Building Energy Efficiency

For details about this credit, including the criteria, reporting timeframe, applicability, scoring, and more, please review the full credit language:

• OP-5: Building Energy Consumption (v2.1)
• OP-5: Building Energy Efficiency (v2.2)

STARS 2.1: Institutions in the US must use 3.14 and institutions in Canada must use 2.05. Other institutions may use a relevant national or regional figure, if available, or else the following default values: Asia and Africa = 3.14; Australasia and Latin America= 2.25; Europe = 2.50. See the credit language linked above for additional guidance. Any deviation from the default values should be clarified in the Notes field.

STARS 2.2: Institutions in the US must use 3.0 and institutions in Canada must use 2.0. Other institutions may use a relevant national or regional figure, if available, or else the following default values: Europe = 2.0, All other countries = 2.5.

STARS 2.1: All units must be converted to MMBtu. The Campus Energy Consumption Converter is provided to assist in making the necessary conversions.

STARS 2.2: Electricity figures must be reported in kilowatt-hours. All other figures (stationary fuels and thermal energy) must be converted to MMBtu. An Energy Consumption Calculator is provided.

Institutions that convert fuel on-site (e.g., on-campus cogeneration facilities and boilers) should report only the amount of fuel purchased/converted toward the total energy consumption figure, not the resulting heat, steam, hot/chilled water or electricity.

Like cogeneration, the benefits of these technologies are recognized indirectly in terms of efficiency gains (i.e., the fuel consumption avoided to achieve the same result). Therefore, thermal energy of this type should not be included in the reported figures.

There are a number of degree day calculators available, including DegreeDays.net (global) and the Degree Days Calculator (U.S. and Canada)

Reviewers will check to see if total energy consumption reported in this credit is consistent with Clean and Renewable Energy (OP-6). Valid discrepancies should be clarified in the Notes field.

Reviewers will check to see if the gross floor area and energy intensive space reported in this credit are consistent with Operational Characteristics (IC-2). A lower number may be reported under this credit if outdoor energy from parking garages/stadiums, etc is metered separately and excluded under this credit and not others. Valid discrepancies should be clarified in the Notes field (for instance, if a different performance year or data source was used). Note: The gross floor area and energy intensive space figures appear in the following credits: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (OP-1), Building Operations and Maintenance (OP-3), Building Energy Consumption (OP-5), and Water Use (OP-22).

• Portfolio Manager Technical Reference: Source Energy – U.S. EPA
• STARS 2.2 Energy Consumption Calculator:  Download Excel file or copy Google Sheet
• Campus Energy Consumption Converter (STARS 2.1) – a spreadsheet to convert various fuel sources to MMBtu
• DegreeDays.net (global data)
• Degree Days Calculator – Portfolio Manager (U.S. and Canada)

• Thompson Rivers University – All required fields filled out correctly, and there is consistency with OP 6. Uses Canadian standard for source-site ratio.
• University of California, Irvine – All required fields filled out correctly, and there is consistency with OP 6. The reduction in energy consumption is clarified and affirmed in public Notes field.

• Score outlier: Uncommon for institutions to earn full points or very close to it. If a high score is reported, check closely for the issues below.
• Numeric outlier: Low response under “Energy from all other sources (excluding transportation fuels)” is highly unlikely, since most institutions use natural gas, fuel oil, diesel, or coal for heating or other non-transportation purposes. A response of zero (or other very low response) should include clarification in the Notes field, including affirmation that the institution uses no/very little fuels for heating.
• Numeric outlier: Low responses under Heating degree days and Cooling degree days. Typical responses in both figures are in the thousands, but responses for institutions in very mild, warm or cool climates may be in the hundreds (see Help Center FAQ above).
• Data consistency: Total energy consumption figures between OP 5 and OP 6 should match. Notes field should explain any valid discrepancies.
• Data consistency: Gross floor area and Energy-intensive building space figures between OP 5 and IC 2 should be equal. Figures in OP 5 can be slightly lower if outdoor energy from parking garages/stadiums, etc is metered separately and excluded under OP 5. Valid discrepancies should be clarified in the Notes field.
• Site-source ratio: U.S. and Canadian institutions must use the ratios reported in the Technical Manual (3.14 and 2.05 respectively). Institutions in other countries can report their own national/regional figures if they differ from what is recommended in the Technical Manual.
• Start and End dates for Baseline Year and Performance Year must be valid (i.e., Baseline start date must be before Baseline end date, etc.). Baseline year may be any year from 2005 to the present. Older baselines (1990-2004) may be applied if they are adopted as part of the institution’s sustainability plans or policies, or in the context of other reporting obligations. Institutions should avoid reporting a peak emissions year as their Baseline simply to increase scores.

• Resources related to energy in AASHE’s Campus Sustainability Hub
• Partners that can help improve your institution’s energy performance