cut the bad spots out of your energy data

Cut the bad spots out of your energy data7 ways to truth-check your data so you can bite into it with confidence

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CCF? MMBTU? kWh? It’s easy to get mixed up in energy unit alphabet soup. But mixing units will make your totals inaccurate. First convert all energy use to the same unit of measurement, such as MMBTUs. Then add it together.

1. Beware alphabet soup

https://portfoliomanager.energystar.gov/pdf/reference/Thermal%20Conversions.pdf?663b-2eb5


2. Check your conversion factors

A conversion factor is the number that you multiply one unit of measurement by in order to calculate the equivalent use in a different unit of measurement. For example: 300 kWh x 0.003412 = 1.0236 MMBTUs ↑ conversion factor

https://portfoliomanager.energystar.gov/pdf/reference/Thermal%20Conversions.pdf?663b-2eb5


3. Beware of missing ingredients

When fuels are missing from the total, energy use looks better than it is. Remember: Nearly every building has at least one electric account, and most have an account for heating fuel (gas or oil). If you find an account for one fuel type but not the other, you may need to keep looking.


4. Beware hidden ingredients

Sometimes your energy use isn’t as bad as it seems! You may have too many accounts assigned to one of your buildings. Double-check check account information like the “service address” to figure it out.


5. Be sure your energy intensity is sized juuust right

The EPA has established median energy intensity numbers for a range of building types. Compare yours. Way too high? Make sure you don’t have any extra accounts. Way too low? Check for missing fuels.

http://www.energystar.gov/buildings/sites/default/uploads/tools/2003_CBECSPerformanceTargetsTable.pdf?4282-5003


6. Always check the dates

Some fuels are delivered once a year. Others fuels, like gas and electricity, get reported more-or-less monthly. Check the dates associated with your data and make sure you’re not missing any months in your total.


7. Check the source

Still unclear about the makeup of your energy data? Remember to check the source: Your bill. It should be the foundation for all of your other numbers.


8. Remember: When it’s bad, it’s still good

So your data is a mess. Don’t panic. Data is like pizza. Even when it’s bad it’s good. Fixing bad data is a sure-fire way to figure out what drives your energy use. And once you know, you can do something about it. (And we can help with that.)

http://www.peregrinegroup.com/about/contact

cut the bad spots out of your energy data

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