How to use temperature correction and the ET model
A building uses more energy in a cold month than in a mild one, without operations having got any worse. Temperature correction adjusts for this, so two periods with different weather can be compared fairly. If you're judging whether a measure has worked, corrected consumption is almost always the right thing to look at.
Properate has four correction methods, ranging from no correction to a model fitted to the individual building.
The four methods
Method | What it does |
|---|---|
Uncorrected | Measured energy consumption, without any weather or location correction. |
Temperature corrected | Consumption adjusted for outdoor temperature (degree-days), so cold and mild periods can be compared fairly. |
Location and temperature corrected | Like temperature-corrected, but also adjusted for the building being in a different climate than the reference location. |
ET model corrected | Uses a curve fitted to the building's own relationship between energy use and outdoor temperature, for a more precise correction than degree-days. |
How to see temperature-corrected consumption for a building
- Open the building you want to work on. See How to switch building and search for a building.
- Go to Energy > Energy consumption in the sidebar.
- Click Selected meter.
- Choose the Temperature corrected tab.
- Select the series you want and close the dialog.
To see corrected figures for only part of the building, pick Sub-buildings/zones in the same tab, or Show all to go back.
How to choose the method at portfolio level
On the organization dashboard you choose the correction method for the whole selection under Correction method. Every building is then recalculated with the same method, so they can be compared against each other.
What is an ET model?
ET stands for energy–temperature. Instead of applying a general degree-day formula, Properate fits a curve to the building's own history: how much energy this building actually uses at each outdoor temperature. That makes the correction more precise, because it accounts for how this building behaves — not how buildings behave in general.
The curve is shown as its own chart in the energy view, with the measured points plotted on it. A point sitting well above the curve means the building used more energy than the temperature would suggest that day.
Note: An ET model needs history to become good. For recently connected buildings it's often safer to use Temperature corrected, which only needs temperature data, until a few months have passed.
Frequently asked questions
Which method should I use?
To report actual consumption, use Uncorrected. To compare two periods in the same building, use Temperature corrected or ET model corrected. To compare buildings in different parts of the country, use Location and temperature corrected.
Why is corrected consumption lower than measured consumption?
It isn't necessarily lower — it can go either way. If the period was colder than normal, consumption is adjusted down; if it was milder, it's adjusted up. That's the whole point: you see what consumption would have been in a normal year.
Can I compare my corrected consumption with a neighbour's?
Only if both are corrected with the same method. Comparing an ET-model-corrected figure with an uncorrected one compares two different things.
Tip!
Settle on one method and use it consistently through the year. Switching method midway through a follow-up period makes it look as though consumption has changed, when all that changed is the arithmetic.