Energy Baseline
An energy baseline is a reference model of expected energy consumption under normal operating conditions, used to measure the impact of efficiency measures or detect anomalies.
Definition
An energy baseline is a model of what energy consumption would be expected to look like under a defined set of conditions — typically built from historical data before an efficiency intervention. Baselines are central to Measurement & Verification, since savings are calculated as the difference between actual post-intervention consumption and what the baseline predicts it would otherwise have been.
Why It Matters
Without an accurate baseline, it's impossible to credibly claim energy savings from an efficiency project — the "savings" figure is only as trustworthy as the baseline it's compared against.
How ecolyptus Helps
ecolyptus's M&V module builds baselines using IPMVP-aligned methodology, giving efficiency savings claims a defensible reference point.