The ENERGY STAR rating is a score that helps people determine their building’s energy efficiency. Higher scores mean better performance. But how is the ENERGY STAR score calculated?
What do ENERGY STAR Scores Cover?
Many people don’t realize until they have energy performance ratings explained to them that ENERGY STAR scores are not just based on the construction of the building.
Factors such as insulation, double glazing, and the relative efficiency of any heating and air conditioning system are evaluated, but they’re not the only things considered. Energy performance ratings also analyze:
- The building’s opening hours
- The number of people working in the property
- The types of appliances in use
- The climate in that particular area
This allows for fair comparisons, so a building is not unfairly rated based on being in use for long periods or having a significant amount of footfall.
National Data and Real-World Performance
Whenever possible, ENERGY STAR compares buildings with others in similar industries as well as similarly sized buildings.
Data for these comparisons come from national surveys, including the Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey.
Calculating the ENERGY STAR score is a multistep process:
- Evaluate the energy performance in broad terms for the whole building
- Look at actual metered energy consumption
- Take into account the energy sources used
- Consider the activity in the building (how many hours a day the building is used and by how many people)
- Compare energy use to that of similar businesses and building types
ENERGY STAR is used in the residential sector, too. The ENERGY STAR New Construction Program for homes was launched in 2018 and estimated to have saved three billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to date.
Is the ENERGY STAR Score Relative?
The ENERGY STAR score compares a building’s efficiency, rather than an actual rating, relative to other comparable properties.
It’s important to remember that when you have energy performance ratings explained, a rating of 50 means that your building is performing at the median level compared to other buildings that have been assessed recently. A rating of 75 means it is one of the better performers in your category.
A good rating today does not mean a good rating tomorrow. There’s always room for improvement. Technology advances year after year.
It’s easy for property owners, especially homeowners who get used to living in one place, to lose sight of how rapidly energy-efficiency improvements are being made.
Today, there even more sophisticated windows with ENERGY STAR ratings, low-E coatings to keep heat out in the summer and in during the winter, and gas fillings to provide even better insulation.
Update Your Home for a Better ENERGY STAR Rating
Having a high ENERGY STAR rating is useful if you want to sell your home, but even if you’re planning on staying there for many years, updating your property with modern energy-efficiency improvements makes a lot of sense.
Insulating, new roofing, and new windows can all make your property more comfortable to live in and can save you money, too.
Call Thompson Creek Windows today to discuss roofing and replacement windows that can help you save money and the planet.