Orlando, FL: Energy performance

Better Buildings Challenge Partners strive to decrease portfolio-wide source energy use intensity (EUI) and to increase the percent improvement compared to a set baseline. Orlando's portfolio consists of more than 60 buildings and 4 million square feet. The City has exceeded energy performance goals, achieving an 18% reduction from the 2011 baseline. The City initially committed to a goal of 20% EUI reduction and made strategic investments over the past ten years to achieve this notable result. Additionally, they worked closely with the Orlando Utility Commission to increase energy supplied from renewable sources. The City is striving to power all municipal buildings with 100% renewable energy from local sources by 2030.

To meet this goal, the City of Orlando team performed energy audits to determine priorities, 55 selected projects and managed the procurement and installation of energy-efficiency measures across a diverse portfolio. Projects included holistic LED lighting, HVAC replacement and smart building automation along with measurement and verification of results. The Amway Center, City Hall, several neighborhood centers, and X fire stations all received energy investments financed through a municipal bond. Along the way, the City of Orlando developed sustainable standards for new construction and solar readiness guidelines for municipal rooftops. The City of Orlando’s successful experience with the Better Building Challenge helped lay the groundwork for a new local stretch code aimed at commercial and multifamily building performance improvements. The City plans on continuing this effort to achieve a 50% reduction in municipal consumption by 2030. 
 

Looking at the percent improvement in energy performance across all facilities can provide insight into how an organization is saving energy. Orlando has achieved energy performance improvement of greater than 15% at more than 42 of its properties. There are 6 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. Orlando's portfolio consists of properties with a wide range of baseline EUI values, most of which are from 50 to 400 kBtu/sq. ft. The majority of properties have shown energy improvement since 2011. The properties located near or below the 0% axis may present good opportunities for further savings.