ASHRAE announced the recent launch of the Building Energy Quotient (Building EQ) Portal, which provides a faster, more automated approach to receive a Building EQ Performance Score.

“The primary goal of the Building EQ program is to promote more energy efficient buildings and give owners actionable recommendations to improve a building’s energy use,” said Hugh Crowther, Building EQ committee chair. “We’re excited to launch this integrated resource that will help users identify opportunities to lower building operating cost and make informed decisions to increase value.”

Building EQ rests on ASHRAE methodologies and standards and the experience of credentialed practitioners. These characteristics assure owners they are receiving reliable and consistent results and recommendations.

Two different evaluations – In Operation and As Designed – can be used independently to compare a candidate building to other similar buildings in the same climate zone or together for an assessment of a building's design potential compared to actual operation. In Operation compares actual building energy use based on metered energy information. As Designed compares potential energy use based on the building's physical characteristics and systems with standardized energy use simulation. The In Operation rating is available now and the As Designed rating will be available in early 2018.

Building EQ In Operation rating assists in the preparation of an ASHRAE Level 1 Energy Audit to identify means to improve a building's energy performance including low-cost, no-cost energy efficiency measures and an Indoor Environmental Quality survey with recorded measurements to provide additional information to assess a building's performance.

Metered energy data can now be downloaded into the Building EQ Portal from the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Other features include an Online Data Entry and submission process, Median EUI calculation aligned with ENERGY STAR and an improved submission approval process.

The portal delivers the following items:

• Building EQ Performance Score rates the building’s performance and is shown on the screen at all times for all projects.
• User Input Report documents the data entered into the Building EQ Portal for a specific project and is available for all submissions.
• Building EQ Label Report displays the Building EQ Performance Score and is available for approved submissions.
• Building EQ Disclosure Report presents key energy use information for compliance with disclosure ordinances and will be available for a fee for approved submissions.
• Audit Report Spreadsheets will be automatically populated with the information gathered during the In Operation assessment for use in a final audit report and will be available for a fee for approved submission.

To learn more about the Building EQ Portal, visit www.ashrae.org/buildingEQ.