June 24, 2013: New Building Performance Database Launched by DOE
Data Can Be Used to Identify and Prioritize Cost-Saving Energy Efficiency Improvements
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched the new Buildings Performance Database, the largest free, publicly available database of residential and commercial building energy performance information. This database will allow users to access energy performance data and perform statistical analyses based on more than 60,000 commercial and residential buildings across the country, said DOE, and new records are being added regularly.
The database includes buildings’ location; age; size and function; electricity and fuel consumption; equipment information; and operational characteristics. The data can be used to compare performance trends among similar buildings, identify and prioritize cost-saving energy efficiency improvements, and assess the range of likely savings from these improvements. An application programming interface (API) will allow external software developers to incorporate analytical results from the database into their own tools and services.