EnergyScoreCards Minnesota was a two-year effort (2012–2014) to implement web-based energy and water benchmarking and tracking at multifamily buildings in Minnesota. The project aimed to demonstrate that engaging multifamily owners, property managers, and tenants in actively managing energy use can measurably reduce utility spending, energy and water consumption, and carbon emissions.
Study results included:
- Multifamily energy and water benchmarking is demonstrably feasible at scale in Minnesota.
- Statistically significant energy and water savings were found in master-metered buildings receiving the EnergyScoreCards service in comparison to a control group.
- Benchmarking was used by participants for many purposes beyond near term energy and water savings.
- Benchmarks can provide owners, program managers or policy-makers the potential for energy and water savings in their buildings, and how to target future efforts.
- A participant survey and Account Manager experience documents the importance of hands-on support as part of a benchmarking service. EnergyScoreCards Minnesota is funded by grants from the Minnesota Department of Commerce (Division of Energy Resources) and Xcel Energy.
CSBR Lead/Co-lead:
William Webber
Parick Smith
EnergyScoreCards Minnesota is a partnership between Minnesota Housing, Minnesota Green Communities, University of Minnesota Center for Sustainable Building Research (CSBR), the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE), and EnergyScoreCards ™ - an innovative online energy management tool for multifamily buildings.
EnergyScoreCards provides a web-based system to track and analyze energy consumption and savings in multifamily buildings. EnergyScoreCards is a subsidiary of Bright Power, Inc., an energy consulting firm based in New York.
Minnesota Green Communities is a collaboration of the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund, the Family Housing Fund, and Enterprise designed to foster the creation of affordable, healthier, and more energy efficient housing throughout Minnesota.