During the CERTs 2015 Conference workshop on Accomplishing GreenStep Cities Energy Best Practices in March, The Weidt Group gave out awards to Minnesota GreenStep Cities to recognize them for their energy benchmarking efforts with “B3 Benchmarking” and more.
Measurement is important: There’s a saying, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure,” and it rings true when cities, counties, and schools are thinking about ways to save energy. Benchmarking is a highly practical way to measure energy use in your buildings and is the first step in managing energy costs.
What is B3 Benchmarking and how does it work?
- B3, which stands for Buildings, Benchmarks, and Beyond, is a robust online tool for tracking and managing energy use in public buildings.
- B3 helps guide decision making by showing which buildings would benefit most from energy efficiency improvements. It also allows you to monitor progress as you invest in your community’s infrastructure.
- B3 Benchmarking makes it easy for you to see how well your buildings are performing so you can plan effectively, optimize resources, ensure occupant comfort, and advance your mission.
Tell us who won already!
Two awards were given during the workshop, to both large and small cities:
- The Most Valuable Benchmarker Award went to the cities that had the highest city-wide Benchmark Index Ratio and also took into consideration overall high-performing city buildings compared to the energy-code standard model.
- The Most Improved Award went to the cities that had the best 2014 performance compared to 2013 and also recognized action either in improving operations or implementing improvement projects and have seen significant reductions.
The Most Improved Benchmark Award for a large city was given to Rochester while the Most Valuable Benchmarker for a large city was given to Shoreview. The City of Pierz swept both awards in the small city category. Congrats to all of the winners!
Interested in moving forward with energy conservation and efficiency? Pete Lindstrom, the CERTs Local Government Outreach Coordinator and works with cities, counties, and schools to advance their energy efficiency and renewable energy efforts. No matter your interest in energy, Pete can help you get organized, fill you in on existing programs and technical assistance, and let you know about funding and financing that may be available for your efforts. Give him a call or email at 612-625-9634 or plindstr@umn.edu to get started.
Learn more about B3 Benchmarking:
Learn more about Minnesota GreenStep Cities:
About the Local Government Energy Action Series:
This effort tells the stories of Minnesota municipalities, counties, and schools and the tangible results of their energy-saving efforts to inspire others to take their own actions.
