Portfolio Manager to Add "As Built" Asset Rating

A new program from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) aims to complement Energy Star Portfolio Manager—which building managers use to track and score actual energy performance—by measuring the “as-built” efficiency of commercial buildings. Like the miles-per-gallon ratings for cars, the new asset rating, announced in September 2011, will give potential buyers or tenants a sense of how efficient the building itself is.

An online tool designed to interface with the popular Portfolio Manager tool will allow building owners and managers to receive a score based on information they enter about the building envelope, mechanical and electrical systems, and other major energy-using equipment in the building. Portfolio Manager already allows users to benchmark their actual energy performance against that of similar buildings throughout the U.S. and receive a percentile score that can qualify buildings for Energy Star certification.