LBNL Action-Oriented Benchmarking Survey

On behalf of the California Energy Commission, the University of California's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory seeks your help in developing the next generation of energy benchmarking tools for non-residential facilities.

Completing this 10-question survey should take only a few minutes, and in return you will have the option to receive the results and be kept abreast of our project as it progresses. If you are a non-user of benchmarking, answer the subsequent questions in a way that you believe reflects the ultimate users of benchmarking tools.

We call our approach "Action-Oriented Benchmarking" to reflect the goal that in addition to providing comparative information for a user's facilities to similar facilities, we will provide site-specific practical recommendations on how to improve energy performance.

To provide benchmarking comparisons, this web-based tool will initially utilize an extremely rich survey of energy and building characteristics information for about 2800 buildings from the latest California Commercial End-Use Survey (CEUS), expanding to a national profile over time. The tool will not substitute for a full-blown audit or simulation, but will help users begin the process of formulating an energy-saving strategy for their facility.

Related benchmarking projects are underway at LBNL with support from the California Energy Commission, USDOE, NYSERDA, and others.

If you have questions about this survey or project, please contact Evan Mills via email or 510-486-6784.

	not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential
Whole-building metrics (e.g. energy per square foot)	6. Rank the importance of the following general categories of energy benchmarking metrics. [select one in each row] Whole-building metrics (e.g. energy per square foot) not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential
System or end-use metrics (e.g. lighting energy use per square foot)	System or end-use metrics (e.g. lighting energy use per square foot) not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential
Peak electricity demand metrics (e.g. watts per square foot)	Peak electricity demand metrics (e.g. watts per square foot) not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential
Energy cost metrics (e.g. energy expenditures per square foot)	Energy cost metrics (e.g. energy expenditures per square foot) not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential
Energy-related emissions metrics (e.g. greenhouse-gas emissions per square foot)	Energy-related emissions metrics (e.g. greenhouse-gas emissions per square foot) not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential
Energy productivity metrics (e.g. energy expenditures per customer, energy use per server, ...)	Energy productivity metrics (e.g. energy expenditures per customer, energy use per server, ...) not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential

	not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential	N/A
Applicability to existing buildings (to improve operations or identify capital improvements)	7. Rank the importance to you of the following possible energy benchmarking tool features. [select one in each row] Applicability to existing buildings (to improve operations or identify capital improvements) not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential	N/A
Applicability to new buildings (to select energy-saving design features)	Applicability to new buildings (to select energy-saving design features) not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential	N/A
Comparing your building to other buildings ("Cross-sectional" benchmarking)	Comparing your building to other buildings ("Cross-sectional" benchmarking) not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential	N/A
Following trends in your benchmark results over time ("Longitudinal" benchmarking)	Following trends in your benchmark results over time ("Longitudinal" benchmarking) not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential	N/A
Benchmarking at the "end-use" level (e.g. cooling, lighting) in addition to whole-building level	Benchmarking at the "end-use" level (e.g. cooling, lighting) in addition to whole-building level not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential	N/A
Enterprise application (ability to enter multiple buildings and conduct comparisons among them)	Enterprise application (ability to enter multiple buildings and conduct comparisons among them) not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential	N/A
Importing your data from an energy information system, CAD, or Building Information Model rather than entering manually	Importing your data from an energy information system, CAD, or Building Information Model rather than entering manually not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential	N/A
Importing your energy consumption directly from your utility rather than entering via a web interface	Importing your energy consumption directly from your utility rather than entering via a web interface not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential	N/A
Importing your project data from the ENERGY STAR benchmarking tool	Importing your project data from the ENERGY STAR benchmarking tool not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential	N/A
Weather-normalizing your raw energy use data	Weather-normalizing your raw energy use data not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential	N/A
Viewing your benchmark results in context with those of other users of the tool (as opposed to seeing your results only with respect to a smaller, fixed statistical survey of facilities)	Viewing your benchmark results in context with those of other users of the tool (as opposed to seeing your results only with respect to a smaller, fixed statistical survey of facilities) not important	somewhat important	important	very important	essential	N/A

	not willing	moderately willing	very willing
Annual energy data	9. Please indicate your willingness to add your building to our database by using the action-oriented benchmarking tool for the purposes of energy benchmarking (you can assume that this information will be safeguarded and kept fully confidential). [select one in each row] Annual energy data not willing	moderately willing	very willing
Monthly energy data	Monthly energy data not willing	moderately willing	very willing
Facility or equipment information (e.g. floor area, types of HVAC or lighting, operating conditions)	Facility or equipment information (e.g. floor area, types of HVAC or lighting, operating conditions) not willing	moderately willing	very willing

1. Describe your role in the ownership, occupancy, or operation of buildings. [select all that apply]

Total building floor area currently occupied, owned, managed, operated, or serviced (in approximate square feet)

2. Indicate which type(s) of facilities you might be interested in benchmarking. [select all that apply]

3. Do you currently perform NON-ENERGY benchmarking (e.g. sales per employee or unit floor area) on your facilities? [select one]

4. Do you currently perform ENERGY- or SUSTAINABILITY-RELATED benchmarking on your facilities? [select all that apply]

5. What are or would be your reasons for performing energy-related benchmarking? [select all that apply]

6. Rank the importance of the following general categories of energy benchmarking metrics. [select one in each row]

7. Rank the importance to you of the following possible energy benchmarking tool features. [select one in each row]

8. What format(s) would you prefer for viewing benchmarking results? [select one]

9. Please indicate your willingness to add your building to our database by using the action-oriented benchmarking tool for the purposes of energy benchmarking (you can assume that this information will be safeguarded and kept fully confidential). [select one in each row]

10. How much time are you willing to put into gathering and providing information for a specific facility via a web-based energy benchmarking tool that provides tailored energy-saving recommendations? [select one]

Thanks again for your time!

Would you like to receive the results of this survey and be kept posted on the progress of our project? If so, please provide your email address. We will not share your address with others or send you information unrelated to this project.

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