Assess

Free or subsidized assessment resources may be available for certain building types, locations, or project conditions. These services may not be tailored to long-term capital planning, but they can provide a helpful starting point for understanding building performance and identifying near-term opportunities.

Mass Save Energy Assessments & Technical Assistance

Professional Services

Why this is important: Mass Save services designed to uncover energy-saving opportunities and guide you on your path to lower costs and emissions.

Published July 28, 2026

Benchmarking and third-party verification may be required for many properties in Massachusetts. If benchmarking has not been completed or verified, include this scope as part of the assessment process. Verification helps ensure that building data, performance metrics, and compliance targets are accurate.

A high-level investigation, such as a walkthrough audit, can be a useful starting point when resources are limited or when the owner is not ready to procure a comprehensive building performance plan. This type of support can help benchmark performance, identify low- and no-cost energy savings measures, assess visible system conditions, and prioritize next steps for planned equipment replacements.

A comprehensive plan can later build on the findings from a walkthrough audit.

A regulatory review can help determine how applicable Building Performance Standards, benchmarking requirements, energy codes, or other local policies may affect the building. This support may be especially useful when policy requirements are complex, compliance status is unclear, or the building may need a long-term strategy to meet future targets.

Professional support may include an energy consultant, policy expert, attorney, engineer, compliance specialist, or owner’s representative.

A building financial review can help connect technical recommendations with available resources, funding requirements, and long-term capital planning. This support may include reviewing current budgets, reserve funds, planned capital expenditures, financing options, incentive eligibility, and project phasing considerations.

Professional support may include an energy consultant, financial advisor, owner’s representative, property manager, lender, tax advisor, or incentive program representative.

This support may be especially useful when funding sources need to be layered, reserves are limited, improvements are being coordinated with refinancing or major capital work, incentive applications require technical documentation, or the owner needs help comparing phasing, payback, lifecycle costs, and financing options.

A comprehensive building performance plan provides a more complete roadmap for improving energy performance, reducing emissions, supporting compliance, and coordinating upgrades with capital planning. This scope may include benchmarking review, system assessment, energy analysis, emissions projections, cost estimating, financing considerations, regulatory alignment, and phased implementation planning.

Pricing for major equipment replacements or performance upgrades will often need to be developed by a contractor, engineer, cost estimator, or energy services professional. This scope should be included when the owner needs reliable cost information to support capital planning, financing, incentive applications, or decision-making.

Establishing a performance baseline is critical for measuring progress over time and comparing a building’s performance against similar properties. A strong starting point is to gather data and use nationally recognized benchmarking platforms such as ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. In many jurisdictions, benchmarking is required for certain building types and may be tied to broader policies such as Building Performance Standards (BPS).

Benchmarking data typically includes:

When establishing a baseline:

Check out The Building Energy Hub’s Benchmark Your Building’s Energy Use and GHG Emissions page for more information.

Building owners should analyze and interpret the benchmarking results and compare the building’s current energy use and emissions against applicable local requirements, such as BERDO in Boston, or other state or municipal performance standards. 

Energy benchmarking in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager generates a performance rating from 1-100. A score of 50 is the national median, while 75 or higher means your building performs better than 75% of the similar buildings nationwide. You can also compare your building’s EUI or CEI results to other buildings or a national score to determine how well your building is performing. 

Use these comparisons to identify whether the building is currently on track, approaching a compliance threshold, or likely to need improvements over time.

Use these Boston BERDO sources for carbon emissions comparison against a standard benchmark.

This assessment process gives owners an iInitial understanding of building systems, begins to identify low-cost high-value improvement opportunities, and creates an equipment planned replacement timeline.

Consider and record factors such as: 

• Building Profile: Age, size, and typology can influence what performance improvements are feasible. Building typology also affects baseline performance, common failure points, and the complexity of electrification or envelope improvements. 
• Whole Building Performance & Assessments: Previous energy audits, emissions audits, and capital needs assessments (CNA) provide valuable baseline information about building performance and system conditions. 
• Building Systems: Evaluate all systems and equipment that consume energy, which usually includes heating, cooling, ventilation, domestic hot water, lighting, and other equipment. Collecting information such as equipment type, fuel source, installation date, maintenance history, and known issues can help inform long-term capital planning, prioritize upgrades, and identify opportunities to improve energy performance and occupant comfort.
• Operations & Maintenance Practices: Even efficient systems cannot perform optimally without effective day-to-day management. Buildings that are well maintained but still operating inefficiently may present opportunities for system upgrades or operational improvements. Include records of regular inspection, cleaning, and tuning of equipment. 

Pro Tip: Be sure to use data not assumptions. Also helpful is to conduct a Night Walk to see what is running unnecessarily all night long wasting energy and money.

Even efficient systems cannot perform optimally without effective day-to-day management. Buildings that are well maintained but still operating inefficiently may present opportunities for system upgrades or operational improvements. Regular inspection, cleaning, and tuning of equipment such as heating, cooling, and ventilation systems can improve performance, extend equipment life, and help prevent costly breakdowns.

Many low-cost, high-impact measures can be implemented immediately and with assistance from Mass Save or through their qualified vendors. If any of the following areas are identified in the self-guided evaluation, prioritize their implementation. 

Lighting efficiency upgrades and lighting controls

Do you have outdated fluorescent fixtures or bulbs in any of your commonly used spaces? Consider upgrading to LED lights to reduce energy consumption and improve the quality of your space.

Are lights being left on when spaces are not in use or have access to daylight? Consider adding occupancy sensors and daylight sensors.

Visit Mass Save | Lighting Controls

Tech Primer: LED Lighting Retrofits

Guides & How Tos

Why this is important: Introduction to LED lighting and their benefits: improved quality of light, extended lifespan of bulbs, increased utility savings, less maintenance.

Published July 10, 2019

Controls for fan and pump motors

Do your fans or pumps have antiquated motors and controls? Consider adding VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) controls.

Visit Mass Save | Building & HVAC Controls

BetterBricks Pumps and Motors

Guides & How Tos

Why this is important: Offers an accessible introductory understanding of smart pumps, which includes a video, benefits list, additional resources, FAQs, and case studies.

Published July 28, 2026

HVAC tuning, controls, and retro-commissioning

Has it been several years since your building HVAC controls were tuned up? Do you have manual or non-programmable thermostats? Consider having a commissioning agent or controls contractor review and upgrade your controls.

Visit Mass Save | Building & HVAC Controls 

Building Innovation Hub: Retro-Commissioning Our Way To Compliance

Guides & How Tos

Published July 28, 2026

Building enclosure repairs

Do you have drafts or leaks in or around your doors, windows, walls, or roof? Do you have ice dams or other evidence of poor insulation? Consider air sealing and inspecting your insulation. If windows and doors are well past their useful life, repair major failures and prioritize their replacement as part of your plan. 

Visit Mass Save | Building Insulation & Weatherization

Tech Primer: Roof Insulation

Guides & How Tos

Why this is important: Roof insulation plays a role in moderating indoor temperature. Upgrading insulation improves building lifespan, and lowers operating costs.

Published June 1, 2021

Key considerations should include trigger events and enabling actions that minimize the chance for costly reactive decisions, stranding assets, or inconvenient disruptions. Trigger events could include:

• Tenant turnover: A window to implement decarbonization measures that are disruptive or when energy upgrades can be financed as part of a tenant improvement allocation.
• Refinancing: An occasion when money becomes available for capital investments or when a basic property needs assessments will occur.
• Regulatory deadlines: Dates when energy or carbon fees are imposed or are expected to increase.
• Financial incentives: Tax credits, utility rebates, or other incentive programs may influence when measures are implemented to ensure incentives are received.
• Institutional decarbonization commitments: Goals established by an institution to meet net-zero carbon footprints. 
• Equipment end-of-life: Replace existing equipment at its end-of-life to avoid premature write-offs and turn a necessary replacement into a strategic decarbonization upgrade. Document the expected end of life of equipment. Use the installation year and industry estimates of recommended replacement.

Pro Tip: Documenting equipment age and condition is an important step to align the planned replacement with the decarbonization plan. Before 2050, there will only be one or two natural replacement cycles, so it is crucial to plan ahead and be informed about your equipment’s lifespan.

A helpful reference is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s  e-Tool for Estimating Equipment Life (PDF), which lists the recommended average useful life of the categories of assets that should be considered in a Capital Needs Assessment.

The Large Building Retrofit Playbook is a helpful reference on establishing an events calendar.

Begin by reviewing the building’s current financial position and planned capital needs. This can help owners and their teams understand what improvements may be feasible now, what may need to be phased over time, and where funding gaps may exist. Use this review to identify when building performance upgrades could be aligned with planned investments, system replacements, or other major building work. 

A self-guided review can include:

Next, identify incentives, rebates, tax credits, grants, and financing programs that may help offset project costs. Funding opportunities may be available through federal programs, state and local clean energy initiatives, utility programs, green banks, housing agencies, or low-interest financing programs. Understanding these requirements early can help teams plan ahead and avoid missing opportunities.

As you review opportunities, consider:

Helpful places to get started:

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency® | DSIRE 

Find Financing for Energy-Efficiency Upgrades | Department of Energy 

Finance Energy-Efficiency Projects | ENERGY STAR 

This BAU case helps building owners and their teams understand what it will likely cost to operate, maintain, and renew the building if no major performance improvements are made. It serves as the baseline for comparing future building performance upgrades, capital investments, and modernizationdecarbonization strategies. This baseline can help teams understand the real cost of maintaining current conditions over the next 10 to 25 years and identify where planned investments could be aligned with performance improvements. 

Business-as-usual costs include the expected cost of operating, maintaining, and replacing building systems if no major performance improvement strategy is implemented. These costs should be documented using current utility bills, operations and maintenance budgets, capital planning information, and any recent capital needs assessment.

1. Document current operating costs: 

Use available building records to document current annual operating costs, including:

• Utility costs from the Benchmarking section
• Current maintenance costs from the operations and maintenance budget
• Other recurring costs needed to keep the building operating
• Potential Alternative Compliance Pathway (ACP) payments, if required to meet Building Performance Standard requirements

Projected operating costs should be shown for each year of the planning timeline and adjusted using consistent assumptions for utility cost escalation, maintenance cost escalation, and other expected inflation.

2. Document anticipated capital replacement costs: 

Use a capital needs assessment, planning assessment, or equipment condition review to document expected like-for-like replacement costs for major building systems. These may include HVAC equipment, domestic hot water systems, windows, roofs, controls, or other major systems.

When estimating costs without professional support, use available reference sources, such as the Massachusetts Technical Reference Manual (PDF), to identify general cost assumptions where appropriate.

Capital expenses should be assigned to the year when the equipment is expected to reach the end of its useful life or when replacement is already planned, whichever comes first. Replacement timing should be informed by the system replacement timeline or events calendar.

3. Map BAU costs across the planning timeline

Extrapolate cost estimates across the full performance planning timeline, with a default end date of 2050. Separate recurring operating costs from one-time capital investments so the building team can clearly see when major expenses are expected. The BAU cost timeline should distinguish between:

• Operating costs: Utility costs, maintenance costs, and potential Alternative Compliance Pathway payments
• Capital costs: Major system replacements, repairs, and planned like-for-like investments

Costs may be documented in today’s dollars, but assumptions should be applied consistently across the BAU case and any performance case used for comparison.

4. Identify priorities and planning implications

Use the BAU cost timeline to identify when major investments are expected and where there may be opportunities to improve building performance, reduce risk, or improve occupant wellbeing. This can help the building team understand which investments are unavoidable under business-as-usual and where those investments could be redirected or expanded to support long-term performance goals.

Business-as-usual performance shows how the building is expected to perform over the planning period if current operations and systems remain largely unchanged. This baseline can be used to compare future performance improvement strategies against current energy use, projected emissions, and applicable building performance requirements.

1. Document current energy performance

Use information from the Benchmarking section to document the building’s current energy performance. This should include current annual energy use, Energy Use Intensity (EUI), utility cost data, and any available benchmarking results. 

Separate energy use by source, including:

• Electricity
• Natural gas
• Fuel oil, steam, propane, or other on-site combustion sources
• Other relevant energy sources

Pro Tip: Separating electricity from on-site combustion is important because their emissions may change differently over time.

2. Project BAU emissions over time

Use current energy usage as the starting point for projecting future BAU emissions across the planning period. Apply annual emissions factors to each energy source. 

For on-site combustion, emissions will generally remain tied to the amount of fuel used unless building systems or fuel sources change. For electricity, emissions may decline over time as the electric grid becomes cleaner. This means the building’s projected emissions may change even if total electricity use stays the same.

Document the assumptions used for:

• Current energy use
• Fuel-specific emissions factors
• Projected grid emissions factors
• Planning period
• Any expected changes in energy use under the BAU case

Pro Tip: As a starting point, there are emissions calculator tools are available on line such as Simplified GHG Emissions Calculator | US EPA

3. Plot BAU performance across the planning timeline

Document BAU energy use and emissions across the full performance planning period. The timeline should show how the building is expected to perform year by year if no major performance improvements are implemented.

Where possible, plot:

• Annual energy use
• Annual emissions
• Energy Use Intensity, if applicable
• Carbon or emissions intensity, if applicable
• Applicable building performance standard targets

4. Compare BAU performance to regulatory targets

Use the requirements identified in the Check BPS Alignment section to compare BAU performance against applicable targets. This may include local emissions limits, energy performance targets, benchmarking requirements, or other jurisdiction-specific standards.

If an emissions plot was created during the assessment process, use it to show whether the building is expected to remain in compliance, fall out of compliance, or require additional action over time.

This comparison can help identify when performance improvements may be needed and whether future upgrades should be accelerated, phased, or paired with an Alternative Compliance Pathway (ACP).

Start by identifying which energy, emissions, benchmarking, or building performance policies apply to the property.  This may include:

• Energy codes
• Benchmarking and disclosure requirements
• Building Performance Standards (BPS)
• Local emissions limits
• Electrification or fossil fuel restrictions
• Audit, retro-commissioning, or reporting requirements

Details on for different jurisdictions and how that ties to the Building Performance Standards, and many useful tools can be found here:

For each applicable policy, summarize the most important information in one to three short paragraphs or a simple table. Focus on:

• Purpose of the policy: What the policy is intended to achieve, such as reducing energy use, lowering emissions, improving transparency, or supporting climate goals.
• Performance metrics: The metrics used to assess performance, such as metric tons of CO₂e (Carbon Dioxide Equivalent) per square foot, Energy Use Intensity (EUI), energy use per square foot, or ENERGY STAR score.
• Covered buildings: Which buildings are subject to the policy, including size thresholds, building types, ownership types, or occupancy categories.
• Compliance timeline: Reporting deadlines, performance target years, penalty dates, or phased requirements.
• Tools to assess compliance: Calculators, dashboards, benchmarking platforms, or local government tools that help owners determine compliance status.
• Alternative Compliance Pathways (ACP): Options available if standard compliance is not feasible, such as approved compliance plans, hardship pathways, timeline extensions, payments, renewable energy credits, or other flexibility mechanisms.

Use these Boston BERDO 101 examples (PDF) as a reference for sourcing or developing information for your jurisdiction.

Use the policy overview to understand whether performance requirements may affect the timing, scope, or priority of future upgrades. Buildings that are close to or above a compliance limit may need to prioritize operational improvements, system upgrades, electrification planning, or other performance measures sooner than buildings that are already performing well.

Policy requirements can also help identify important planning milestones, such as when a building may need to complete an assessment, submit a compliance plan, meet a performance target, or demonstrate emissions reductions.

Pro Tip: Create a short reference list for future use. Include links to local government webpages, compliance calculators, reporting portals, policy summaries, guidance documents, and trusted policy experts. Keeping these resources together can help owners and their teams quickly return to the most current requirements when making investment or project decisions.