Home > Buildings & Plants > Guidelines > Assess Performance > STEP 2.4: Analyze Data
Analyzing data to determine energy use trends can help an organization gain a better understanding of the factors that affect energy performance and identify steps for reducing energy consumption.
There are a variety of ways data can be analyzed depending upon the needs of the organization. The following analyses provide a starting point:
Metering and benchmarking energy for plants, facilities, space types, and systems are at the heart of the University of Virginia’s (UVA) energy management program. With over 577 buildings ranging in age, design, and function, maintaining good data is key for understanding performance and identifying areas for improvement.
By analyzing meter and utility use information, UVA’s energy management program identifies "energy hogs" that are targeted as energy efficiency opportunities. Energy hogs are flagged by UVA’s tracking/trending program whenever it detects high total utility use, high relative utility use (by facility type), or unusual utility use, such as chilled water use during winter months for an office building.. These types of issues are identified by an "exception report" and may indicate design or operational problems that warrant further investigation.
Through its careful analysis of energy use information, UVA’s energy management program was able to control and reduce energy use, saving $5 million in 2002.