Retrotec USACE - Manual (Page 115)

A1
Appendix A
Building Portfolio Energy Analysis
A.1 Introduction
Portfolio analysis is an energy audit done on a group of buildings rather than on
individual buildings. It considers the present energy usage and energy reduc-
tion possibilities of a group of buildings based on their general characteristics
such as building type, age, occupancy, and so forth.
Portfolio analysis provides critical information in a timely manner for plan-
ning, goal-setting, bidding, funding, or approval to proceed to more detailed
analyses. A portfolio analysis would typically be done prior to detailed exami-
nation of individual buildings to justify further work. The number of buildings
can range from hundreds to tens of thousands when national building portfo-
lios are analyzed.
Portfolio analysis is often performed with minimal information and refi ned
as better data is collected. The input of planners, property managers, portfolio
managers, and fi nancial analysts would be greatest at this stage. The technical
input, although specialized, would be least.
As indicated in the Part I of the text, “management and assessment activi-
ties cover a building portfolio,” and Figure 2 (Part 1, page 5) illustrates the in-
formation and methods that vary depending on the level at which the activities
are carried out. This appendix on portfolio analysis treats this “big picture” at
the portfolio level before proceeding to more detailed analyses at the building
level.
A.2 Analysis Methodology
A methodology for building portfolio energy analysis is essential to ensure a
consistent and uniform approach. The methodology focuses on the general
characteristics of the buildings and needs to be holistic in dealing with energy
conservation principles. The methodology is built on the following attributes:
Goals and objectives of the building portfolio energy analysis 1.
Scope of both the analysis and energy conservation measures 2.
Metric for differentiating or grouping the building archetypes 3.