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The U.S. EPA's ENERGY STAR program

The ENERGY STAR program has developed energy performance rating systems for several commercial and institutional building types and manufacturing facilities.

Energy performance ratings

These ratings, on a scale of 1 to 100, provide a means for benchmarking the energy efficiency of specific buildings and industrial plants against the energy performance of similar facilities. The ratings are used by building and energy managers to evaluate the energy performance of existing buildings and industrial plants. The rating systems are also used by EPA to determine if a building or plant can qualify to earn ENERGY STAR recognition.

 

Eligible buildings (must have at least 12 months of utility billing data)

The number of space types that can receive the energy performance rating in Portfolio Manager is expanding and now includes:

  • bank/financial institutions

  • courthouses

  • hospitals (acute care and children's)

  • hotels and motels

  • houses of worship

  • K-12 schools

  • medical offices

  • commercial office buildings

  • residence halls/dormitories

  • retail stores

  • supermarkets

  • warehouses (refrigerated and non-refrigerated)

  • data centers

  • senior care facilities

  • wastewater facilities

  • multi-family housing

 

Energy performance ratings have been released for the following industrial facilities:

  • automobile assembly plants

  • cement plants

  • wet corn mills

  • container glass manufacturing

  • flat glass manufacturing

  • frozen fried potato processing plants

  • juice processing

  • petroleum refineries

  • pharmaceutical manufacturing plants.

  • municipal wastewater treatment plants

 

 

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) annually recognizes small businesses that demonstrate abilities to reduce waste, conserve energy, and recycle.

Energy Use Benchmarking

Energy Star Certification

Small Business Award

Florida House Bill 7135 Compliance

FCM Engineering provides professional services to set-up and track energy use into EPA's online tool, Portfolio Manager. This tool will calculate a score for the building on a scale of 1-100. Buildings that score a 75 or greater may qualify for the ENERGY STAR although ENERGY STAR Certification is not required in order to use the benchmarking tool.

 

FCM Engineering can set up an individual Portfolio Manager account for your building that allows owners and facility managers to track and assess energy and water consumption across one's entire portfolio of buildings in a secure online environment. Whether you own, manage, or hold properties for investment, Portfolio Manager can help you set investment priorities, identify under-performing buildings, verify efficiency improvements, and receive EPA recognition for superior energy performance.

 

As of 2014, the following locations have mandatory energy benchmarking requirements for all buildings over a certain size that are standardized around the EPA’s Portfolio Manager:

 

  • Austin, TX – Austin Energy Conservation and Disclosure Ordinance

  • Boston, MA – Boston Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance

  • Florida – Florida House Bill 7135

  • Minneapolis, MN – Minneapolis City Ordinance 47.190

  • New York, NY  - NYC Local Law 84

  • Philadelphia, PA – Philadelphia Bill 120428

  • San Francisco, CA – Existing Commercial Building Energy Performance Ordinance

  • Seattle, WA – Seattle Council Bill 116731 / Ordinance 123226

  • Washington, DC – District of Columbia Green Building Act of 2006, Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008

 

 

 

For the full list of the Federal, State, and local governments leveraging ENERGY STAR click here.

 

 

Projects that receive a score of 75 on Portfolio Manager are eligible for ENERGY STAR certification. FCM Engineering provides the professional services required to earn ENERGY STAR Certification:

 

  • Onsite verification of building systems by licensed professional engineer

  • Demonstrating compliance with ASHRAE 62.1

  • Demonstrating compliance with ASHRAE 55

  • Demonstrating compliance with ASHRAE 90.1 lighting levels

 

FCM Engineering will submit all required forms to the EPA and respond to any review comments.

 

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) annually recognizes small businesses that demonstrate abilities to reduce waste, conserve energy, and recycle. The businesses use resources and ideas outlined in the ENERGY STAR program. The award was established in 1999.

 

FCM Engineering provides consulting services to businesses interested in earning this award.

 

For more information on Portfolio Manager and ENERGY STAR, visit their website.

 

 

House Bill 7135 mandates that the state may not enter into new leasing agreements for office space that does not meet ENERGY STAR certified building standards. Additionally, buildings constructed and financed by the state must comply with the Florida Green Building Coalition standards or a nationally recognized, high-performance green building rating system, such as the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system or the Green Building Institute’s Green Globes rating system.

 

FCM Engineering can provide consulting to determine the best rating system for your building to use to comply with HB 7135. FCM Engineering can then help you implement the rating system and achieve certification.

 

 

 

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