Building Energy Performance and Improvement Evaluation (BEPIE)

About the Course

Today, four states and thirty-nine municipalities have commercial building energy performance requirements, and the list is growing. There is also mounting regulatory and financial pressure to reduce building carbon footprints. Local Law 97 in New York City, for example, requires buildings over 25,000 square feet to meet energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission limits by 2024, with monetary penalties for exceeding defined threshholds. Government agencies, including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and HUD, have developed special programs focusing on building energy performance. There is no question that this is motivating commercial real estate owners, investors and their lenders to assess building energy efficiency. As such, the commercial real estate market today makes it especially important for prospective purchasers planning to buy a building to include energy performance in their due diligence process. ASTM E-3224 was developed to assist in this process.

This course will review the methodology to conduct a building energy performance (BEPIE) screen. The BEPIE will allow a building’s energy performance to be evaluated and compared to peer buildings. If under-performing compared to peers, potential energy improvements and the cost to achieve parity with peers would be determined. The methodology may be used independently or in conjunction with an E2018 property condition assessment (PCA) performed as part of pre-acquisition due diligence. All attendees will receive a certificate from ASTM acknowledging attendance at the course. In addition, attendees may choose to take a one-hour exam (optional). Those passing the exam will have their name listed in ASTM’s on-line registry.

This ASTM Zoom training course (conducted over four days from 10 am to 3 pm) will review the methodology to conduct a BEPIE screening assessment in conjunction with a property condition assessment (PCA) performed as part of pre-acquisition due diligence. The methodology will enable you to evaluate a building's energy performance and compare it to peer buildings. If under-performing compared to peers, the methodology will enable you to evaluate potential energy improvements and their cost in order to achieve parity with peers.

Module 1

• Introductions/Course Agenda
• Driving Forces for Building Energy Performance Improvement
• Objective and Overview
• Key Terminology
• Applicability and Exclusions
• Building Data Collection (e.g., PCA)
• Observing energy consuming equipment
• Equipment Photo(s)
• Equipment Operation Schematics
• Energy Efficiency Metrics
• EUL
• Reporting

Module 2

• Collecting Energy Consumption Data
• Building utility data
• Public Disclosure Data
• Evaluating Representativeness
• Managing Incomplete Data
• Addressing Parking Areas
• Benchmarking against Peer Buildings
• Peer Group Selection
• DOE Building Performance Database
• EPA ENERGY STAR Database
• Benchmarking Against Peers
• Energy Efficiency Improvements
• Identifying potential building improvements using PCA results
• Identifying high energy efficiency metrics for improvements

Module 3

• Estimating Energy Consumption Savings for Improvements
• Determining Percent Energy Savings
• Estimating End-use Energy Consumption
• Determining Energy Consumption Savings
• Estimating Energy Consumption Associated With End-uses
• CBECS data
• RECS data
• CEUS data
• Other
• Applicability and Exclusions

Module 4

• Potential Water Saving Measures in Multifamily Properties
• Water-saving measure calculations
• Water savings
• Energy-savings
• Estimating end-use consumption
• Estimating Probable Cost of Improvements
• Sources for estimating cost
• Updating costs
• Adjusting costs for different locations
• Producing a Building Energy Performance (BEPIE) Report
• Incorporating BEPIE Results in PCA Property Due Diligence
• Illustrative Case Study (Step-by-Step Summary)
• Exam (Optional, Calculator Needed)

Learning Outcomes

You will learn:

• The market forces driving building energy performance assessment
• The steps in conducting a BEPIE pre-acquisition screen
• BEPIE's data collection requirements
• The major building components that consume energy and how they operate
• Determining a building's normalized energy use intensity
• Benchmarking a building’s energy performance against peers
• Identifying potential energy improvement measures
• Estimating the energy consumption of major building end-uses, e.g., heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, etc.
• Calculating the energy savings associated with energy efficiency improvements
• Estimating the cost of energy saving measures
• Incorporating BEPIE results into the due diligence process.

Who Should Attend

• Property Condition Assessment Consultants
• Property Due Diligence Service Providers
• Commercial Building Owners and Investors
• Commercial Property Lenders
• Commercial Real Estate Attorneys
• Energy Service Professionals
• Energy Auditors

Fee Includes

• ASTM Standard
• Course notes
• Case studies
• Certificate of Completion
• 1.6 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
• Additionally, participants choosing to take and pass the exam will be listed on the ASTM registry

About the Instructor

Anthony Buonicore, P.E., BCEE, QEP is Chairman and Director of Engineering at Sustainable Real Estate Solutions, Inc. (SRS). Mr. Buonicore previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Buonicore Partners, Inc. (BP), an energy and environmental risk management consulting firm. He is a past president and Fellow Member of the Air & Waste Management Association, a Senior Member of the Association of Energy Engineers, a Diplomat in the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and a licensed professional engineer. Mr. Buonicore has been practicing in the industry for more than 45 years and chairs ASTM’s Building Energy Performance Assessment Task Group. He holds both a bachelor's and master's degree in chemical engineering from Manhattan College.

About Sponsoring Committee

ASTM standards have grown to be among the world's most widely used and accepted documents. Recognizing the need for authoritative site assessment standards, ASTM pulled together environmental professionals, real estate and insurance professionals, lawyers, and government representatives. These members of ASTM Committee E50 and its Subcommittee E50.02 on Commercial Real Estate Transactions developed the standard upon which this course is based. For more information on Committee E50 contact Molly Lynak or go to our E50 technical committee page.

On-Site Training Available

ASTM can bring this course to your site! On-site training courses can also be tailored to meet your specific needs. For more information, please contact sales here or call 1-877-909-ASTM.

How Learning Will Be Assessed

Learning will be assessed through a series of question and answer sessions. Successful completion of the examination will result in being listed on the registry

Questions About This Training Course

For information on this training course, please contact Training

Early Bird Discount

ASTM automatically applies a discount of 10% when participants register 60 days prior to the start of the class.
*After the early bird period expires, registrations are subject to standard pricing.

ASTM In-Person Event COVID Guidelines

To view ASTM's In-Person Event COVID Guidelines please click here.

Class materials will be provided digitally. Personal devices are recommended when attending in person training events.