THE NEW NORMALIZATION REALPAC Adapts Methodologies for Pandemic-Level Densities By Barbara Carss EFFECTIVE benchmarking almost invariably entails an extra layer of analysis to account for variables — in climate, occupancy and/or function — that can skew building-to-building comparisons. Enhanced standardized methodologies for gauging energy-use and water-use intensity are now freely available for building owners/managers seeking a consistent, accurate and userfriendly tool to reckon key variables and assess performance across their office building portfolios. 20 September 2021 | Canadian Property Management
Newly released updates to the REALPAC normalized energy-use intensity (NEUI) and normalized wateruse intensity (NWUI) methodologies further refine formulas that were initially developed to support benchmarking efforts that the prominent Canadian commercial real estate organization sponsored last decade. Namely: the 20 by ’15 campaign, a national challenge to achieve an average annual energy-use intensity of 20 equivalent kilowatt-hours per square foot (ekWh/ft2/yr) by 2015;
a n d R E A L PAC ’s 2 01 2 w a t e r benchmarking pilot, which analyzed at least 12 months of water-use data from 83 participating office buildings. Those normalization methodologies have proved instrumental for pegging baseline performance and measuring energy and water-saving progress in a Canadian office inventory scattered across six climate zones, and exhibiting a range of operational pressures and functional constraints. However, the 2021 versions address some emerging needs.
