VDI 3807 / EN 16247 Benchmarking — Continuous Consumption Indicators

Systematically deriving and publishing consumption indicators (kWh/(m²·a), kWh/bed, kWh/meal) per VDI 3807 — makes efficiency potential visible across a portfolio.

How does benchmarking to VDI 3807 work?

The VDI 3807 series of guidelines defines how consumption benchmarks for buildings are formed and compared. At its core is the energy performance indicator (EnPI), for example kWh per m² per year, kWh per bed in a hospital or kWh per meal in catering. To make buildings fairly comparable, the values are normalised for floor area, use and weather: heating consumption is converted to a standard year using heating degree days, and floor area is defined uniformly as gross or net floor area. The guideline provides mean and target values for building types such as office, school, hotel or hospital. For office buildings, the mean is around 130 kWh/(m²·a), the target value 80 and the best case 50 kWh/(m²·a). A building's saving potential is derived from the difference between its actual indicator and the target value, multiplied by the reference area.

Which portfolios benefit from benchmarking?

The full benefit arises with portfolios of 5 to 10 buildings or more, because internal comparisons across top and bottom quartiles then become possible. Typical users are retail chains, banks and insurers, municipalities, universities and property funds with ESG reporting obligations. The prerequisites are consumption data in a uniform structure plus well-maintained floor area and use data. Individual buildings can only be compared externally against the VDI table values. For ISO 50001, EnPIs are mandatory; ISO 50006 describes how to establish the baseline and indicator. GRESB and ESRS E1 also require area-based energy intensities.

What does VDI 3807 benchmarking actually deliver?

Comparison with mean and target values frequently reveals efficiency potential of 20 to 50 % against the benchmark. Realistically achievable, by identifying the worst-performing buildings, is 5 to 20 % of portfolio consumption. In a portfolio of 15 office buildings of 2,500 m² each, with five worst performers at 200 kWh/(m²·a), around 1.5 GWh/a of theoretical potential becomes visible, of which roughly 750,000 kWh/a is realistically achievable. The costs for data collection and the software module are €5,000 to €25,000, depending on portfolio size. Payback is 1 to 3 years.

Energy carrier

Erdgas, Heizöl, Fernwärme, Strom → Erdgas, Heizöl, Fernwärme, Strom

Savings potential

5-20 % über Identifikation der Worst-Performer im Portfolio

Worked example

An asset manager oversees a portfolio of 15 office buildings, each with 2,500 m² of reference area. After weather normalisation, the average energy indicator is 165 kWh/(m²·a), while the VDI 3807 target value for offices is 80 kWh/(m²·a). Internal benchmarking reveals five worst performers at around 200 kWh/(m²·a), which deviate significantly from the portfolio average. The theoretical saving potential of these five buildings is calculated as the difference between actual and target value, multiplied by the floor area: 5 × (200 − 80) × 2,500 = 1,500,000 kWh/a. Around 1.5 GWh/a thus becomes visible and can be prioritised. Experience shows that 40 to 60 % of this can actually be realised through operational optimisation, control technology and targeted refurbishments, i.e. around 750,000 kWh/a. Benchmarking itself saves nothing; it directs investment to where it has the greatest effect.

Investment & payback

Datenerfassung + Software-Modul: 5.000-25.000 €; abhängig von Portfolio-Größe · Service life: 10 a · Payback: 1-3 a

Applicability

Requirements

Exclusion criteria

Typical buildings

Frequently asked questions

What is a good energy benchmark for an office building in kWh/m²?

According to VDI 3807, the mean value for office buildings is around 130 kWh/(m²·a) of final energy, the target value 80 kWh/(m²·a) and the best case 50 kWh/(m²·a). Values above 150 kWh/(m²·a) indicate significant efficiency potential. Comparison on a like-for-like basis is important: weather-normalised, uniform floor area definition and separated into heat and electricity.

What is an EnPI and why do you need one?

EnPI stands for Energy Performance Indicator. It relates energy consumption to a driver such as floor area, beds, meals or production volume. EnPIs are mandatory in ISO 50001; ISO 50006 describes how to establish them together with a baseline. They make buildings of different sizes comparable and allow savings to be demonstrated independently of changes in use or weather.

How many buildings do you need for internal benchmarking to be worthwhile?

Internal benchmarking with quartile comparison becomes meaningful from around 5 to 10 buildings. Only then can outliers be identified in a statistically sensible way. Individual buildings are instead compared externally with the table values of VDI 3807. Large portfolios such as branch networks, municipalities or funds benefit most, because there 5 to 20 % of total consumption can be unlocked via the worst performers.

How much does a benchmarking system for a property portfolio cost?

Data collection and the software module cost €5,000 to €25,000, depending on the number of buildings and the quality of the existing consumption and floor area data. With a payback of 1 to 3 years and a service life of 10 years, benchmarking is one of the most economical measures, because it concentrates subsequent investment on the buildings with the highest potential.

What role does benchmarking play for CSRD, ESRS E1 and GRESB?

ESRS E1 under the CSRD requires disclosure of energy intensity, i.e. consumption relative to an output measure; GRESB rates property portfolios among other things on area-based energy indicators. VDI 3807-compliant, weather-normalised indicators per building deliver exactly this data in an auditable form. Those who run benchmarking continuously meet their reporting obligations and steer their efficiency measures at the same time.

Related measures

Standards & sources

Metering points in the EDM Toolbox

EDM Toolbox kann VDI 3807 voll bedienen: kWh/(m²·a) berechnen, witterungsbereinigen (HGT), nach Gebäudetyp gruppieren, Top-/Bottom-Quartil-Ansicht. Direkter Anknüpfungspunkt für ICP 3 (Asset Manager mit CSRD/ESRS-Pflicht).

All measures