benchmarking)

Does this property have an on-site facility for the production processing of laundry? Please select from the dropdown menu to indicate the level of laundry service performed at the hotel. Do not count coin operated machines for guest use or laundry machines used only for staff (e.g., uniforms).

• No laundry facility
• Linens only (e.g., bed/table linens)
• Terry only (e.g., towels, bathrobes)
• Both linens and terry

Quantity of laundry processed on-site annually (optional and not used for benchmarking)

If the user has indicated that this property processes laundry on-site, this number should reflect the total weight of laundry processed on-site per year. Please include a combined weight reflecting both linen and terry, if appropriate, and please be sure to include all laundry processed on behalf of other businesses (e.g., a hotel serving as a district laundry processing center).

How many hours per day are quests on-site? (optional and not used for benchmarking)

This number should reflect the best estimate of the number of hours per day that the average hotel guest will spend at the hotel property, including time spent in guest rooms, at hotel restaurants, at meetings/conference activities, and/or engaging in recreational activities located on the hotel grounds. Please choose the appropriate range from the drop-down menu (<15 hours, 15 – 19 hours, and 20+ hours).

Number of guest meals served per year (optional and not used for benchmarking)

This number should represent a count of the guest meals that are prepared and served at this property per year – including room service, in-restaurant dining, and banquets/special events. Many hotels will refer to this metric in terms of “food & beverage covers.”

Floor area of full-service spas (optional and not used for benchmarking)

This number should reflect the total square footage at the hotel that is devoted to full-service spa operations, including all reception areas, dressing/changing rooms, dry treatment rooms (e.g., massages), water treatment rooms (e.g., hydrotherapy), pump/mechanical rooms, and storage areas. A full-service spa will usually have a dedicated staff of trained specialists; do not include square footage as “spa” simply because it contains a hot tub/whirlpool or a sauna. Do not include square footage related to a gym or fitness center, as this information is covered under a separate question.

Floor area of gym/fitness center (optional and not used for benchmarking)

This number should reflect the total square footage at the hotel that is devoted to gym or fitness center operations, including all reception areas, locker rooms, weight rooms, cardiovascular equipment rooms, special-purpose rooms (e.g., classroom/studio space for aerobics; spinning; yoga), and storage/mechanical rooms. Gym/fitness center space may be staffed or unstaffed, and may range from a single room with a treadmill and a multipurpose machine to a full fitness club with a wide variety of machines, and program offerings. Do not count space here that is used as for spa operations.

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/.

MEDICAL OFFICE: What are the descriptions of the data fields for medical offices?

 Medical Office applies to facility space used to provide diagnosis and treatment for medical, dental, or psychiatric outpatient care. Medical office is intended for buildings with a minimum size of 5,000 square feet. The total gross floor area should include all supporting functions such as kitchens used by staff, laboratories, lobbies, atria, conference rooms and auditoria, fitness areas for staff, storage areas, stairways, elevator shafts, etc.

NOTE: If the Facility is a Hospital (Acute Care, Children’s) building/campus that contains a medical office, include the medical office floor area within the Hospital space. Do not define this separately as a Medical Office space.

Gross Floor Area

The total gross floor area is measured between the principal exterior surfaces of the enclosing fixed walls and includes all supporting functions such as kitchens and break rooms used by staff, storage areas, administrative areas, elevators, stairwells, atria, vent shafts, etc.

Also note the following:

• Existing atria should only include the base floor area that it occupies.
• Interstitial (plenum) space between floors should not be included in total.
• Gross floor area is not the same as leasable space. Leasable space is a subset of gross floor area.

NOTE: The floor area of all Computer Data Center space(s) cannot exceed 10% of the Facility’s gross floor area (not including Garages and Parking Lots).

Occupants

Indicates the total number of employees who work in this medical office space. The normal occupant density ranges between 0.3 and 10 occupants per 1000 square feet (92.8 square meters).

Default Value = 2.2 Occupants per 1,000 square feet (92.8 square meters).

Operating Hours/Week

The total number of hours per week that this medical office space is in operation, excluding hours when the facility is occupied only by maintenance, security, or other support personnel. For facilities with a schedule that varies during the year, "operating hours/week" refers to the total weekly hours for the schedule most often followed. Medical office space operation time averages 65 hours per week, rather than 40 hours per week. Operating hours per week must be 35 or greater for office spaces and must not be greater than 168.

Default Value = 65 hours per week.

Air Conditioned Percentage

This is the percentage of the total floor space within the facility that is served by mechanical cooling equipment. The percent cooled cannot be greater than 100.

Default Value = 50%

Heating Percentage

This is the percentage of the total floor space within the facility that is served by mechanical heating equipment. The percent heated cannot be greater than 100.

Default Value = 100%

MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING: What are the descriptions of the data fields for multifamily housing?

EPA defines the Multifamily space type as a residential building equal to or larger than 2 units. Multifamily space types include all square footage in the residential units, common areas, and unconditioned space (boiler room). Occupants of Multifamily housing can include tenants, cooperators, and/or individual owners.

Gross Floor Area

The total gross floor area for Multifamily Housing. The total gross floor area is measured between the principal exterior surfaces of the enclosing fixed walls and includes all supporting functions such as residential units, common areas, elevators, storage areas, vent shafts, lobbies, boiler room and basement. Interstitial space between floors should not be included in the total.

Number of Units (optional and not used for benchmarking)

The total number of occupied or unoccupied apartment units. This should include apartments on every line of the building and of every floor plan type. This should include any basement apartments such as the super’s or manager’s apartment. This should not include hallways, balconies, storage or maintenance closets, boiler rooms, garbage compactor or receptacle rooms, management offices or common laundry facilities.

Total Number of Bedrooms (optional and not used for benchmarking)

The total number of bedrooms that are located in each individual apartment unit. This should include any additions to the original floor plan performed by the owner. This should not include in-unit common areas being used as bedrooms by tenants.

Number of Floors (optional and not used for benchmarking)

The total number of floors within a multifamily building must include floors above the existing grade plane. The number of floors should not include interstitial space between the floors or roof.

Percent of Square Footage devoted to Individual Units (optional and not used for benchmarking)

The percentage of square footage that is devoted to occupied or unoccupied apartment units. This percentage should include apartments on every line of the building and of every floor plan type. This should include any basement apartments such as the super’s or manager’s apartment. This should not include hallways, balconies, storage or maintenance closets, boiler rooms, garbage compactor or receptacle rooms, management offices or common laundry facilities.

Laundry in each Unit (optional and not used for benchmarking)

Indicates the number of laundry hookups located in individual apartment units. The laundry facility should be accounted for if the machine is inoperable, operable or if there is a laundry hookup available.

Laundry in Common Area (optional and not used for benchmarking) Indicates the number of laundry hookups located in a common area that are either coin-operated or subsidized by the building owner. The laundry facility should be accounted for if the machine is inoperable, operable or if there is a laundry hookup available.

Dishwashers in each Unit (optional and not used for benchmarking)

Indicates the number of dishwashers located in individual apartment units. The dishwasher should be accounted for if the machine is inoperable, operable or if there is a dishwasher hookup available.

Percent Heated (optional and not used for benchmarking)

This denotes the percent of gross floor area that is served by mechanical heating equipment. The percent heated cannot be greater than 100%. The percent heated attribute is similar to the percent heated attribute for dormitories. The user should select from a drop-down-menu with options presented in bins of 10 (i.e. 0, 10, 20, 30…).

Percent Cooled (optional and not used for benchmarking)

This denotes the percent of gross floor area that is served by mechanical cooling equipment. The percent cooled cannot be greater than 100%. The percent cooled attribute is similar to the percent cooled attribute for dormitories. The user should select from a drop-down-menu with options presented in bins of 10 (i.e. 0, 10, 20, 30…).

Market Rate or Affordable Housing (optional and not used for benchmarking)

Affordable Housing indicates whether a Multifamily building is regulated by a national, state or local housing agency and offers subsidized housing to lower and moderate income range households. Market Rate housing is defined by buildings that have either no subsidized units or minimal units with allocated subsidies.

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/.

MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING: What are the descriptions of the data fields for multifamily housing?

EPA defines the Multifamily space type as a residential building equal to or larger than 2 units. Multifamily space types include all square footage in the residential units, common areas, and unconditioned space (boiler room). Occupants of Multifamily housing can include tenants, cooperators, and/or individual owners.

Government subsidized housing?

Denotes whether or not the unit is government-subsidized (Y or N).

Gross Floor Area

The total gross floor area for Multifamily Housing. The total gross floor area is measured between the principal exterior surfaces of the enclosing fixed walls and includes all supporting functions such as residential units, common areas, elevators, storage areas, vent shafts, lobbies, boiler room and basement. Interstitial space between floors should not be included in the total. Minimum value = 5000 sq. ft.

Majority resident population type (not currently supported in EnergyCAP's automated interface)

This denotes the predominant population type. If desired, this value can be set in Portfolio Manager.

Number of Units (optional and not used for benchmarking)

The total number of occupied or unoccupied apartment units. This should include apartments on every line of the building and of every floor plan type. This should include any basement apartments such as the super’s or manager’s apartment. This should not include hallways, balconies, storage or maintenance closets, boiler rooms, garbage compactor or receptacle rooms, management offices or common laundry facilities.

Total Number of Bedrooms (optional and not used for benchmarking)

The total number of bedrooms that are located in each individual apartment unit. This should include any additions to the original floor plan performed by the owner. This should not include in-unit common areas being used as bedrooms by tenants.

Number of Floors (optional and not used for benchmarking)

The total number of floors within a multifamily building must include floors above the existing grade plane. The number of floors should not include interstitial space between the floors or roof.

Percent of Square Footage devoted to Individual Units (optional and not used for benchmarking)

The percentage of square footage that is devoted to occupied or unoccupied apartment units. This percentage should include apartments on every line of the building and of every floor plan type. This should include any basement apartments such as the super’s or manager’s apartment. This should not include hallways, balconies, storage or maintenance closets, boiler rooms, garbage compactor or receptacle rooms, management offices or common laundry facilities.

Laundry in each Unit (optional and not used for benchmarking)

Indicates the number of laundry hookups located in individual apartment units. The laundry facility should be accounted for if the machine is inoperable, operable or if there is a laundry hookup available.

Laundry in Common Area (optional and not used for benchmarking) Indicates the number of laundry hookups located in a common area that are either coin-operated or subsidized by the building owner. The laundry facility should be accounted for if the machine is inoperable, operable or if there is a laundry hookup available.

Dishwashers in each Unit (optional and not used for benchmarking)

Indicates the number of dishwashers located in individual apartment units. The dishwasher should be accounted for if the machine is inoperable, operable or if there is a dishwasher hookup available.

Percent Heated (optional and not used for benchmarking)

This denotes the percent of gross floor area that is served by mechanical heating equipment. The percent heated cannot be greater than 100%. The percent heated attribute is similar to the percent heated attribute for dormitories. The user should select from a drop-down-menu with options presented in bins of 10 (i.e. 0, 10, 20, 30…).

Percent Cooled (optional and not used for benchmarking)

This denotes the percent of gross floor area that is served by mechanical cooling equipment. The percent cooled cannot be greater than 100%. The percent cooled attribute is similar to the percent cooled attribute for dormitories. The user should select from a drop-down-menu with options presented in bins of 10 (i.e. 0, 10, 20, 30…).

Primary domestic hot water fuel type in residential units

This denotes the fuel type most often associated heating hot water for the residential units.

Market Rate or Affordable Housing (optional and not used for benchmarking)

Affordable Housing indicates whether a Multifamily building is regulated by a national, state or local housing agency and offers subsidized housing to lower and moderate income range households. Market Rate housing is defined by buildings that have either no subsidized units or minimal units with allocated subsidies.

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/.

RETAIL STORE: What are the descriptions of the data fields for retail stores?

Retail Store applies to facility space used to conduct the retail sale of consumer product goods. Stores must be at least 5,000 square feet and have an exterior entrance to the public. The total gross floor area should include all supporting functions such as kitchens and break rooms used by staff, storage areas, administrative areas, elevators, stairwells, etc. Retail segments typically included under this definition are: Department Stores, Discount Stores, Supercenters, Warehouse Clubs, Drug Stores, Dollar Stores, Home Center/Hardware Stores, and Apparel/Hard Line Specialty Stores (e.g. books, clothing, office products, toys, home goods, electronics). Retail segments excluded under this definition are: Supermarkets (eligible to be benchmarked as Supermarket space), Convenience Stores, Automobile Dealerships, and Restaurants.

Retail properties are eligible to earn the ENERGY STAR at the store level only. Eligible store configurations include: free standing stores; stores located in open air or strip centers (a collection of attached stores with common areas that are not enclosed); and mall anchors. Retail configurations not eligible to earn the ENERGY STAR include: entire enclosed malls (a collection of attached stores with enclosed common areas); individual stores located within enclosed malls; entire open air or strip centers; and individual stores that are part of a larger non-mall building (i.e. office or hotel).

Retail space that is part of a mixed-use property should review the mixed-use benchmarking guidance (link to new document or web site).

Gross Floor Area

Gross floor area is defined as the total number of square feet used to conduct the retail sale of consumer products goods. The total gross floor area is measured between the principal exterior surfaces of the enclosing fixed walls and includes all supporting functions such as kitchens and break rooms used by staff, storage areas, administrative areas, elevators, stairwells, atria, vent shafts, etc.

Also note the following:

• Existing atriums should only include the base floor area that it occupies.
• Interstitial (plenum) space between floors should not be included in total.
• Gross floor area is not the same as leasable space. Leasable space is a subset of gross floor area.

Operating Hours per Week

The total number of hours per week that the retail store is open for business, excluding hours when the building is occupied only by maintenance, security, or other support personnel. For buildings with a schedule that varies during the year, "operating hours/week" refers to the total weekly hours for the schedule most often followed.

Default Value = 65 hours per week.

Workers on Main Shift

Indicates the number of employees who are present during the main shift. This is not the total number of employees or visitors who are in a building during an entire 24 hour period but rather represents typical peak staffing level during the main shift. For example, in a retail store if there are two daily 8 hour shifts of 15 workers each, the Workers on Main Shift value is 15.

Default Value = 1 per 1,000 square feet.

Number of PCs

Indicates the total number of personal computers and data servers in the retail store. Personal computers are not used to check out customers and are generally located in manager offices, break rooms, and/or storage and inventory areas.

Default Value = 0.2 per 1,000 square feet.

Number of Cash Registers

Indicates the total number of cash registers in the retail store. Cash registers are defined as business machines that are used primarily for conducting transactions and indicating to customers the amounts of individual sales; they record and total receipts, may automatically calculate the change due, and often include a money drawer from which to make change.

Default Value = 0.3 per 1,000 square feet.

Walk-in Refrigeration/Freezer Units

Indicates the total number of large walk-in refrigeration or freezer units in use within the retail store. This typically includes large refrigeration units located in the back of a retail store in storage and receiving areas and used to store refrigerated goods.

Default Value = 0 units.

Open and Closed Refrigeration/Freezer Cases

The number of commercial refrigeration units (cases) used for the sale or storage of perishable goods. This includes display type refrigerated open or closed cases and cabinets as well as display type freezer units typically found on the sales floor. Each case or cabinet section, typically 4 to 12 feet in length, should be considered 1 unit. Include those cases located inside and immediately adjacent to the facility. This should not include any refrigerated vending (soda) machines.

Default Value = 0 units.

Percent of Gross Floor Area that Is Heated

The percent of gross floor area that is heated.

Default Value = 100 %.

Percent of Gross Floor Area that Is Air Conditioned

The percent of gross floor area that is air conditioned.

Default Value = 100 %.

Exterior Entrance to the Public

Does this retail store have an exterior entrance to the public? Answer yes if this store has an exterior entrance through which customers enter to shop. Answer no if there is no exterior entrance available to the public.

Default Value = Yes

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/.

RESIDENCE HALL/DORMITORY: What are the descriptions of the data fields for residence hall/ dormitory?

Residence Hall/Dormitory applies to buildings associated with educational institutions or military facilities which offer multiple accommodations for long-term residents. The total gross floor area should include all supporting functions such as food service facilities, laundry facilities, meeting spaces, exercise rooms, health club/spas, lobbies, elevator shafts, storage areas stairways, etc.

Air Conditioned Percentage

This is the percentage of the total floor space within the facility that is served by mechanical cooling equipment. The cooling percentage cannot be greater than 100.

Default Value = 50%

Heating Percentage

This is the percentage of the total floor space within the facility that is served by mechanical heating equipment. The heating percentage cannot be greater than 100.

Default Value = 100%

Gross Floor Area

The total gross floor area is measured between the principal exterior surfaces of the enclosing fixed walls and includes all supporting functions such as kitchens and break rooms used by staff, storage areas, administrative areas, elevators, stairwells, atria, vent shafts, etc.

Also note the following:

• Existing atriums should only include the base floor area that it occupies.
• Interstitial (plenum) space between floors should not be included in total.
• Gross floor area is not the same as leasable space. Leasable space is a subset of gross floor area.

NOTE: The floor area of all Computer Data Center space(s) cannot exceed 10% of the Facility’s gross floor area (not including Garages and Parking Lots).

Number of Rooms

The total number of lodging rooms available within a given residence hall/dormitory building, including occupied rooms, non-occupied rooms, rooms in the process of being renovated, and permanent house use. On average there are 2.5 lodging rooms per 1,000 square feet of gross building floor area. Thus, a 100,000 square foot residence hall/dormitory building, for example, contains 250 rooms on average.

Default = 100

Computer Lab (optional and not used for benchmarking)

Dedicated space in the residence hall/dormitory which was specifically designed and equipped with at least 10 personal computers and associated peripherals such as printers for the use of the occupants. Typically, such spaces are separated by walls and doors and have their own temperature and humidity control.

Dining Hall (optional and not used for benchmarking)

Space and equipment in the residence hall/dormitory dedicated to food preparation such as bakery, lunch counter, restaurant, or other food service activity. This does not include student or occupant lounges or galleys that have food preparation equipment and/or vending machines.

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/. 

SUPERMARKET/GROCERY: What are the descriptions of the data fields for supermarket/grocery?

The Supermarket/Grocery Store space type applies to facility space used for the retail sale of food and beverage products. It should not be used by restaurants, which are not eligible for a rating at this time. The total gross floor area should include all supporting functions such as kitchens and break rooms used by staff, storage areas (refrigerated and non-refrigerated), administrative areas, stairwells, atria, lobbies, etc.

Gross Floor Area

The total gross floor area used for the retail sale of food and beverage products. The total gross floor area is measured between the principal exterior surfaces of the enclosing fixed walls and includes all supporting functions such as kitchens and break rooms used by staff, storage areas, administrative areas, elevators, stairwells, atria, vent shafts, etc.

Also note the following:

• Existing atriums should only include the base floor area that it occupies.
• Interstitial (plenum) space between floors should not be included in total.
• Gross floor area is not the same as leasable space. Leasable space is a subset of gross floor area.

Weekly Operating Hours

The total number of hours per week that the supermarket is open for business, excluding hours when the building is occupied only by maintenance, security, or other support personnel. For buildings with a schedule that varies during the year, "operating hours/week" refers to the total weekly hours for the schedule most often followed.

Default Value = 105 Hours per Week

Workers on Main Shift

The average number of employees who occupy the facility during the main shift of a typical workday. This is not the total employee count or number of customers in a building during an entire 24 hour period but rather represents typical peak staffing level during the main shift. For example, in a supermarket if there are two daily 8 hour shifts of 15 workers each, the Workers on Main Shift value is 15.

Default Value = 1.0 Employees per 1000 Square Feet

Number of Walk-in Refrigeration/Freezer Units

Indicates the total number of large walk-in refrigeration or freezer units in use within the supermarket. This typically includes large refrigeration units located in the back of a supermarket in storage and receiving areas and used to store refrigerated goods.

Default = 0.25 Walk-in units per 1,000 square foot

Presence of Cooking Facilities

Does the supermarket use energy for commercial or institutional cooking or food serving on-site? This could include cooking facilities associated with bakeries, lunch counters, or other food service activities. This does not include employee lounges or galleys that have food preparation equipment and/or vending machines.

Default Value = Yes

Percent of the Gross Floor Area that is heated

This denotes the percent of gross floor area that is heated.

Default = 100%

Percent of the Gross Floor Area that is Cooled

This denotes the percent of gross floor area that is cooled.

Default = 100%

Number of Open or Closed Refrigeration/Freezer Cases (optional and not used for benchmarking)

The number of commercial refrigeration units (cases) used for the sale or storage of perishable goods. This includes display type refrigerated open or closed cases and cabinets as well as display type freezer units typically found on the sales floor. Each case or cabinet section, typically 4 to 12 feet in length, should be considered 1 unit. Include those cases located inside and immediately adjacent to the facility.

Number of Registers and/or Personal Computers (optional and not used for benchmarking)

The number of electronic registers and personal computers used at the supermarket. This figure should include all cash registers that are used for conducting transactions and indicating to customers the amounts of individual sales. This number should also include computers that are used in managerial offices, break rooms, and/or storage areas.

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/.

WAREHOUSE: What are the descriptions of the data fields for warehouse?

Warehouse applies to unrefrigerated or refrigerated buildings that are used to store goods, manufactured products, merchandise or raw materials. The total gross floor area of Refrigerated Warehouses should include all temperature controlled area designed to store perishable goods or merchandise under refrigeration at temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The total gross floor area of Unrefrigerated Warehouses should include space designed to store non-perishable goods and merchandise. Unrefrigerated warehouses also include distribution centers. The total gross floor area of refrigerated and unrefrigerated warehouses should include all supporting functions such as offices, lobbies, stairways, rest rooms, equipment storage areas, elevator shafts, etc. Existing atriums or areas with high ceilings should only include the base floor area that they occupy. The total gross floor area of refrigerated or unrefrigerated warehouse should not include outside loading bays or docks. Self-storage facilities, or facilities that rent individual storage units, are not eligible for a rating using the warehouse model.

Gross Floor Area

The total gross floor area is measured between the principal exterior surfaces of the enclosing fixed walls and includes all supporting functions. The total gross floor area should include offices, lobbies, rest rooms, equipment storage areas, mechanical rooms, employee break rooms, cafeterias, elevators, stairwells, all space occupied by refrigeration/freezer units, and all areas that are entirely refrigerated. Existing atriums or areas with high ceilings should only include the base floor area that they occupy. The total gross floor area should not include outside loading bays or docks. To generate an energy performance rating, the total floor space for the facility must be 5,000 square feet (464.5 square meters) or greater.

Workers on Main Shift

Workers on Main Shift should reflect the average number of workers that are present during the primary shift (that is, the shift with the most workers). Note: this is not the total number of staff employed at the property. For example, if there are three daily 8 hour shifts of 100 workers each, the Workers on Main Shift value is 100.

Default Value = 0.59 Occupants per 1,000 square feet (92.8 square meters).

Weekly Operating Hours

This denotes the total number of hours per week that this warehouse space is in operation, excluding hours when the facility is occupied only by maintenance, security, or other support personnel. For facilities with a schedule that varies during the year, "operating hours/week" refers to the total weekly hours for the schedule most often followed. Warehouse space operation time averages 60 hours per week, rather than 40 hours per week. Operating hours per week must be 30 or greater for warehouse spaces and must not be greater than 168.

Default Value = 60 Hours per Week

Number of Walk-in Refrigeration/Freezer Units (for Unrefrigerated Warehouse only)

This number should be a count of all large walk-in refrigeration or freezer units at the warehouse.

Default = 0

Percent of the Gross Floor Area that is Cooled (for Unrefrigerated Warehouse only)

This is the percentage of the gross floor area that is served by mechanical cooling equipment. The cooling percentage cannot be greater than 100.

Default Value = 20%

Percent of the Gross Floor Area that is Heated (for Unrefrigerated Warehouse only)

This is the percentage of the gross floor area that is served by mechanical heating equipment. The heating percentage cannot be greater than 100.

Default Value = 50%

Distribution Center (for Unrefrigerated Warehouse only; optional and not used for benchmarking)

Is this building considered a distribution center?

QUESTION: If a building has a space type that is not eligible for an energy performance rating, can I still benchmark it in EnergyCAP through the EPA's Automated Benchmarking System (ABS)?

ANSWER: Yes, all commercial buildings – including commercial space types for which ENERGY STAR does not currently provide a 1-100 energy performance rating – can use ABS and Portfolio Manager to track weather-normalized energy use intensity (EUI), energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and water consumption. These spaces without a rating, such as libraries, assisted living facilities, restaurants, malls, convention centers, and arenas, can be benchmarked under the space type of “Other.”

If an entire facility is classified as Other, it is not eligible to receive a national energy performance rating; however, if a portion of a facility is classified as Other, you may be able to receive a National energy performance rating. To be eligible, the gross floor area of the facility must be comprised of 50% or more of an eligible space type and 10% or less of the gross floor area must be comprised of an Other space type.

The following information is required for Other Spaces:

• Gross floor area

Guidance for a facility comprised entirely of space types that are not eligible to receive a rating:

Once you have selected the Other space type, a follow-on list of Other space type subcategories will be provided for the user to further define the space type. These Other space types include both main categories (shown as bold) and specific types (shown as indented). We encourage you to select the space type(s) that best describe your building and be as specific as possible; i.e., choose the lowest level of space type as applicable.

• Education
  • College/University (campus-level)
• Food Sales
  • Convenience Store (with or without gas station)
• Food Service
  • Restaurant/Cafeteria
  • Fast Food
• Health Care: Inpatient (Specialty Hospitals, Excluding Children’s)
• Health Care: Long Term Care (Nursing Home, Assisted Living)
• Health Care: Outpatient
  • Clinic/Other Outpatient Health
• Lodging
• Mall (Strip Mall and Enclosed)
• Public Assembly
  • Entertainment/Culture
  • Library
  • Recreation
  • Social/Meeting
• Public Order and Safety
  • Fire Station/Police Station
• Service (Vehicle Repair/Service, Postal Service)
• Storage/Shipping/Non-Refrigerated Warehouse
  • Self-Storage
  • Distribution/Shipping Center
• Religious Worship
• Retail - Other
• Other *

*Other: For all building types not defined by the list above, you may choose to use the performance benchmark categorized by "other". Note that this category is not well defined therefore source energy use varies greatly with source EUI ranging over 1500 kBtu/sq.ft. As categorized by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), "Other" may include airplane hangers, laboratory, crematorium, etc.

Enter your space and utility data in order to track your weather normalized source energy use over time. If your entire facility is listed as Other, it is not eligible to receive a national energy performance rating, however you will be able to compare your buildings’ performance (e.g., Average Site and Source EUI) against similar buildings nationwide.

EPA is continually working to expand the available space types. As new space types become available, you will be able to reclassify your spaces accordingly if they have previously been entered as Other.

Guidance if Other is used in combination with another space type:

If an Other space type accounts for more than 10% of your facility's gross floor area, you will not be eligible to receive the national energy performance rating.

Please note that the purpose of the national energy performance rating is to compare a facility's performance to that of its peers. Again, this peer group is identified through the Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), a nationally representative survey conducted quadrennially by the Department of Energy. Portfolio Manager defines these peer groups.

Other should only be used in combination with one of these spaces to identify a space if its function is inherently different from the rest of your facility, and is not expected to be characteristic of your peer group. For example, spaces such as gymnasiums, greenhouses, or small landscaping garages are inherently part of a school; they should not be classified as Other. Likewise, conference rooms, storage closets, and atria are inherently part of office buildings and their functions; they should not be classified as Other. However, if your school or office contains a small restaurant or library (as on the first floor in an urban setting), that should be classified as Other.

If the use of a facility is characterized by one of the eligible space types, it is probably not necessary for you to use Other. We suggest that you read the list of supporting functions included with each space type definition before you classify a space as Other.

Examples of spaces that should be classified as Other:

• A movie theater on the first floor of an office building
• A public works garage that shares space on public land with a school
• Laboratory space (except for high school laboratory space and hospital laboratory space)
• Manufacturing space

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/.

House of Worship: What are the descriptions of the data fields for House of Worship?

House of Worship applies to buildings that are used as places of worship. This includes churches, temples, mosques, synagogues, meeting houses, or any other buildings that primarily function as a place of religious worship. The rating applies to buildings that function as the primary place of worship and not to other buildings that may be associated with a religious organization, such as living quarters, schools, or buildings used primarily for other community activities. The rating applies to worship facilities that have 4,000 seats or fewer.

Below are the descriptions of the data entry fields for the House of Worship space type:

Gross Floor Area

The total gross floor area is measured between the principal exterior surfaces of the enclosing fixed walls and includes all supporting functions. The total gross floor area should include all interior space, worship areas, classrooms, meeting rooms, libraries, fellowship areas, restrooms, stairwells, and kitchen areas. Note that for portions with vaulted or high ceilings, only the floor area at the base level should be counted. Minimum floor area = 1000.

Seating Capacity

The seating capacity should reflect the maximum total seating capacity of the main worship area(s). If there are multiple seating configurations, please identify the maximum number that the facility can hold. This number should reflect permanent seating capacity as the facility is typically used. Note that if there is no seating at this type of worship facility, this number should reflect the number of worshipers than can be accommodated in the main worship area(s).

Default Value = 40 seats per 1,000 square foot Minimum value: 25. Maximum value: 4000

Weekday Operation

Weekday Operation should reflect the number of weekdays (Monday through Friday) that the facility is typically open. This should include all days when the building is open for religious services, choir practice, administrative use, committee meetings, classes, or other activities.

Default Value = 3

Weekly Operating Hours

The hours of operation should count the hours per week during which the facility is typically open for operation. This may include worship services, choir practice, administrative use, committee meetings, classes, or other activities.

Default Value = 33 hours

Number of Personal Computers

Number of computers should reflect the total number of computers in the building. Computers may be located in office or administrative areas of the facility, or may be part of the audio-visual equipment capabilities or classrooms. Computer-type servers that support the LAN can also be included in this count.

Default Value = 0.20 PCs per 1,000 square feet

Presence of Cooking Facilities

Is any space used for institutional or commercial food preparation and serving, such as kitchens, restaurants, snack bars, cafeterias, steam tables, or warming areas? Yes or No? Do not include areas with only a microwave or other small food preparation equipment or vending machines.

Default Value = No

Number of Commercial Refrigeration/Freezer Units

This number should be a count of all commercial-type refrigeration and freezer units at the worship facility. This count should include all walk-in refrigeration/freezer units, in addition to commercial-type open or closed cases. These types of units may be present to support a community area in the facility, where receptions or other activities occur. This count should only include commercial-type units; it should not include residential type refrigerators or vending machines.

Default Value = 0.018 units per 1,000 square feet

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/.

A wastewater treatment plant is a facility that is designed to treat municipal wastewater. The level of treatment at a plant will vary based on the BOD limits and the specific processes involved. This space type in Portfolio Manager is appropriate for primary, secondary, and advanced treatment facilities with or without nutrient removal. Treatment processes may include biological, chemical, and physical treatment. This space type is best applied to wastewater treatment facilities of 150 MGD or smaller. This space type does not apply to water treatment and distribution facilities.

The following information is required for wastewater treatment facilities:

• Zip code
• Average influent flow
• Average influent biological oxygen demand (BOD5)
• Average effluent biological oxygen demand (BOD5)
• Plant design flow rate
• Presence of fixed film trickle filtration process
• Presence of nutrient removal process

Space Use Information - Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant

A municipal wastewater treatment plant is a facility that is designed to treat municipal wastewater. The level of treatment at a plant will vary based on the BOD limits and the specific processes involved. This space type in Portfolio Manager is appropriate for primary, secondary, and advanced treatment facilities with or without nutrient removal. Treatment processes may include biological, chemical, and physical treatment. This space type is best applied to wastewater treatment facilities of 150 MGD or smaller. This space type does not apply to water treatment and distribution facilities.

Below are the descriptions of the data entry fields for the wastewater treatment plant space type:

NOTE:  Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant spaces can only be added to facilities defined as a type of "municipal wastewater treatment plants".  Only one Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant space can be added for the facility and no other space types are applicable.

Space Name

An identifying name for the facility space.  

For Temporary Use?

For each attribute, the ability to flag that attribute as temporary is provided. Select "For Temporary Use?" if the value provided is not an actual value, but temporary. See Temporary Space Attributes.

Average Influent Flow

Daily average actual flow of wastewater into the facility, measured in million gallons per day (MGD). The average flow is likely to vary over time; this figure should reflect an annual average influent flow.

Average Influent Biological Demand (BOD5) Concentration

Average biological demand concentration of the wastewater flowing into the facility. This should be the average concentration, estimated over a 12 month period. Biological oxygen demand is the measure of the amount of oxygen required by bacteria for stabilizing material that can be decomposed under aerobic conditions. BOD5 is a commonly used determinant of the organic strength of a waste, recording the oxygen demand over a five day period.  BOD5 should be reported in mg/l.  BOD5 is not the same as CBOD5, the carbonaceous biological oxygen demand.  BOD5 is required for the energy performance rating.

Default Value = 200 mg/l

Average Effluent Biological Demand (BOD5) Concentration

Average biological demand concentration of the wastewater after it is treated and is leaving the facility.  This should be the average concentration, estimated over a 12 month period. Biological oxygen demand is the measure of the amount of oxygen required by bacteria for stabilizing material that can be decomposed under aerobic conditions. BOD5 is a commonly used determinant of the organic strength of a waste, recording the oxygen demand over a five day period.  BOD5 should be reported in mg/l.  BOD5 is not the same as CBOD5, the carbonaceous biological oxygen demand.  BOD5 is required for the energy performance rating.

Default Value = 8 mg/l

Plant Design Flow Rate

Plant design flow rate is the flow rate, measured in million gallons per day (MGD), that the plant is designed to process.  

Fixed Film Trickle Filtration Process

This is a binary variable indicating the presence of trickle filtration. Trickle filtration is a process used to reduce BOD, pathogens, and nitrogen levels.  Trickling filters are composed of a bed of porous material (rocks, slag, plastic media, or any other medium with a high surface area and high on permeability). Wastewater is first distributed over the surface of the media where it flows downward as a thin film over the media surface for aerobic treatment and is then collected at the bottom through an under-drain system. The effluent is then settled by gravity to remove biological solids prior to being discharged.  Select "Yes" if trickle filtration process is present at this plant; otherwise select "No".

Default Value = No

Nutrient Removal

This is a binary variable indicating the presence of nutrient removal in the treatment process.  Per EPA classification under the Community Watershed Needs Survey, wastewater plants indicate specifically whether their treatment includes nutrient removal.   Nutrient removal is considered any process included for the purpose of removing nutrients (i.e., nitrogen, phosphorous).  This may include biological nitrification, biological denitrification, phosphorus removal, or recirculating sand filters. Select "Yes" if nutrient removal is part of the treatment process, otherwise select "No".

Default Value = No

Prior to June 7, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Portfolio Manager supported a Computer Data Center building subspace. This Subspace was further defined with two parameters: Gross floor area and Weekly operating hours.

On June 7, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency introduced Automated Benchmarking System (ABS) 2.3; a Portfolio Manager upgrade that enables users to benchmark a Computer Data Center as a separate, defined Building Type. The new “data center” type is only intended for large-scale, single purpose data centers. In order to fully take advantage of the new functionality, users must enter submeter usage data and other properties associated with the new, metered Building Type. EnergyCAP does not support these power measurement requirements at this time.

With the introduction of ABS 2.4 in March of 2011, data center subspaces are no longer being submitted to the EPA.

For additional information on Building Types, see the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager Overview at the EPA's ENERGY STAR website.

This content was originally provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To explore additional ENERGY STAR resources, visit the ENERGY STAR home page at http://www.energystar.gov/.

The Senior Care Facility Space Model became available March 21, 2011. This rating methodology is used for individual buildings and campuses of buildings that house and provide care and assistance for elderly residents. Nursing homes (skilled nursing facilities) and assisted living facilities are eligible under this definition. Independent senior living communities are NOT eligible under this definition. However, it is common for some Senior Care Facilities to offer a mix of residential options including independent living along with some form of assisted living. In these situations, more than 50% of the units in a community must be considered skilled nursing or assisted living in order to be eligible as a Senior Care Facility. Facilities with more than 50% independent living units cannot earn a rating under this model and should benchmark using the Multifamily space type in Portfolio Manager.

Senior Care Facility: What are the descriptions of the required data fields for the Senior Care Facility?

Gross Floor Area

Total floor area, expressed in square feet or square meters, for a given space within a facility.

Total gross floor area should be measured from the principal exterior surfaces of the enclosing fixed walls.  The total gross floor area of a Senior Care Facility should include all activities such as individual rooms or units, wellness centers, exam rooms, community rooms, small shops or service areas for residents and visitors (e.g. hair salons, convenience stores), staff offices, lobbies, atria, cafeterias, kitchens, storage areas, hallways, basements, stairways, connecting corridors between buildings, and elevator shafts.

Also note the following:

• Existing atriums should only include the base floor area that they occupy
• Interstitial (plenum) space between floors should not be included in total

Total Number of Units

A unit is defined as a place of residence or a room.  For a community where residents have individual rooms that open onto central corridors, each room is considered a unit.  Similarly, a room that opens onto a central corridor and contains two patient beds should also be considered one unit.  For communities with apartment-type living units each apartment is considered a single unit. Do not count individual rooms within apartments or townhouses.  The total number of units represents all occupied and unoccupied units in the building.

Default Value = 1.584 per 1,000 square feet

Average Number of Residents

The average number of residents should reflect the average number of residents that occupied the facility for the previous 12 months.  Residents should only include those who live at the property, and should not include any employees or any visitors to the site.

Default Value = 2.075 per 1,000 square feet

Total Resident Capacity

The total resident capacity is the licensed capacity for the total number of residents that the Senior Care Facility was designed to house.

Default Value = 2.374 per 1,000 square feet

Workers on Main Shift

The number of workers should reflect the number of employees who are present during the main shift, which is the shift with the greatest number of workers.  This is not the total number of employees or visitors who are in the building during an entire 24-hour period.  For example, if there are two daily 8-hour shifts of 25 workers, and one night shift with 10 workers, the Workers on Main Shift is 25.   Note that the number of workers may include unpaid staff, for example volunteers who work in the facility on a full-time basis.

Default Value = 0.9523 per 1,000 square feet

Number of PCs

The total number of personal computers should reflect the total number of computers owned by the community.  This includes computers used in administrative areas, computers in common areas available for residents and visitors, and wall-mounted computers in resident units for medical purposes.  This count should not include any personal computers owned by residents that may be present in individual apartments or rooms.  This is a count of personal computers only and should not include other electronic or medical equipment (copiers, printers, etc).

Default Value = 0.3670 per 1,000 square feet

Number of Commercial Refrigeration/Freezer Units

This number should be a count of all commercial-type refrigeration and freezer units at the Senior Care facility.  This count should include all walk-in refrigeration/freezer units, which may be used in cooking areas for cafeterias and dining rooms.  The count should also include any open or closed refrigeration cases, which may be used to sell or distribute refrigerated goods to residents or visitors.  This count should not include vending machines or residential-type units that may be found in individual apartment-type resident units or in employee break rooms.

Default Value = 0.09065 per 1,000 square feet

Number of Commercial Washing Machines

This count should reflect all commercial type washing machines.  Commercial units are designed with a large capacity for the commercial processing of linens and other laundry.  This count should include washing machines only, and should not include any commercial dryers.  This count should only include commercial machines and not residential machines.

Default Value = 0.04422 per 1,000 square feet

Number of Residential Washing Machines

This count should reflect all residential type washing machines.  These are standard units that may be found in individual units or common laundry areas.  A coin-operated machine available for resident use would be considered a residential washing machine.  This count should include washing machines only, and should not include any residential dryers. This count should only include residential machines and not commercial machines.

Default Value = 0.05757 per 1,000 square feet

Number of Residential Electronic Lift Systems

This number should be a count of all residential electronic lift systems at the Senior Care Facility. A lift system is an assistive device that transfers residents between a bed and a chair, or other place, using hydraulic power. This count should include portable and permanent sling lifts, wheelchair lifts, and entry systems.  This count is for electric lift systems only, and should not include manual lifts.

Default Value = 0.07040 per 1,000 square feet

Percent of Gross Floor Area that Is Heated

This denotes the percent of the gross floor area that is served by mechanical heating equipment.  The percent heated cannot be greater than 100%.

Default Value = 100 %

Percent of Gross Floor Area that Is Cooled

This denotes the percent of the gross floor area that is served by mechanical cooling equipment.  The percent cooled cannot be greater than 100%.

Default Value = 100 %

Other Spaces Associated with a Senior Care Building or Community

While the majority of the space uses in a senior care building or community must be aggregated and classified under “Senior Care” (including office space, exam rooms, retail areas, etc.), there are three spaces that should be aggregated and classified separately within the property’s benchmark:

1. Parking Lots and/or Garages
   
   If the property has parking lots and/or garages included in the energy use, enter the characteristics of the parking garage under the “Parking” space type, including gross square footage.
   
   NOTE: If the parking or garage space is sub-metered, do not enter the square footage and energy use in Portfolio Manager.
2. Data Centers
   
   If the property has a data center, enter the characteristics of this space under the “Data Center” space type. A data center is for sophisticated computing and server functions. It should not be used to represent a server closet or computer training area.
3. Swimming Pools
   
   If the property has a swimming pool, enter the characteristics of this space information under the “Swimming Pool” space type.