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Emissions Reduction Planning Framework for Building Portfolios

July 17, 2024

Resource Overview:

The Framework for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction Planning (ERP), developed by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), provides guidance to organizations seeking to reduce GHG emissions for their building portfolios and vehicle fleets. The process described in this framework helps organizations develop an actionable plan that prioritizes emissions reduction measures, identifies solutions, and lays out a phased pathway to achieve deep emissions reductions. The output of this framework is a GHG Emissions Reduction Plan that communicates an organization’s strategy for achieving GHG emissions reductions targets.

What is an Emission Reduction Plan?

An Emission Reduction Plan extends past Climate Action Plans or Sustainability Plans by concretely laying out how an
organization will meet its emissions reductions targets. Importantly, discrete strategies are scaled across the organization’s portfolio of buildings.

How does the Emissions Reduction Planning Framework help?

The framework guides organizations to shift from ad hoc GHG emissions reduction projects to a systematic, portfolio-wide approach. It starts with creating a GHG inventory and setting reduction targets, followed by categorizing buildings based on key characteristics like HVAC systems. Representative buildings are then audited, and the findings are scaled across similar buildings. Portfolio-level assessments, such as fleet electrification and solar analysis, further refine the scenarios. Ultimately, this leads to a defined emissions reduction pathway that transforms and improves the entire building portfolio in a holistic manner.

5 Milestones

The DOE framework details five milestones illustrated in the below image, however, these do not need to be completed in a sequential order. The goal of the framework is to move an organization from targets to a plan that sets owners and operators up for a successful implementation process that achieves deep GHG reduction goals.

Milestone 1: Establish Inventory and Scope of Work

The first milestone focuses on developing a GHG inventory, setting emissions reduction targets, and defining the scope of work for the ERP. This includes engaging stakeholders from various levels to ensure alignment on goals and resources needed. By creating an inventory and setting clear targets, operators can track progress and ensure a solid foundation for the ERP. It's crucial for planning long-term actions, as it defines the baseline and scope for future emissions reductions.

Milestone 2: Categorize Portfolio

In this phase, building operators categorize their portfolio based on characteristics like GHG intensity, energy use, and building type. Representative buildings are selected for further audits, which helps operators understand emissions reduction opportunities without auditing every building. By categorizing and benchmarking buildings, operators can prioritize where to focus efforts and tailor reduction strategies for specific building types. This step is vital for scaling emissions reductions across a diverse portfolio.

Milestone 3: Assess Measures

This milestone involves conducting emissions reduction audits for selected buildings and assessing portfolio-wide measures such as green power procurement. Operators identify packages of emissions reduction measures (ERMs) for individual buildings and portfolio-wide policies. The results guide both immediate actions and long-term strategies, allowing operators to select appropriate measures for their portfolio. By defining ERMs early, operators can start implementing energy-saving projects while continuing broader planning efforts.

Milestone 4: Develop Scenarios

Operators develop and compare various emissions reduction scenarios based on the measures identified in the audits. These scenarios examine different pathways for achieving reduction targets, considering factors such as energy efficiency and electrification. This phase helps operators understand the costs and benefits of different approaches and select the most suitable decarbonization pathway for their portfolio. It's critical for aligning the technical measures with capital planning and long-term sustainability goals.

Milestone 5: Define GHG Emissions Reduction Plan

The final milestone consolidates all the findings into a formal GHG Emissions Reduction Plan, which outlines the chosen emissions reduction pathway, phasing, and financing. Operators finalize project schedules, assign responsibilities, and secure leadership approval. This milestone ensures that the entire organization is committed to achieving emissions reduction targets and has a clear plan to follow. A well-defined ERP is essential for tracking progress and adapting to future regulatory, technological, or organizational changes.

Partner resource compiled by the U.S. Department of Energy. You can read the full framework here.

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