The industry’s go-to energy benchmarking tool may soon go dark—what now?
ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager is at risk of being phased out due to a proposed cut in funding for the EPA program within the Trump administration’s FY-2026 budget. The program could be eliminated as early as October 1, 2025. Nothing is final yet; however, it’s not too early to prepare.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR CORPORATE OCCUPIERS AND REAL ESTATE FIRMS
ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager aggregates and stores building energy and water performance data for more than 280,000 facilities comprising 27 billion square feet. According to the Portfolio Manager website, nearly 25% of all commercial buildings in the U.S. use the platform to benchmark their properties.
Our corporate and real estate clients use Portfolio Manager to track building performance data and meet reporting requirements for programs like GRESB, LEED, and local building regulations. Owners are understandably concerned about what will happen to their historical data and how they will comply with regulations and reporting that require access to that data in the future.
WHAT TO DO RIGHT NOW
If you use Portfolio Manager, replicating its functionality will be both complex and resource-intensive, particularly given its deep integration with reporting platforms and compliance frameworks. Still, there are three no-regrets steps that owners can take now in preparation:
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- Archive and own your building performance data.
Begin by exporting all historical data from Portfolio Manager into secure, accessible formats like CSVs and PDFs. This will give you a complete, offline record of your building energy and water performance history. Store these files in a centralized location that your internal team can easily access, rather than relying solely on third-party platforms, and continue backing up your data on a regular basis. - Review how your organization manages its data.
This is a good opportunity to strengthen your internal data practices. Take time to assess how your organization collects, stores, and manages building energy and water data. Make sure there’s clear ownership and documented processes in place so your team can stay on track even if Portfolio Manager becomes unavailable. Strong internal data practices will help your reporting and compliance efforts stay consistent no matter what tools you use. - Explore alternative platforms (but don’t panic-buy).
Start exploring alternative tools that can meet your benchmarking, compliance, or performance tracking needs. Look for platforms that prioritize data transparency and integrity, interoperability with other systems, and easy export capabilities. This will give you flexibility as the industry adapts to potential changes without rushing into a replacement.
- Archive and own your building performance data.
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WHAT’S NEXT: COLLECTIVE ACTION
There’s a role here for everyone: policy leaders, building owners, non-profits, consultants, and software providers. We support forming or joining a working group of industry leaders to identify long-term alternatives or advocate for sustained support for ENERGY STAR®. We can’t solve this alone, but we can start the conversation now.
The scale of this challenge is significant, and the potential disruption to the industry is considerable. But the building industry is resilient. We’ve been benchmarking for decades; the tools may evolve, but our mission to drive performance and sustainability stays the same.
Stok is dedicated to collaborating with industry leaders to develop long-term solutions. In the meantime, we’re here to support you by archiving data from Portfolio Manager, conducting a portfolio data audit, establishing a data management program, and assessing software alternatives. Reach out to our team to discuss your needs.
While the path forward may be uncertain, the building industry has never shied away from challenge. Stay engaged, stay adaptable, and let’s move forward—together—with intention and purpose.
