SUSTAINABLE ENERGY STANDARDS
Sustainable energy standards are everywhere
Around the world, many companies are required to report on sustainable energy use. Whether driven by a national regulation, corporate policy, or local incentive program, sustainable energy standards are everywhere.
While each standard has different reporting requirements, the role of an Energy Management System (EMS) is the same: to collect, process and report on the required data. Below, you’ll find a summary of common sustainable energy standards along with an analysis of the EMS requirements for each one.
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NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System)
An Australian program for rating the environmental performance of buildings. It spans offices, hotels, shopping centres, data centres and apartments, with separate ratings for energy, water, waste, and indoor environment quality. NABERS Energy ratings (1–6 stars) are widely used for commercial offices. An EMS platform is required to acquire & process the data for NABERS reports.
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Measures operational performance of buildings. NABERS provides a benchmark comparison of a building’s energy use (or water, etc.) against peers, normalizing for factors like climate and hours. The aim is to drive energy efficiency improvements in operation
NABERS Energy has driven ~30% energy reduction across Australian offices over two decades.
Largely voluntary, but with some mandatory elements. NABERS began as a voluntary program. By 2012 about 60% of Australian office space had voluntarily obtained NABERS Energy ratings.
Certain uses have since been mandated. For example, under Australia’s Commercial Building Disclosure law, owners must obtain a NABERS Energy rating and disclose it when selling or leasing office space >1000 m².
Over 11,500 NABERS ratings were conducted last year. Approximately 75% of Australia’s office market (by floor area) has been rated under NABERS. The scheme has issued tens of thousands of ratings since inception and has over 2,000 accredited assessors. Participation includes nearly all major office buildings (due to mandatory disclosure) and growing use in other sectors like shopping centers and hospitals.
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Data quality: NABERS requires 12 months of measured data for the period being rated. Energy data must be drawn from utility meters or accurate sub-meters. All significant energy sources (e.g. grid electricity, on-site fuel use) must be included; if more than 20% of a building’s energy use is unmeasured, a rating cannot be achieved. Meters should be calibrated and accurate according to the NABERS reference standards. Data gaps or anomalies must be managed per the NABERS rules, and assessors must validate the metering configuration.
Report formats: The NABERS rating is calculated using the NABERS online tool or NABERS Perform software. The assessor submits an application which generates a NABERS certificate (showing the star rating and annual performance metrics). Supporting documentation (meter readings, utility bills, occupancy details) is kept by the assessor. The reporting format is a standardized online form – after approval, the building owner receives a formal certificate and report.
Reporting frequency: NABERS certificates are valid for 12 months. Participants typically update their rating annually to maintain a current certification. Building owners are encouraged to continuously monitor performance internally. Many organizations integrate NABERS into annual sustainability reporting cycles.
Data types required: Depends on rating type. For NABERS Energy (Office), required data include total energy (kWh) and fuel use over the year (e.g. natural gas, diesel in kWh or MJ), the portion of that energy attributable to base building vs tenancy (if relevant), floor area (net lettable area), weekly operating hours, and occupancy levels. Other NABERS tools (eg: for data centers) require IT load vs infrastructure energy, etc. All data are input as aggregate annual values (with some allowance for exclusion of unusual loads per the rules).
Submission process: Only accredited NABERS Assessors can submit ratings. The process is done through the NABERS online portal: the assessor conducts a site visit, collects meter data and evidence, performs calculations per the rules, then lodges the rating online. The NABERS National Administrator reviews the submission. Typically, a small percentage of submissions are audited by NABERS each year for quality assurance.
NCC (Australia’s National Construction Code)
The National Construction Code (NCC) sets mandatory minimum energy efficiency provisions for new buildings (Classes 3–9, i.e. commercial, multi-residential, public buildings). Since NCC 2019, it includes Section J8: “Facilities for Energy Monitoring,” which requires large new buildings to incorporate an energy monitoring system.
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The code’s intent is to enable building owners/operators to detect excessive energy consumption and maintain efficiency over time.
It is a legal requirement in the building code. Compliance is required for building approval. All new construction (or major refurbishments) of applicable building classes must include EMS capabilities.
All new large commercial buildings in Australia from 2019 onward must comply and include these systems.
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Data quality: The NCC requires the use of energy meters capable of recording time-of-use consumption. Buildings >500 m² must have at least a main meter for total electricity and gas use
Report formats: The energy data must be collected to a “single interface” where it can be stored, analyzed and reviewed by building managers
Meters must record interval data (time-of-use), typically in 15-minute intervals or hourly. The system should log data continuously and retain it for operator access. There is no periodic report to authorities after construction; however, building operators are expected to use the EMS data routinely to detect issues.
Data types required: Electric energy consumption is the primary focus: total building kWh and disaggregated kWh by HVAC, interior lighting, exterior lighting, appliance (general) power, central hot water, elevators/escalators, and other ancillary systems
Submission process: Compliance is demonstrated via design documentation and final commissioning. Designers must include the specified meters in electrical/plumbing plans. At completion, the builder provides evidence (meter schedules, BMS screenshots) to the building certifier that the system is in place.
NGER (Australia’s National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme)
A nationwide mandatory reporting scheme for large corporations in Australia. Under the NGER Act 2007, companies that exceed specified thresholds must report their annual greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and energy production. An EMS is essential for acquiring and processing the energy data.
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NGER’s focus is on accuracy and completeness of emissions and energy data to inform government policy. It covers Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (electricity) emissions, plus energy consumed and generated.
It is required by law for entities meeting thresholds. Corporations that produce or use over 200 TJ of energy or emit over 50,000 tons of CO2 must register and report.
Approximately 900 companies reported under NGER for the most recent year.
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Data quality: NGER requires adherence to the NGER Measurement Determination, a detailed rulebook on how to measure or calculate emissions and energy
Report formats: Reporting is done via the Emissions and Energy Reporting System (EERS), an online portal
Reporting frequency: Annually, based on the Australian financial year (July 1 – June 30). Reports are due by October 31 each year for the previous year’s data.
Data types: Both energy and emissions:
Energy consumption in TJ, by fuel type (e.g. natural gas, diesel, electricity purchased, etc.).
Energy production in TJ (e.g. electricity generated and sold, renewable energy generated).
Scope 1 GHG emissions in tonnes CO₂, CH₄, N₂O (and certain synthetic gases if applicable) for each source
Scope 2 emissions in tonnes CO₂e for purchased electricity.
Activity metrics like fuel quantity (kiloliters of diesel, tonnes of coal) are implicitly reported through energy content.
Facility identifiers and industry sector codes.
Submission process: Companies must register under NGER upon exceeding thresholds. Each year, they gather data from all operations. Many establish an internal team or assign an “NGER Coordinator” who collects spreadsheets from each facility or taps into metering systems. The coordinator consolidates this into the EERS input format. The corporation’s responsible officer submits the report through the EERS web portal.
LGC Reporting (Australia’s Large-Scale Generation Certificates)
Part of Australia’s Renewable Energy Target, Large-Scale Generation Certificates (LGCs) are instruments representing 1 MWh of renewable electricity from accredited large renewable power stations. LGC reporting is typically provided by an EMS.
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LGC reporting ensures that each MWh of renewable generation is accounted for and only counted once. The system underpins the Renewable Energy Target (RET) – verifying renewable output and obligating fossil energy purchasers to offset with certificates.
Participation is partly voluntary (developers choose to accredit and create LGCs for revenue) and partly mandated (electricity retailers must comply.
As of 2023, roughly 900 accredited power stations are in the LGC scheme (ranging from wind and solar farms to hydro plants) – each must report generation to create LGCs.
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Data quality: LGC creation requires accurately metered generation data. Each accredited power station must have revenue-grade electricity meters logging output in at least 30-minute intervals
Report formats: Generators report via the REC Registry online portal. They input generation readings based on interval data files.
Reporting frequency: Generators can create LGCs as frequently as monthly (some do quarterly or yearly). All LGCs for a given year’s generation must be created by December 31 of the following year
Data types: Electrical energy in MWh (net export to grid) for the accredited renewable generator. If the station co-fires biomass or has multiple fuels, detailed fuel data (tonnes, energy content, etc.) must be reported to prove renewable portion
Submission process: Generators: log in to REC Registry, enter generation data under their accredited power station account, and hit “Create LGCs”
ASHRAE 90.1 (US Energy Standard for Buildings)
A technical standard specifying minimum energy-efficient design requirements for new buildings (commercial and multi-family over 3 stories, and other non-residential buildings). For larger buildings, it requires using an EMS to monitor the energy use by end use including HVAC and lighting. ASHRAE 90.1 is used primarily in the United States and is also adopted or referenced in many other countries as a baseline for building energy codes.
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The focus of ASHRAE 90.1 is prescriptive criteria (R-values, equipment efficiencies, lighting power densities, etc.) and performance modeling methods to ensure new buildings are built to a certain efficiency level.
As an ANSI/ASHRAE/IES standard it’s voluntary by itself. However, its impact is huge: effectively millions of new and renovated buildings have been designed to meet ASHRAE 90.1 criteria since it is embedded in building codes.
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While 90.1 is a design standard, it has provisions that entail implementing EMS capabilities in the building:
Data quality: ASHRAE 90.1 requires metering of energy by end-use in larger buildings. For example, 90.1-2013/2016 mandate that buildings over 25,000 ft² have permanently installed meters to track at least total building electricity, HVAC system energy, interior and exterior lighting separately, plug loads, etc.
Report formats: ASHRAE 90.1 requires that the metering system be capable of recording and storing interval data and providing reports of hourly, daily, monthly, annual consumption for each measured end-use
Reporting frequency: Continuous monitoring with minimum 15-minute intervals for large tenants
Data types: Energy usage by major end-use category (lighting, HVAC, receptacle circuits, etc.)
Submission process: Compliance is verified by design drawings and specifications showing the required sub-meters and EMS capabilities, and by commissioning tests. During design, engineers must include a metering plan in the construction documents to meet 90.1’s metering provisions. The authority having jurisdiction (code official) reviews plans for compliance. After installation, a commissioning agent or contractor functionally tests that the meters are working and logging data. There’s typically a requirement that the owner be given documentation on how to access the data..
SGIP (California Self-Generation Incentive Program)
A state-level incentive program in California (USA) for customer-sited distributed energy resources. SGIP provides rebates for behind-the-meter systems like battery energy storage, fuel cells, wind turbines, and other self-generation tech at both residential and non-residential sites. Energy data is gathered by an EMS which is managed by a certified SGIP Performance Data Provider (PDP). As a certified SGIP-PDP, AZZO can continuously monitor and submit your SGIP data.
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The primary focus of SGIP is on energy storage systems and making sure they reduce peak demand and greenhouse gases. The program has both up-front incentives and performance-based incentives, thus it tracks how systems operate post-installation.
It is voluntary participation. Customers participate to get rebates. However, once enrolled, they must comply with SGIP’s rules (including monitoring and reporting) to receive and retain the incentive. It’s essentially a contractual obligation tied to the rebate rather than a law.
SGIP has supported thousands of projects with over 10,000 energy storage systems deployed via SGIP, totaling hundreds of megawatts.
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Data quality: Systems ≥30 kW must install a performance meter meeting accuracy standards.
Report formats: The SGIP-Performance Data Provider (SGIP-PDP) transmits monthly meter data reports to the SGIP administrators in a CSV or XML format. The SGIP Handbook defines the file format and intervals for these reports
Reporting frequency: Monthly data submission for 5 years. Data is recorded in 15-minute intervals.
Data types: For generation: kWh generated each interval. For storage: kWh discharged and charged. For fuel-based systems: fuel input and exhaust emissions data if required. The PDP data stream typically includes timestamp, energy and any flags for data gaps.
Submission process: The SGIP-PDP submits the report on behalf of the end customer
California Title 24 Energy Standards (Building Energy Efficiency Standards)
Title 24 sets mandatory energy efficiency requirements for all new construction and significant alterations to residential and non-residential buildings within California. It applies statewide and is implemented through local building codes enforced by city and county authorities. Key requirements are that all non-residential buildings must have a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and that metering must be installed on major buildings loads. An EMS is required to manage the BESS and the metering.
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Title 24 aims to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy demand, and lower greenhouse gas emissions by specifying minimum design standards for building envelopes, HVAC, lighting, water heating, and electrical power distribution. It emphasizes both design efficiency and operational energy use through mandatory requirements, performance-based modeling, and prescriptive paths.
Compliance is mandatory for all applicable construction and renovation projects. Non-compliance can result in denied occupancy permits or construction approval.
Every new residential and commercial building project in California, as well as major renovations, must comply. Tens of thousands of projects annually statewide must meet Title 24 compliance requirements.
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Data quality: Mandates installation of accurate, utility-grade meters and sub-meters to monitor major building loads (HVAC, lighting, plug loads). Requires periodic calibration and verification of meter accuracy.
Report Formats: Reports are not required as part of the standard
Data Types: Building-level and sub-system energy consumption (electricity and gas usage) including:
HVAC system operational data, lighting system operation, controls functionality, and renewable energy generation metrics (if applicable).
Must be able to monitor the BESS when installed.
Environmental data (temperature, occupancy, weather) required for accurate energy modeling and performance verification.
NABERS UK
Applies to office buildings across the UK (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland). It provides a performance-based energy efficiency rating (1–6 stars) for operational office energy use. Requires an EMS to monitor and report on the various energy end uses in a building.
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Similar to NABERS Australia, NABERS UK targets improved operational energy efficiency to support net-zero carbon goals.
It is currently voluntary, though increasingly adopted. There is no UK law mandating NABERS UK, but market and investor pressure drive uptake. Future UK regulations may incorporate energy performance disclosure, making such ratings quasi-mandatory.
By 2023, over 150 design-for-performance agreements for new buildings had been signed, and leading property owners like British Land, Landsec, and Grosvenor committed portfolios to NABERS UK. Participation is growing but still in the hundreds of buildings as the scheme gains traction.
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Data quality: Requires 12 continuous months of measured energy data for the building. Data must cover at least the minimum “energy coverage” – e.g. ≥80% of floor area’s energy use must be metered to be eligible for a rating. Only utility-grade meters or validated sub-meter data are accepted, and any unusual loads or exclusions must follow strict rules.
Report formats: Data is input by an accredited NABERS Assessor into the online rating platform. The output is a certified star rating certificate and report. The rating is valid for 12 months. Supporting documentation (utility bills, occupancy surveys, etc.) must be collected by the assessor for audit purposes.
Reporting frequency: Ratings use a 12-month period and can be renewed annually. There is no recurring compliance report to regulators since the scheme is voluntary, but many building owners choose to update the rating each year to track performance.
Data types required: Metered energy consumption by source (electricity, gas, etc.) for base building and/or whole building, as well as floor area, hours of occupancy, and occupancy density (for certain rating types). NABERS UK also uses standardized occupancy surveys for offices to normalize energy intensity metrics.
Submission process: Via the NABERS UK Lodgement Portal by an accredited assessor. The assessor validates and uploads the 12-month energy data, answers quality assurance questions, and submits to CIBSE Certification for certificate issuance. A sample of ratings undergo audit to ensure quality control.
ENERGY STAR For Buildings (Portfolio Manager & Certification)
ENERGY STAR for buildings covers commercial buildings and industrial plants, providing an energy performance score (1–100) using the EPA’s Portfolio Manager software. It also certifies top-performing buildings (score ≥75) as “ENERGY STAR Certified.” While U.S.-centric, Portfolio Manager is also used in Canada and elsewhere for benchmarking. The focus is on existing building operations.
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ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager normalizes for climate, operating hours, occupancy, etc., and generates a percentile score. A score of 50 is median energy performance; 75+ qualifies for certification as high efficiency. The program aims to encourage energy savings by publicly recognizing efficient buildings and providing a simple metric for comparison.
It is voluntary. Any building owner can choose to benchmark and pursue ENERGY STAR certification. However, in practice, it has involuntary aspects: many U.S. cities and states have mandatory energy benchmarking laws requiring owners to report their building’s energy data via ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager is used to track energy use in over 25% of U.S. commercial floor space.
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Data quality: Building owners must input 12 consecutive months of energy usage for all fuels. Data can be entered manually from utility bills or electronically. For certification, a licensed professional (engineer or architect) must verify that the entered energy data and building attributes are correct.
Report formats: Applicants submit a report to the online application which includes the data verification form signed by the professional.
Reporting frequency: To maintain the ENERGY STAR certification, a building must reapply each year with the latest 12-month data (the certification is only valid for the year it was earned). Owners often update monthly to monitor performance. Some cities require public disclosure of the annual ENERGY STAR score.
Data types: Monthly consumption of all energy: electrical, natural gas or other fuel, district energy (steam, chilled water), on-site renewables, etc. The tool also collects operational parameters: gross floor area, weekly operating hours, number of occupants or beds (for hospitals, hotels), number of PCs (for offices), etc., depending on building type
Submission process: Users maintain a Portfolio Manager account and property profile.
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) reporting is an umbrella term that covers various accounting programs for renewable electricity usage via certificates in all regions around the world.
REC Reporting (Renewable Energy Certificates)
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RECs are the instrument used to track renewable generation and ownership. REC reporting focuses on preventing double-counting and verifying that a given amount of green power was produced and assigned to a user. It underpins claims like “100% renewable electricity” in sustainability reports by requiring that for every MWh claimed, an equivalent REC is retired. The focus is transparency and credibility in renewable energy consumption claims.
In some jurisdictions, entities are required to obtain and report RECs to regulators, typically annually. In the U.S. for example, 29 states have a mandatory REC program.
Other arrangements are voluntary. For example, over 300 companies in RE100 commit to 100% renewable electricity, using RECs or equivalents as the mechanism.
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Data quality: EMS must deliver accurate, complete, and auditable data on renewable energy generation. This typically includes accurate metering, automated validation to catch errors, and secure, traceable records. The EMS should enable easy data transfer to REC registries and auditors.
Report formats: Generators submit annual compliance reports to regulators detailing how many RECs were retired to meet the mandate, often broken down by resource type and year.
Reporting frequency: Compliance reports are annual. Some programs require more frequent updates (e.g. quarterly REC procurement reports in certain U.S. states).
Data types: Number of RECs (usually denominated in MWh) by vintage (year of generation) and source type. Emission factors are often applied to show the avoided grid emissions.
Submission process:Generators retire required RECs in the regional registry by the deadline, then submit a compliance report to the regulator.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
LEED is a green building certification system applied internationally to buildings and spaces. It has rating systems for Building Design & Construction (BD+C) for new buildings and Building Operations & Maintenance (O+M) for existing buildings. LEED covers a broad range of sustainability categories (site, water, energy, materials, indoor environment). Installing an EMS to manage the the energy increases the score for certification.
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LEED (especially LEED BD+C) focuses on modeled energy efficiency (earning points for energy cost savings vs. a baseline).
LEED certification is voluntary. However, certain jurisdictions and organizations have made it effectively mandatory for their projects (e.g., many U.S. federal buildings must aim for LEED, some city codes give benefits for LEED, etc.). But as a program, it’s a market-driven voluntary standard.
As of 2023, over 105,000 projects have been LEED certified across 185 countries.
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LEED includes specific requirements that either mandate or reward EMS usage:
Data quality: LEED BD+C (New Construction) has a Building-Level Energy Metering prerequisite. All energy sources (electricity, gas, steam, etc.) must be metered at the whole-building level,
Report formats: In LEED O+M, projects must submit at least 12 months of actual energy usage data (often in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager format or similar) as part of the certification
Reporting frequency: Ongoing/continuous. In the U.S., LEED certification includes a commitment to share energy data with USGBC for 5 years on at least an annual basis
Data types: All forms of building energy use: electricity, onsite renewable production, gas, delivered fuels, and district energy. The Advanced Metering credit specifically says all significant energy end-uses representing >10% of total consumption must have advanced sub-meters
ISO 50001 (Energy Management Systems)
A global standard for energy management systems, applicable to any organization (industry, commercial, institutional, etc.) worldwide. ISO 50001 provides a framework for managing energy performance including all forms of energy consumption within the organization’s scope.
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The standard uses a Plan-Do-Check-Act management system approach (similar to ISO 9001/14001) to help organizations systematically optimize energy use.
ISO 50001 is not mandated by law, though some jurisdictions give it legal weight – for example, the EU EED allows ISO 50001 in lieu of mandatory audits.
ISO 50001 has seen steady growth. By 2020 there were nearly 20,000 organizations certified worldwide.
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Data quality: Organizations must establish an energy review, identifying energy sources and uses, and determine a baseline. This entails gathering accurate data on energy consumption (e.g. utility bills, sub-meter readings) and relevant variables (production output, weather, operating hours)
Report formats: There is no one external report format – instead, ISO 50001 organizations document their EnMS processes. Internally, they maintain records such as an energy policy, objectives and targets, action plans, energy performance indicators (EnPIs), and audit reports. Many ISO 50001 adopters produce an annual energy performance report for top management (as part of the required management review) which evaluates progress against targets
Reporting frequency: ISO 50001 operates on a continual improvement cycle. Key activities include regular monitoring of energy use and annual management reviews
Data types required: All energy carriers used by the organization (electricity, fuels, thermal energy, etc.), quantified in appropriate units (kWh, MJ, etc.). The standard specifically calls for identifying Significant Energy Uses (SEUs) – major energy-consuming processes or equipment – and tracking performance metrics for those. Organizations define Energy Performance Indicators (EnPIs) relevant to their operations (for example, a factory might track kWh/ton of output as a key EnPI)
Submission process: To become ISO 50001 certified, an organization goes through an audit by an accredited certifier. This involves submitting documentation (energy policy, procedures, records of energy data and improvements) to the auditor and facilitating on-site audits where evidence (meter data, logs, operational controls) is examined. After initial certification, organizations maintain an internal EMS with ongoing data collection and improvements. They submit to periodic external audits to keep the certificate. In the EU, organizations may notify the regulator of ISO 50001 certification and thereby skip separate audit submissions.
Solutions
While each of the sustainable energy standards above has its own unique aspects, they all require ongoing energy monitoring and reporting. An EMS platform is the essential tool that provides this functionality.
An EMS not not helps ensure compliance but also supports continuous improvement in energy efficiency and sustainability.
EnergyX® IoT Platform
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Monitor, control & report on your site’s energy, water, gas and steam usage.
Built-in reports for sustainability, power quality, energy usage, cost allocation and more. Custom reports for any need.
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Integrate Building Management Systems and Industrial Control Systems to ensure full energy context and KPI tracking
Connect to external data such as weather, pricing and enterprise data.
Support for all IoT protocols, MODBUS, OCPP and OPC.
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We use ION Power meters, the most accurate & intelligent power meters available, measuring thousands of power quality and energy variables and transmitting them to the EnergyX platform.
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For non-critical loads or circuits, we supply basic meters that provide all the necessary measurements to support energy and electrification management
Electrical Metering
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AZZO works with you to asses, define, design, engineer, procure and commission the EnergyX solution
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We’ll ensure you get the most from your energy assets over the long term with services to expand, enhance and extend your system
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With a support contract from AZZO, you are assured that your energy management system will always be performing at its peak.