Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use this website?

To learn more about how to use the B3 Benchmarking website, please watch our tutorial.

NOTE: This video tutorial requires Adobe Flash Player to run. If your system does not have this program installed, click here to download a free version.

Do I have to do this?

No, but there are many reasons to track your energy data on the web site. For example, we are in the process of adding reporting and weather normalization to the site to provide energy management tools at no cost to you.

What's the difference between a Benchmark and a Baseline?

In the B3 Benchmarking system, the Benchmark is an engineering model of the Site, produced on the fly, that predicts how much energy that Site would use if it were built to today's energy code. The Benchmark is used to compare each Site's actual vs predicted performance to identify which Sites should be audited for energy improvement projects. If you improve the right Sites in your portfolio, you will get the best return on your improvement efforts and funds.

The Baseline is a comparison of your Site to itself over time. You select a Baseline year, and the B3 Benchmarking system automatically applies weather normalization and shows how the Site would perform in subsequent years if operated in the same fashion. The difference between actual consumption and the Baseline is savings, based on year over year changes in the operation, occupancy, building components, or systems.

There is a Building missing from one of my Sites.

Please contact us so we can add the Building to our databases.

One of the Site Meters is only hooked to some of the Buildings on the Site.

In the Meter Editor, please check the Buildings that the Meter is connected to.

I'm not the right person to be doing this.

Please contact us with the name and phone number of the person you feel should handle this inquiry.

How do I contact you?

All the contact information is on the Contact Us page.

Should I tell you about other public buildings?

You bet! We are always trying to keep our databases current.

I have a space usage type not included in your list.

Please enter the best space usage type in the "other" field on the Building Editor page.

How many meter readings should I enter?

B3 Benchmarking Reports work best if you enter the three most recent years of bills for each meter. If you keep your billing data current in B3 Benchmarking, you will be able to track and manage your building's energy use on an ongoing basis.

The Site list looks like it sorts incorrectly in the Benchmarks view. One of my Sites is a known good performer, but it is low on the list (or vice versa).

If one of your Sites looks like it ranks incorrectly in the list, you may have entered incorrect Tier 1 consumption data, Space Usages, or square footage. If you are certain all of those are correct, please enter the additional Tier 2 information in the Building Editor page. The more information we have, the more accurate the Energy Benchmark will be.

What's in it for me?

You get to see how your Sites and Buildings are performing compared to an engineering energy benchmark. This can help you identify Buildings that are good candidates for improvement, and perhaps justify funds to do so.