Set a Project Baseline (Whole Building)

Defining consistent and relevant baselines is important to establishing meaningful benchmarks to track progress and compare performance. The 2030 Commitment uses CBECS 2003 (Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey) and RECS 2001 (Residential Energy Consumption Survey) as the baseline energy use intensity (EUI) for whole building projects, measured in IP units of kBtu/ft2/yr and SI units of kWh/m2/yr. (See Set a Project Baseline (Interiors only) for more on LPD). Healthcare baselines were taken from the CBECS 2007 data set when a more rigorous and detailed review of healthcare projects occurred by use type.  

These baselines were set at the onset of the 2030 Commitment because they were the best available US data sets. The Commitment continues to use these baselines so that all projects are measured against the same starting point, allowing for easy and fair comparison of projects of the same typology.  

In the Extended Project Data section, the baseline for US and Canadian projects will be automatically calculated based on the Zero Tool, but custom baselines may be input instead. After use type(s) and associated area are entered, the DDx will automatically calculate a baseline based on the Zero Tool, along with a target. You may then either choose the default baseline or enter your own pEUI baseline and source information before saving.  

Zero Tool

Architecture 2030 developed the Zero Tool so that regional average Baseline EUIs for projects could continue to be calculated using CBECS 2003 once EPA’s Target Finder calculator switched to the 2012 CBECS. For consistency of reporting for the AIA 2030 Commitment program, and to reduce potential “baseline confusion”, the AIA 2030 Commitment has incorporated the Zero Tool with the DDx as the recommended approach to define project baselines. The Zero Tool replicates, as well as streamlines, the calculation procedures that were used by ENERGY STAR Target Finder. 

Special Use Baselines

We recommend using the Zero Tool/DDx default to establish 2030 baselines whenever possible. However, in some cases, there may be a need to use a different baseline. For instance, some use types such as laboratories are not available, or cannot be accurately benchmarked, in Zero Tool. When available, use alternative benchmarking tools like Labs21 for these use types. When using other tools, always check to make sure the percent savings is reasonable. 

Baselines for use types not covered from CBECS, like manufacturing or airports, can also consider using Energy Star Target Finder or existing facility operations data. The current Energy Star Target Finder data set has updated to a newer CBECS survey but can be a good resource when no other data is available.  

Projects in Canada

Canada has a robust public database of operational building energy use (Natural Resources Canada Office of Energy Efficiency’s Commercial and Institutional Consumption of Energy Survey, or CICES). Architecture 2030 provides ‘Canadian Target Tables’ which summarize relevant CICES data. 

Note: to convert from GJ/m2 to kBtu/sf, multiply by 88.06. (1 GJ = 947.8171 kBtu; 1 m2 = 10.7639 sf)

International Projects

For international projects not supported by Zero Tool, the DDx defaults to the US National Average based on CBECS 2003. (See table below) These values provide a quick and reasonable Baseline (General Inputs, Section 2) and Target (General Inputs, Section 3); however, you may use EDGE tool or other country-specific data about building performance in 2003 to set a “custom” baseline.

The World Bank International Finance Corporation’s EDGE certification program provides a free database of building benchmarking data for over 130 countries. This resource can help to more accurately benchmark international work. More information about the EDGE methodology can be found here. 

• If the country and the use type are available in EDGE, select Custom Baseline in the Baseline Energy Use section in the DDx. (See image above.) Enter the baseline from EDGE.

Some international standards and codes exclude “unregulated loads” in predictive energy models, excluding loads such as plug loads, vertical transportation equipment, kitchen equipment, etc. This often occurs in the UK or for projects following BREEAM methodologies outside the US. These calculations will appear falsely low and efficient due to the exclusion. Projects should either add back an estimated value per square foot (or square meter) so that the predicted energy use is comparable to the baseline or adjust the baseline to exclude the unregulated loads.    

National Average EUI Reference Table

For whole building projects (Residential and Non-residential), the table below displays each use type currently included in the DDx, with an associated baseline EUI and its source, and incrementally increasing target EUIs (i.e., 60 percent target from 2010-2014, 70 percent target from 2015-2019, and on to 100 percent in 2030).