Building energy performance rating methods provide a way to compare the energy consumption of one building with other similar buildings. Building owners may use rating methods to determine if investment in energy efficiency retrofits is justified.  Developers are using building energy performance ratings to showcase high performance buildings.  Tenants are attracted to buildings with high energy performance ratings as a way to minimize facility operating costs.  By highlighting efficient buildings, energy performance rating methods stimulate the design and construction of buildings using less energy.  Energy efficiency contributes to overall building sustainability, which also includes land use, water use, and material use. 

Many different rating methods were uncovered by a formal literature search and an informal Internet search including 47 protocols for commercial buildings and 31 that applied to residences. In order to test and understand the ratings from these protocols, data from actual buildings was gathered.

The focus of the research reported in this document is building energy performance rating methods.

Units: I-P