Like any measurable goal, you can’t assess where you want to go or how well you’re doing unless you know where you are at. We do this by measuring our energy use from year to year. This is an important but often overlooked aspect of energy management. In order to begin to benchmark your energy use, you will need to collect all of your energy bills (electricity, natural gas, and (optionally) water). Input the information from your bills into the free Energy Star Portfolio Manager. This will allow you to monitor your energy consumption over time, so you can see the positive impacts of your reduction strategies and pinpoint sudden increases in energy usage that might need to be addressed.
