The Invisible Elephant: Why We Can’t Ignore Building-Level Data from Utilities
Imagine trying to reduce your monthly grocery bill but only knowing the cost of each item once you get to the checkout. Frustrating, right? Now, imagine managing a large building, trying to cut energy costs and emissions, but not having a clear idea of how much energy the entire building is using. This is the reality for many building owners and managers across the U.S., thanks to an invisible elephant standing in their way: the lack of building-level data from utilities.
Why This Matters
Here’s the deal: commercial and residential buildings are responsible for about 30% of the U.S.’s greenhouse gas emissions. With the U.S. aiming for a massive 90% reduction in these emissions by 2050, we can’t afford to ignore the energy performance of buildings. Data is critical to making this happen, and not just any data—building-level data. This is the kind of information that helps building owners see where energy is being used, what needs to be improved, and how to meet new environmental regulations.
Policies like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are pushing for data access frameworks, making it easier for states to gather and share this kind of data. But even with momentum building, the reality is that many building owners are still left without the information they need to make meaningful changes.
You Can’t Fix What You Can’t See
If there’s one thing we all know, it’s that you can’t manage what you can’t measure. Building-level data gives a complete picture of energy use across an entire property, including every apartment, office, and retail space. This isn’t just about ticking regulatory boxes—this data helps building owners manage operating costs, track carbon emissions, and even increase property value.
But here’s the kicker: utilities aren’t set up to deliver this data easily, especially for multifamily or mixed-use properties. Why? Utilities organize data by individual customers—not entire buildings. If you have a high-rise with multiple tenants, getting the full energy picture means combining data from all your meters. And that’s not something utilities can easily do.
The Elephant in the Room: Why Is This So Hard?
So, why is building-level data so tricky to get? The simple answer is that utilities just weren’t built to provide it. Most utility companies deal with individual accounts (customers), not buildings. In cases where you have a single-family home or a commercial building with one tenant, it’s simple—customer data equals building data. But in a large apartment complex or a mixed-use building with both residential and commercial spaces, the data is fragmented across dozens of accounts and meters. Aggregating that into one clean data set for an entire building is a logistical headache for utilities.
And while over 80 utilities now offer solutions for this in the U.S., they only cover a small fraction of the millions of buildings across the country. Most utilities are still figuring out how to provide this data in a way that makes sense, and without significant policy pressure, they tend to take a reactive, compliance-focused approach rather than seizing the opportunity to drive change.
The Roadblocks (and Opportunities) Ahead
Let’s talk numbers. Yes, some utilities are stepping up—around 80% of those that offer building-level data are using advanced systems like APIs to send data directly to ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®, a tool that helps track and manage energy use. But when you zoom out, this still covers just a tiny slice of U.S. buildings. Why? Many utilities limit their data-sharing to buildings with only commercial tenants, leaving out mixed-use or residential-heavy buildings, which make up about 70% of the total potential.
This limited access creates a massive, missed opportunity—not just for building owners but for utilities themselves. With better data, utilities could target buildings for energy-saving programs, improve grid resilience, and meet growing demands for clean energy solutions. Yet, without the right infrastructure in place to gather and share this information, they’re stuck playing catch-up.
What Needs to Change?
So, what can we do about it? First off, policymakers need to make data access a standalone issue. Right now, it’s often bundled in with broader energy efficiency initiatives, but it deserves its own spotlight. State-level action could be key—when states take the lead, it pushes utilities to prioritize and streamline their data-sharing efforts.
For utilities, it’s about looking beyond compliance and seeing building-level data as a strategic asset. Automating data aggregation, maintaining accurate systems, and preparing for increasing demand can help utilities stay ahead of the curve. And, let’s face it—once building owners get a taste of the benefits, they’ll want more.
The Bottom Line
The invisible elephant—the challenge of providing building-level data—isn’t something we can keep tiptoeing around. As we push for cleaner energy and smarter buildings, this data will become a non-negotiable part of the equation. It’s time for utilities, policymakers, and building owners to work together to tackle this head-on. The tools are there, the demand is growing, and the need for action is undeniable. If we want to meet our climate goals and improve energy efficiency across the board, it’s time to make this invisible elephant visible—and deal with it.
Want to read more about this?
Read our full Summer Study paper, The Invisible Elephant: Building-Level Data from Utilities.
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