Hiring an energy consultant can feel overwhelming. The industry is full of firms offering everything from basic data entry to full-service energy management. How do you know who to trust with your building?
Here are the things we think matter most, based on over a decade of working with building owners.
Look for M&V expertise, not just data entry
There is a big difference between a firm that enters your utility bills into Portfolio Manager and one that actually understands measurement and verification (M&V). M&V expertise means your consultant can:
- Identify when data looks wrong before it gets submitted
- Reconcile discrepancies between meters, bills, and building systems
- Provide defensible numbers that hold up under audit or verification
- Connect your benchmarking data to real operational insights
Ask about their M&V background. Do they have experience with IPMVP protocols? Have team members served on industry advisory boards? This matters more than you might think.
Ask about their jurisdiction knowledge
Benchmarking rules vary significantly by city. A firm that does great work in one market may not understand the nuances of another. Key questions:
- Have you filed in my specific city before?
- Do you understand the local portals, verification requirements, and penalty structures?
- Can you handle professional verification if my city requires it?
For example, Chicago requires accredited professional verification every three years. Denver has specific verification milestones that affect your performance targets through 2030. DC has both benchmarking and BEPS to navigate. Your consultant should know these details cold.
Understand their service model
Some firms offer one-time filing services. Others provide ongoing energy management. Neither is inherently better, but you should understand what you are getting:
- One-time filers handle the annual submission and move on. This works if you just need to meet a deadline.
- Ongoing partners monitor your building’s energy performance year-round, track trends, catch anomalies, and help you plan improvements. This model delivers more value over time.
Think about what you need. If compliance is your only concern, a one-time service may be fine. If you want to actually reduce energy costs and improve building performance, look for a partner who sticks around.
Check their track record
Ask for references from buildings similar to yours in size and type. A firm with experience managing portfolios for names like Westfield, Macy’s, or Mandarin Oriental brings a different level of rigor than a one-person shop doing data entry on the side.
That said, the biggest firm is not always the best fit. What matters is that they have relevant experience, qualified people, and a track record of accurate work.
Red flags to watch for
- Lowest price focus. If a firm’s main pitch is being the cheapest option, ask what they are cutting to get there. Accuracy costs time and expertise.
- No questions about your building. A good consultant asks detailed questions about your building’s systems, meters, and operations before quoting. If they quote a flat rate without understanding your building, they are guessing.
- No verification capability. If your city requires professional verification and the firm cannot provide it, you will need to hire a second party.
- No ongoing support. If they disappear after filing and do not offer any monitoring or follow-up, your data quality may degrade over time.
What we offer
At Alert Energy, we provide full-service energy management with a focus on accuracy and ongoing value. Our team includes professionals with international M&V advisory board experience, and we serve buildings across DC, Chicago, Denver, Vancouver, and Toronto. We are not the cheapest option, but our clients come back because the data is right and the service goes beyond filing.