Continuum Services is proud to announce that One Kennedy Square in Detroit, along with Two Towne Square and American Center in Southfield, have earned the U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification. This recognition places these buildings in the top 25% of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency, meeting the EPA’s strict performance standards.
Understanding how ENERGY STAR scores are calculated empowers property managers to benchmark their building’s energy use against similar properties across the country, thus helping drive smarter, more sustainable decisions.
Scoring
The ENERGY STAR score allows everyone to quickly understand how a building is performing.
- 50 represents median energy performance.
- 75+ indicates your building is a top performer and, as a result, may be eligible for ENERGY STAR certification.
ENERGY STAR is a Simple, Yet Powerful Tool.
Measured data evaluates building performance, including assets, operations, and how occupants interact with the space. If open 24/7 or densely occupied, ENERGY STAR adjusts to reflect your building’s real-world operating conditions. Therefore, this creates a reliable benchmark for energy efficiency, tailored to your building’s unique usage and characteristics.
National Survey Data Powers the Statistical Engine
One’s is compared to other buildings, nationwide, that have the same primary use to determine your ENERGY STAR score. Where does this peer group come from?
Every four years, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration conducts a national survey to collect data on building characteristics and energy use from thousands of facilities across the country.
This survey, known as the Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), is the only national-level resource that provides detailed insights into how commercial buildings operate and consume energy. As a result, most property types in the U.S. are benchmarked against similar buildings included in the CBECS dataset.
The Canadian data source is the Survey on Commercial and Institutional Energy Use (SCIEU). The SCIEU is commissioned by National Resources Canad (NRCan) and executed by Statistics Canada. NRCan applies the same filtering strategy, including building type, program, data limitation, and analytical filters.
For a few property types, such as hospitals and senior care communities, industry associations took the lead and conducted nationally representative surveys to gather the information necessary to create a robust data sample.
The Only Accurate Picture of the National Building Stock
Because data quality matters, EPA uses CBECS and other surveys to build the 1–100 ENERGY STAR score foundation. These surveys use national samples and standardized data to track building use, physical traits, and energy consumption consistently.
Verified data offers the most accurate view of energy use, so ENERGY STAR scores reflect real-world performance and efficiency benchmarks.
Benchmark Your Building Using ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®
How the Calculation Works
Building size, location, occupancy, and PC count are reported; an algorithm estimates energy use across performance levels. Then, actual energy data is compared to estimates to determine your building’s rank among similar properties.
Calculations use source energy and adjust for weather and changes in key property use details. EPA analyzes survey data to estimate energy use at each performance level for accurate benchmarking.
For each type of building for which there is an ENERGY STAR score, EPA goes through a rigorous process that involves:
- Ensuring the quality and quantity of the data will support an ENERGY STAR score
- Developing a statistical regression model that links energy data with property use details to pinpoint the main factors driving energy consumption.
- Testing the model against thousands of buildings in Portfolio Manager
The Weeds
EPA developed the Portfolio Manager Technical Reference series to provide a detailed and transparent look at the methodologies, analyses, and calculations that underpin Portfolio Manager. For more information, see:
- Portfolio Manager Technical Reference: ENERGY STAR Score
- Portfolio Manager Technical Reference: Climate and Weather
- Portfolio Manager Technical Reference: Thermal Conversion
- Understanding portfolio manager metrics
ENERGY STAR buildings use 35% less energy and emit 35% less carbon dioxide than typical commercial buildings. Continuum Services improved energy performance by managing energy strategically and making cost-effective upgrades across their entire building portfolio.
Source: https://www.energystar.gov/buildings/facility-owners-and-managers/existing-buildings/use-portfolio-manager/understand-metrics/how-1-100
