Gathering data while working with CORE

Written by Mac Scott on June 3, 2022. Posted in Core.

If CORE is performing an assessment and handling your benchmarking, we are able to obtain your energy and water data on your behalf, as long as we have your permission and CORRECT billing information. Sounds simple, but this can be one of the most challenging steps to completing your assessment. If you do not have this information handy, please take the time to review the following steps and provide our team with the proper information so we can ensure you are meeting your obligations.

Note: Assessments will be completed on a first come/first served basis and a building can not be scheduled until we receive your utility data. To ensure CORE has time to complete your benchmark and assessment, we recommend starting this process early.

Have your account information

It makes the process much easier if we have the billing information for your accounts. If possible, have a copy of the building utility bills available to ensure that you can provide the exact account holder name (name on the utility bill), account number and address.

Enroll with CORE and Accept the Utility Waiver

By accepting the utility waiver and providing the necessary billing information as part of your CORE enrollment, CORE will be able to obtain your whole building data for Holy Cross and Black Hills.

Get Utility Information from the City

Fill out the City of Aspen’s Utility Customer Release Form to receive your building’s water and, if applicable your electrical consumption data and then email it to utilities@aspen.gov or by mail to the City of Aspen Utilities Department.

Note: ALL BIQ participants receive your water through the City of Aspen Utilities and should fill out the City of Aspen Utilities release, regardless of your energy providers.

Read this if you have tenants that pay their utility bills

Written by Mac Scott on June 3, 2022. Posted in Questions.

If the owner pays the utility bills for the whole building, or there are four or more tenant meters the utilities can provide aggregated data for the whole building directly to the owner or their designee. This data is also available from bill copies if the owner is able to obtain them. If this applies to you, skip to the instructions for gathering data from each utility in the following drop downs.

Buildings with three or fewer tenants that pay their own utility bills will have to gather utility data from their tenants. This can be accomplished by the tenant submitting the proper data consent forms for each of their water and energy utility providers. For water and other city utilities, tenants will reach

City of Aspen – Tenants must fill out the City of Aspen Utilities Data Consent Form to receive their water and, if applicable electrical consumption data and then email it to utilities@aspen.gov. Note, ALL BIQ participants receive your water through the City of Aspen Utilities and should fill out the City of Aspen Utilities release, regardless of your other energy providers.
Holy Cross Energy Data Consent Form
Black Hills Energy Data Consent Form

From the City of Aspen

Written by Mac Scott on June 2, 2022. Posted in Questions.

Fill out the City of Aspen Utilities Data Consent Form to receive your building’s water and, if applicable your electrical consumption data and then email it to utilities@aspen.gov.

Note, ALL BIQ participants receive your water through the City of Aspen Utilities and should fill out the City of Aspen Utilities Data Consent Form, regardless of your other energy providers.

From Holy Cross Energy

Written by Mac Scott on June 2, 2022. Posted in Questions.

Holy Cross Energy –

Login to your Holy Cross account
Click Start Now in the View and Manage My Usage Box
Click Use the Usage Explorer tool in the Usage Explorer Box
Click Green Button Download My Data icon
In the pop-up box called Download Usage Data:
1. choose correct account number (if more than one available) from the drop down options
2. Set date range back 1 year
3. Chose choose CSV and click on Download Usage Data
Once the file is downloaded, close the pop-up box.

If you have 3 or fewer tenants, have them fill out the HCE Utility Consent Form

If there are any issues, please contact Ginette Puidokas at gpuidokas@holycross.com.

For more information visit: www.holycross.com/benchmarking/

From Black Hills Energy

Written by Mac Scott on June 1, 2022. Posted in Questions.

Black Hills Energy (BHE) has set up a process that allows building owners to apply for energy usage information that can be provided to the state or local governments.

Visit Energy Usage for Large Buildings webpage.
Register your building – complete and submit the form
1. Confirm all addresses are associated upon receipt of the Building Association email from BHE.
2. If any addresses are missing, reply to the email with the missing addresses.
Request Energy Use data through the Energy Benchmarking Form Request – complete and submit the form
1. If applicable, check the box verifying permission has been received from tenants to provide their usage data for aggregation purposes. If the building has 3 or fewer tenants, permission is required.
2. Confirm all addresses are accounted for upon receipt of Energy Benchmarking Report email from BHE.
3. If any addresses are missing, reply to the email with the missing addresses.

How do I account for solar panels or other renewable energy generated on-site?

Written by Mac Scott on June 1, 2022. Posted in Questions.

The electricity use from onsite solar and wind must be reported and included in your total energy consumption and ENERGY STAR score calculation. The use of onsite renewable electricity is part of your overall site energy consumption (i.e. the energy requirement of your property). A property with onsite solar or wind power is likely to receive a higher score.

You can enter this into Portfolio Manager when setting up your meters. Obtain data from your installer on the energy used, any energy exported out to the grid, and about any renewable energy certificates generated. If you report your renewable energy generation and use accurately, it will be reflected in your building’s greenhouse gas emissions. For additional details on green power, see this document.

Author: Mac Scott