Building owners and cities can work together to report information on building energy performance and easily report annually on consumption. ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager is a free tool designed to measure and track energy use of buildings.

With a focus on what cities can glean from conversations from private sector real estate decisionmakers, this primer summaries key findings of the City Energy Project report "Breaking Down the Bottom Line: The Business Case for Energy Efficiency in Buildings."

Data quality is important when communicating publicly about the energy usage of buildings, as it plays an integral role in a city’s ability to measure, track, and report progress in meeting energy, sustainability, climate, or other public goals.