Benchmarking & Energy Star Certification Flashcards
7 cards from real CEA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Benchmarking & Energy Star Certification flashcards as text
When entering data for a mixed-use building in Portfolio Manager, how should a retail space combined with an office be handled?
Answer: Enter each space type as a separate 'use' within the same property
Portfolio Manager allows multiple 'uses' within a single property to accurately reflect mixed-use buildings and generate a blended benchmark score.
Which eGRID subregion data does Portfolio Manager use to convert site electricity to source energy?
Answer: The U.S. national average grid emission and conversion factors
Portfolio Manager uses national average source-to-site ratios (currently 2.80 for electricity) rather than local or regional grid factors.
A data center has a PUE of 1.4. In the context of ENERGY STAR benchmarking, what does this ratio indicate?
Answer: For every 1 kWh used by IT equipment, 0.4 additional kWh is consumed by overhead systems
PUE of 1.4 means the facility uses 1.4 kWh total for every 1 kWh consumed by IT loads, so overhead (cooling, lighting, UPS) accounts for 0.4 kWh.
Which ENERGY STAR certified product category accounts for the largest energy savings in commercial building HVAC systems?
Answer: Packaged unitary air conditioners and heat pumps
ENERGY STAR certified packaged unitary HVAC equipment represents the broadest installed base and highest cumulative energy savings opportunity in commercial buildings.
What happens to a building's ENERGY STAR score if significant tenant improvements increase conditioned floor area without a corresponding energy increase?
Answer: The score likely improves because EUI (kBtu/sq ft) decreases
Adding floor area while energy stays constant reduces the EUI (energy per square foot), typically improving the percentile score.
In ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, what is the purpose of the 'Share Forward' feature?
Answer: To grant a service provider or third party access to a property's data
Share Forward allows property owners to give energy managers, consultants, or auditors read or full access to Portfolio Manager property data.
Which international benchmarking standard aligns most closely with ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager's EUI-based approach?
Answer: ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems
ISO 50001 uses energy performance indicators (EnPIs) analogous to EUI for systematic energy benchmarking and management, making it the closest international parallel.