LOS ANGELES-The local branch of the Better Buildings Challenge, a U.S. Dept. of Energy program to increase energy efficiency, has chosen the WegoWise software as its preferred analysis platform.

The Better Buildings Challenge has a goal of improving energy efficiency by 20% or more by 2020 in commercial and institutional buildings and industrial plants. The program provides technical assistance and links to financing and utilities. It is making the WegoWise software available for free to Los Angeles partners who sign up for the Challenge.

WegoWise automatically tracks and compares utility use across large building portfolios to identify least-efficient buildings. The software can help building owners comply with new utility data disclosure rules, including California's AB 1103, which mandates that sellers must disclose building energy use data to buyers.

Andrew Chen, the CEO of WegoWise, says a lack of information on what technologies will help make buildings more energy efficient holds back greater gains.

“It really is a data collection and data intelligence problem,” Chen tells GlobeSt.com. “Most of the data platforms are complex, requiring you to turn your building in a smart building. WegoWise is a pure software solution. There are no sensors or special meters. It doesn't even require a person to visit the building to set up our account.”

The software asks for input on building characteristics regarding the location of buildings, climate, square footage, the heating/cooling system, and then requires utility account information. It then translates the utility information to benchmark your building.

“You will not only see your building, but it will compare it to other buildings within your portfolio and others within our database,” Chen says. “So you can get a sense of “this is an efficient building, this is what it looks like, and these are the ones that are the inefficient buildings.' “ The software will cover water, electricity, gas and oil and benchmark performance in those categories.

Although WegoWise is free for L.A. Better Buildings Challenge members, the software company offers its services on a subscription basis to others. Prices begin at a basic commercial service fee of $3 per meter per month. But there are also programs designed for large portfolios that provide more sophisticated monthly reports with additional analytics and alerts, which can cost upwards of $10,000 per year.

Chen says customers can identify real savings by doing an in-depth analysis of their energy use. In the WegoWise universe of 12,000 multifamily buildings, a typical multifamily is 50 units spread over three buildings. Identifying the buildings' problems, Chen claims, can result in significant savings. “We're not talking about a rounding error. An inefficient building spends over 400% more on energy, so that's about $100,000 per year,” he claims.

As reported earlier on GlobeSt.com, a new state law will force building sellers to disclose energy efficiency to buyers. The new law kicks in on July 1.