TA-23-C005 – An EEM by Any Other Name: Best Practices for Naming Energy Efficiency Measures

Energy efficiency measures (EEMs) are the fundamental unit of building performance improvement and play an essential role in both energy modeling and energy auditing. However, there is currently no standard approach for naming EEMs, and practitioners often take a custom approach on a project-by-project basis. This makes it difficult to communicate the intent and scope of an EEM clearly and consistently, and to compare EEM effectiveness across projects and programs. This study builds on work from ASHRAE 1836-RP: Developing a standardized categorization system for energy efficiency measures, which identified common problems and desirable features in EEM names. The goal of this study is to develop a set of best practices for naming EEMs and to demonstrate a methodology for applying them to any set of measures. First, the results from 1836-RP were synthesized into four best practices and eight common errors. Then, a methodology for evaluating measures according to these best practices was developed and applied to a set of water conservation measures (WCMs). The results showed that while many WCMs followed at least one of the best practices, most also made at least one common error. Key recommendations include reducing the variety of verbs used, incorporating a building element into each WCM, minimizing wordiness, and ensuring that measures are actionable. The results from this study provide guidance for practicing energy auditors, energy modelers, and software and data tool developers about developing measure names for effective communication and data exchange.