Standard Energy Efficiency Data Platform

The Standard Energy Efficiency Data (SEED) platform is a software tool that provides a standardized format for collecting, storing and analyzing building energy performance information about large portfolios. The platform provides an easy, flexible, and cost effective method to analyze data about large portfolios of buildings and demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency.

State and local governments and building portfolio owners can use SEED to:

  • Establish their own secure, cloud-based data repository.
  • Import data automatically from EPA's Portfolio Manager and merge that with other existing datasets such as property records and energy audits.
  • Create custom search and reporting capabilities, such as compliance monitoring or performance analysis.
  • Publish select data and results via an open Application Programming Interface (API).
  • Export data to the Department of Energy's Buildings Performance Database to analyze energy savings and financial returns of potential retrofits.
Illustration of the SEED Platform Concept of Operations.  The Seed Platform includes a Database Built on a Standard Taxonomy, which recieves and sends information from an Open API.  This Open API receives information from external data sources and exports information to external analysis tools.

Uses

  • State and local governments can collect and analyze data to check compliance with energy performance disclosure laws and track voluntary energy efficiency programs;
  • Building portfolio owners can manage their energy performance data and track compliance with internal or external requirements, or share data with third parties.
  • A critical mass of energy performance data in the same structure can be used to create city or regional statistics and help energy efficiency become a meaningful part of market decisions.

Benefits

  • SEED is free. It can significantly reduce software development costs.
  • SEED is standard. It provides a common format for storing and sharing energy data. This also enables standardized third party applications.
  • SEED is open source. It allows almost unlimited flexibility to add and modify features that collect new information and utilize data in new ways.
  • SEED is connected. It provides seamless links with related tools such as EPA Portfolio Manager, DOE Buildings Performance Database, and DOE Asset Rating tool.

More Information

Current SEED Users

The SEED Platform is currently in beta testing. If you are interested in joining the beta, please let us know. For more information on the SEED Platform contact:
Cody Taylor
U.S. Department of Energy
SEEDPlatform@ee.doe.gov