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Utility-Enabled Whole Building Data Access: Part One – The Problems

Utility-Enabled Whole Building Data Access: The Problems, Processes and Possibilities (A Series) Part One: The Problems Building energy consumption remains an unsolved problem at scale – it takes baselines across all building types and sizes to drive meaningful change. Utility data is the key, but easy, consistent access has stalled progress for years. This blog series explores barriers, practical approaches, and stakeholder benefits around utility-enabled whole building data access. Building… Read More »Utility-Enabled Whole Building Data Access: Part One – The Problems

meter grid

Calico Conversations: Tammy McLeod, Ph.D.

Calico Conversations: Tammy McLeod, Ph.D.​ Utilities and Building Level Data by Colleen Morris & Tammy McLeod, Ph.D In 2022 Calico is starting up a “Conversations” series, and we’re excited and honored to share our first of those – a piece cowritten with Tammy McLeod, Ph.D. Tammy is currently the President & CEO of the Flinn Foundation after 20 years with Arizona Public Service (APS). During her time at APS she held many titles, including… Read More »Calico Conversations: Tammy McLeod, Ph.D.

Janis Machala Joins Calico Energy Board of Directors

Janis Machala Joins Calico Energy Board of Directors Calico Energy’s CEO, Colleen Morris, is proud to announce Janis Machala has joined Calico’s board of directors.   Janis brings decades of experience as a corporate director, CEO, business executive, and executive coach with her. As a board member, industry and community leader and innovator, Janis has deep experience in the technology, energy services and B2B software and services sectors. With her diverse industry background, Janis brings strategic and market development excellence that drives systems thinking and innovation for enhanced shareholder value. She brings… Read More »Janis Machala Joins Calico Energy Board of Directors

Carbon Emissions Are Rising, but Whole Building Utility Data Can Help

Carbon Emissions Are Rising, but Whole Building Utility Data Can Help

Carbon Emissions are Rising, but Whole Building Utility Data Can Help This blog post was originally published on utilitydive.com.  Approximately 395 GtCO2. According to late 2019 estimates from the IPCC and CONSTRAIN project, 395 GtCO2 is our total remaining carbon budget for a 50% chance to limit warming to 1.5°C. The risks associated with climbing above 2°C are alarming, and we’re not doing enough to reduce consumption. Take buildings: with the immense markets surrounding energy efficiency and… Read More »Carbon Emissions Are Rising, but Whole Building Utility Data Can Help

grid-interactive efficient buildings

Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings: Scalable Approaches Depend on Utility Engagement

Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings: Scalable Approaches Depend On Utility Data and Engagement This blog post was originally published on utilitydive.com.  Back in 2001, research sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency uncovered a startling figure: respondents of the human activity pattern survey reported spending on average 87% of their day in enclosed buildings. Two decades later, that number is undoubtedly higher – elevated further with Coronavirus safety measures. Long story short: We spend a lot… Read More »Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings: Scalable Approaches Depend on Utility Engagement

Marketing Matters: Utility Building Benchmarking and the Power of Outreach

Marketing Matters: Utility Building Benchmarking and the Power of Outreach Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about why and where utility programs either succeed or fail. As a long-time Utility Program Manager, I observed that good data is essential. Are programs built on a solid foundation of organized, readily available data? What is the data telling us to improve or revise? But there’s a whole other dimension to my… Read More »Marketing Matters: Utility Building Benchmarking and the Power of Outreach

In Utility-Led Building Benchmarking, Think User-First, Not Customer-First

In Utility-Led Building Benchmarking, Think User-First, Not Customer-First. In Product Management, I generally prefer to follow best practices and the market. That said, I’m going to argue for something unconventional – I’m going to make the case for NOT taking a customer-first approach building benchmarking program design. The context for this approach is important: it’s all about creating successful utility-led building benchmarking programs AND getting whole building data into the… Read More »In Utility-Led Building Benchmarking, Think User-First, Not Customer-First

What’s Your Baseline? Benchmarking and the Advent of Building Performance Standards

What’s Your Baseline? Benchmarking and the Advent of Building Performance Standards (BEPS) If you’re in the utility world, or the energy policy world, or the building management world (or, or, OR), you know about building benchmarking. Typically when required, owners measure and submit their building’s energy consumption for comparison and analyses, most often by the EPA. For a while, these policies proliferated across the nation, providing low-cost, low-risk resource conservation… Read More »What’s Your Baseline? Benchmarking and the Advent of Building Performance Standards

Want to Make the Most of AMI Data Today? Look to Whole Building Benchmarking.

Want to make the most of AMI data today? Look to whole building benchmarking. When AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) entered the scene in 2009, it provided a textbook innovation, making an existing process better. We needed the change – traditional metering relies heavily on manual monitoring and mechanical devices, while AMI enables granular customer data to be transmitted with incredible frequency. As the industry has evolved, AMI (and AMI data)… Read More »Want to Make the Most of AMI Data Today? Look to Whole Building Benchmarking.

Think Whole Building Benchmarking is all About Compliance? Think Again.

Think whole building benchmarking is all about compliance? Think again. If we asked the question “why does whole building benchmarking data matter?” to a panel of building owners, utilities, policy makers, energy consultants, retrofit experts, researchers, government entities and others, a common thread in the answers might be: measuring building energy performance and making changes are the first steps in reducing carbon emissions. Though motivations depend on where you sit… Read More »Think Whole Building Benchmarking is all About Compliance? Think Again.