This dataset contains information pertaining to the Better Buildings Challenge, an initiative created by the U.S. Department of Energy with the objective of reducing overall energy consumption. Aligned with the City of Norfolk’s Climate Action Plan, the City Council adopted a resolution in 2022 to achieve a 20% reduction in energy consumption by the year 2032 across 127 selected properties within Norfolk’s building portfolio, totaling approximately 6,000,000 square feet. This action solidified Norfolk’s commitment to the Better Buildings Challenge.

This dataset utilizes data from 2019 as the baseline year. Energy tracking tools, specifically EnergyCAP and EnergySTAR Portfolio Manager, are utilized to measure various metrics related to energy usage in the 127 properties. The primary indicators in the dataset for tracking energy consumption are the Source Energy Use (in kBtu) and the Source Energy Use Units (energy use per square foot). While the dataset covers metrics from 2019 to the present, the Better Buildings Challenge excludes data from 2020 and 2021 (due to COVID) when evaluating progress toward the 20% reduction goal by 2032. This dataset will be updated monthly.