The Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment released their latest Energy Benchmarking Analysis Report to update energy performance trends based on data reported to the City from 2014 – 2016. The report highlights key building energy and emissions metrics for the 3,300 benchmarked buildings and reveals that continuously benchmarked buildings have reduced emissions, saved money, and improved performance over time.
Highlights include:
- Buildings reporting three or more consecutive years of data have reduced overall energy consumption by 3.7% and greenhouse gas emissions by 4.8%.
- The median ENERGY STAR score for all buildings has increased by seven points, or 10%.
- The Energy Benchmarking Program has added 136 buildings and nearly 43 million square feet of benchmarked space, as Seattle’s construction boom has continued.
Although energy improvements have led to reduced emissions, many buildings still have room for significant improvements. Hotels, hospitals, high-rise multifamily buildings, labs, and restaurants have the highest emissions per square foot and offer the largest savings opportunities.
Seattle’s benchmarking program is a key component of Seattle’s Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing buildings. Measuring and tracking building performance reveals opportunities to lower energy use. Interested in how your building stacks up? Visit www.seattle.gov/energybenchmarkingmap.
This blog post was prepared by Seattle's Office of Sustainability and Environment for NAIOP WA's Sustainable Development Committee.