In the world of commercial real estate, understanding and managing energy consumption data is crucial for accurate sustainability reporting and operational efficiency. A significant aspect of this is dealing with Scope 3 emissions, which primarily originate from activities not directly controlled by the company but are still part of its value chain—like tenant energy use. Here, the balance of building feature provided by Tango Energy & Sustainability’s platform becomes invaluable.
Balance Building accounts capture the consumption of direct metered tenants. Having access to this consumption allows building owners to easily track their Scope 3 emissions in Tango.
Balance of Building = Total aggregated consumption – Landlord /Tenant consumption account
How It Works
Module: Invoice Management
For example, let’s consider electricity consumption for the entire building is 68,475.87 kWh. However, the property has two accounts at the tenant/landlord level accounts.
The balance building account captures the total aggregate emissions from Energy Star and subtracts the aggregate data from the available accounts.
Example 1: The property has two accounts with individual consumption of 15,051 kWh and 4,509.44 kWh. Tango calculation will look like following:
Example 2: The property has two accounts, but the building owner only has consumption data for one landlord/tenant with 4,509.44 kWh
Navigating Tango:
The “Balance of Building” account displays aggregate consumption data, subtracting any consumption recorded by accounts at the landlord/tenant level.
To access total aggregate consumption, navigate to the summary tab at the commodity level. The total consumption for the entire property, such as 68,475.87 kWh, is displayed at the top node.
Note: Tango clients are instructed to designate the account type of aggregate consumption meters as “BalanceBuilding” within Energy Star.
Sentence Filter Report: can help pull aggregate data at a property level (includes building balance and accounts)
To see property level usage – refer to Pivot table tab
To see data gaps at a meter level – refer to the Sequential data Tab
Alternatively, you can get raw aggregate data from ESPM per property
Adjust accounts that can be aggregated at a property and / or regional level:
Instructions
If a customer wants a BB account:
- Confirm account preference to implementation team
- Implementation teams Creates the BB account in Tango.
- Setups up the ESPM integration(if we are bringing in aggregate data from ESPM) and sets BB reference accounts
- Import data from ESPM.
If a customer prefers a straight aggregate account:
- Confirm their preference with mplementation team
- Implementation team Sets up the aggregate account in Tango.
- Team sets up ESPM integration
- Avoid subtracting landlord or tenant data unless requested.
Importance
Tango’s software offers a sophisticated tool that ensures all utility data, including energy, water, and waste metrics, is consolidated accurately at the property level. This capability is crucial because it prevents the common issue of double-counting consumption data between tenants and landlords. By distinguishing the utility consumption specifically attributable to tenants, Tango effectively classifies these as Scope 3 emissions. This feature is not just about accuracy; it’s about relevance and responsibility in environmental impact reporting.
Accurately accounting for Scope 3 emissions does more than just refine data—it opens up new avenues for environmental and cost reduction strategies. Companies often overlook the potential savings and environmental benefits that can be achieved by managing tenant-driven energy usage. With a clear and accurate delineation of consumption, property managers can engage more effectively with tenants on sustainability initiatives, potentially leading to significant reductions in overall energy consumption and associated costs. Ultimately, the ability to track and analyze tenant-specific energy consumption and Scope 3 emissions allows companies to make more informed decisions about energy management and procurement, take meaningful actions toward sustainability goals, and improve their market positioning and compliance with environmental regulations.
