Cascap Inc.: Energy performance

Better Buildings Challenge Partners commit to decrease portfolio-wide source energy use intensity (EUI) and to increase the percent improvement compared to a set baseline. Cascap Inc. has improved its portfolio-wide energy performance by 16% from a 2013 baseline, making progress towards a goal of 20% by 2025. Energy savings were achieved by installing high efficiency condensing boilers for heat and hot water, variable speed motors for circulating pumps, and LED lighting in common areas. This work was partiaclly financed by the MA Low-income Energy Affordability Network (LEAN) program. Partner also completed solar hot water heating systems.

Multifamily property owners often face challenges in gathering whole building data for properties with large numbers of individual tenant-paid utility accounts. Through the Better Buildings Challenge, partners can demonstrate progress towards their savings goal by reporting two types of data: (1) whole-building energy use, including tenant-paid utilities, for at least 30 percent of their portfolio; and (2) owner-paid receipts (common areas only) for the remaining share of their portfolio. Cascap Inc.'s portfolio consists of 20 properties and more than 178,000 square feet, with whole-building data (both tenant-paid and owner-paid receipts) available for 96% of their portfolio.

This graph breaks out the portfolio's energy performance for properties with whole building energy use vs those with owner-paid receipts. The energy intensity for properties with whole-building data is much higher than those with owner-paid receipts, because it accounts for the significant use associated with tenant spaces.  Cascap Inc. has achieved 15.8% savings in properties with whole-building data and 12.7% in properties with owner-paid receipts.  

Looking at the percent improvement in energy performance across all properties can provide insight into how an organization is saving energy. Cascap Inc. has achieved energy performance improvement of greater than 6% at 12 of its properties. There are 5 properties that have experienced an increase in Source EUI. These properties have been targeted for future energy efficiency improvements.

Property-level energy performance metrics, including EUI and percent improvement to date, are critical to track progress over time and identify opportunities for additional energy savings. Cascap Inc.'s portfolio consists of properties with a wide range of baseline EUI values, most of which are from  60 to 140 kBtu/sq. ft. The majority of properties have shown energy improvement since 2013. The properties located near or below the 0% axis may present good opportunities for further savings.