Energy Performance of Municipal Buildings (KBTU/square foot)
Desired Result: Below Target
Metric Definition
Energy Performance of Municipal Buildings measures the energy (natural gas and electricity, converted to a common unit) use of municipal buildings per square foot. This metric is calculated by dividing the municipality’s annual energy use by the total building square footage of its building stock. The lower the number, the better the energy performance of our municipal buildings. The advantage of tracking building energy use per square foot is that it shows changes in efficiency, behavior change of building occupants, and other influencing factors. The data for this metric comes from the City’s Operations Services Department.
Why Is This Important?
In 2016, electric use represented 51% and natural gas represented 11% of our municipal greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing our energy use also reduces utility costs and mitigates increased utility rates.
City Organization Impact on Performance
– This metric is influenced by how we operate our buildings and the number of energy efficiency upgrades we complete each year. Building energy use is also impacted by City staff and how they engage in energy efficient behavior and awareness.
Benchmark Information
Other Front Range cities such as Denver and Boulder use similar metrics and update them on an annual basis. Building Energy Scoring initiatives in Denver and Boulder are also using the Energy Star Portfolio Manager as a common metric. Fort Collins is evaluating a similar initiative that is expected to improve benchmarking efforts.