Energy Management Information Systems

Energy Management Information Systems

Energy Management Information Systems can enable significant energy savings, often with rapid payback. Businesses are continually learning how to apply these technologies which include advanced energy information systems, benchmarking and utility tracking tools, equipment-specific fault detection and diagnostic systems, automated system optimization, and building automation systems. Through the EMIS Technology Research Team, partners help promote EMIS, create resources on the basics of EMIS, develop procurement templates, and drive market adoption and sharing of best practice approaches to operating systems.
Save energy and money using EMIS: Explore the Smart Energy Analytics Campaign Toolkit
Smart Energy Analytics Campaign: See Results
Download Template: EMIS Procurement Specification
Build foundational knowledge with: The EMIS Crash Course
EMIS On-Demand Webinars

The EMIS Tech Team has hosted many webinars about a variety of EMIS-related topics. Access all recordings and slide decks under Webinars in the Smart Energy Analytics Toolkit.

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Get Involved

The EMIS Tech Team collaborates with industry experts, building operators, and technology vendors to promote EMIS adoption. Contact the EMIS Tech Team to learn how you can get involved.

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2023 Better Buildings Progress Report

To date, 900+ Better Buildings, Better Plants partners have saved more than 3.1 quadrillion Btu, saving more than $18.5 billion and 189 million metric tons of CO2.

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Featured Solutions

Final Results on Energy Savings, Costs, and Benefits from the Smart Energy Analytics Campaign Webinar
The Smart Energy Analytics Campaign presented its final results on the use, costs, and energy savings from the 104 participants implementing energy information systems (EIS) and fault detection and diagnostics (FDD).
Proving the Business Case for Building Analytics: Results from the Smart Energy Analytics Campaign Report
This report details the final results from DOE's Smart Energy Analytics Campaign (2016-2020), describing the savings and energy efficiency measures taken in 567 million sq. ft. of floor area from organizations implementing EMIS in their buildings.
Smart Energy Analytics Campaign Toolkit Toolkits
This toolkit collects the Smart Energy Analytics Campaign's best resources to help facility owners and managers take advantage of savings opportunities and performance improvements from EMIS and ongoing monitoring practices.
EMIS Offers Proven Savings and Return on Investment Fact Sheet
The data generated through the Smart Energy Analytics Campaign provides industry with the largest existing body of evidence of the value of EMIS and expected payback. This one-pager summarizes the business case for EMIS adoption and how it was established.
EMIS Specification and Procurement Support Materials Specification
This package of materials guides you through the specification, procurement, and selection of an Energy Management and Information System (EMIS) or related building energy performance monitoring and diagnostic technology, as well as the specification of ongoing support services in using the EMIS.
Characterization and Survey of Automated Fault Detection and Diagnostic Tools Solutions at a Glance
A recent report released by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) explores currently available AFDD technologies for commercial buildings. AFDD, or Automated Fault Detection and Diagnostics, is a growing family of technologies that are increasingly being adopted in many commercial building sectors.
Using EMIS to Identify Top Opportunities for Commercial Building Efficiency Report
This guide presents an overview of the top energy-savings opportunities in commercial buildings and shows how they can be identified using the type of interval meter analytics offered in EIS technologies or using the automated analytics offered in FDD systems.

Other Resources

Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet: EMIS Field Evaluation Protocol Fact Sheet
This fact sheet provides an overview of LBNL's EMIS Field Evaluation Protocols and describes how their use can overcome barriers to EMIS adoption.

Guidance

Energy Information Handbook Guidance
This handbook will give you the information you need to plan an energy-management strategy that works for your building, making it more energy efficient. 
Monitoring-Based Commissioning (MBCx) Plan Template Guidance
This Monitoring-Based Commissioning Plan Template is designed to assist building staff in developing a monitoring-based commissioning (MBCx) process.
EMIS Field Evaluation Protocol Guidance
With the number of EMIS field validation projects growing, the EMIS Field Evaluation Protocol provides a standardized way to assess benefits. 

Reports

Energy Information Systems: State of the Technology and User Case Studies Report
The focus of this study is energy information systems, broadly defined as performance monitoring software, data acquisition hardware, and communication systems used to store, analyze, and display building energy data. 
Using EMIS to Identify Top Opportunities for Commercial Building Efficiency Report
This guide presents an overview of the top energy-savings opportunities in commercial buildings and shows how they can be identified using the type of interval meter analytics offered in EIS technologies or using the automated analytics offered in FDD systems.
A Primer on Organizational Use of Energy Management and Information Systems (EMIS) Report
This EMIS primer can be used as a first orienting step; it does not detail specific technology features, but instead provides a high-level overview of primary applications within each category.

Technical Assistance

Reporting Template: EMIS Field Evaluation Results Technical Assistance
This reporting template, which is a companion to the EMIS Field Evaluation Protocol, can be used to capture essential information from EMIS field evaluations.

Additional Information

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Prior research in energy information systems, including projects, publications, and presentations.

The Building Performance Tracking Handbook: Continuous Improvement for Every Building
A resource from the California Commissioning Collaborative regarding a comprehensive process for performance improvement, including the use of EMIS.

Sector Priorities

Meet the Technology Expert

Jessica Granderson is a Research Scientist and the Deputy of Research Programs for the Building Technology and Urban Systems Division at LBNL. She is a member of the Commercial Buildings research group. Her research focuses on building energy performance monitoring and diagnostics, and intelligent lighting controls. Jessica holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts in Mechanical Engineering from Harvard University. Jessica leads the Energy Information Management Systems Technology Research Team for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Alliance.