Measure:
How do I track my green progress?
While the successful execution of an environmental program is a major feat, the ability to measure the impact of that program is where the real profit lies. Typically, companies have trouble defining and capturing the required data sources necessary to track improvements resulting from their environmental programs.
To support this challenge, ICF works with clients to develop:
- Green Program Tracking and Reporting
- Green Program Performance Analysis
- Energy and Environmental Forecasting
- Energy Efficiency Modeling
Green Program Tracking and Reporting
ICF works with clients to track and report both their energy usage data and environmental impact data. Time series reporting, over a period of months or years, is critical to demonstrating and substantiating a reduction in use (emissions) and ensuring that data is readily availably in a timely manner and in the right format. It is an essential component of successfully measuring performance.
ICF supports clients with the data aggregation and reporting function which, depending on the sophistication of the client’s system(s), can vary from being largely automated to mostly manual. ICF can manage the data aggregation (through a common data store or warehouse) as well as the reporting of results, in various formats, with distribution to various internal and external stakeholders.
Green Program Performance Analysis
Beyond just gathering and organizing the data, analyzing program performance is critical. Analyzing trending results, net impacts, program effectiveness, permit compliance (if applicable), and ultimately return on investment (ROI) is critical to better demonstrate and quantify the effect of programs on energy reduction and environmental performance. ICF can work with existing client analytics teams, or independently, to develop and manage this analysis.
Energy and Environmental Forecasting
Based on the results and impact of the various performance improvement programs, it is also important to be able to forecast future consumption and spending and the anticipated results of ongoing programs. As companies grow and expand, their businesses, needs, and requirements continue to evolve. ICF has worked with numerous companies to predict the impact of their growth and organizational changes successfully as they relate to energy consumption and environmental sustainability, working with clients to continually revise programs and policies annually to maintain a desired level of program performance.
Energy Efficiency Modeling
ICF has extensive experience assessing energy performance and savings for technologies and buildings. This experience ranges from providing simple assessments, such as spreadsheet calculations, to very detailed energy modeling simulations for the residential and commercial buildings sectors. ICF also has extensive experience in creating sophisticated and easy-to-use software tools for clients to predict the energy and demand savings potential of their programs.