Energy management systems (EMS) collect detailed data on energy consumption in buildings. But these systems don’t save energy by themselves; facilities managers must be able to access, understand, and act on the information that will help them identify cost-saving opportunities. The ongoing energy performance data from a building can also help architects and engineers understand what works and what doesn’t in terms of green building design and construction. EMS data should also help tenants understand how their behavior affects energy use, and help them take a more active role in building performance.

Mark Frankel, the Technical Director with the New Buildings Institute, suggests that what EMS should produce is actionable information for the designers, operators, and tenants. Measuring temperature, occupancy and plug loads, lighting run times, and total energy use are good data sources to start with. This doesn’t have to be real time (streaming) data, but it should be produced more than once a month or once a year.³ The New Buildings Institute offers an Advanced Buildings Core Performance Guide, which includes a section on energy metering protocols.

Under the latest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines, known as LEED v3, buildings seeking certification under the Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED EBOM) rating system must provide operational performance data on an on-going basis. This requirement provides further support for EMS that provide useful and actionable information. Distributors looking for more technical sales should investigate the LEED standards for measurement and verification of building performance as a possible sales aid.