WASHINGTON, DC — The Energy Department is highlighting retrofits as a practical way to improve the energy performance of existing commercial buildings over their remaining useful life. Renovation, refurbishment, and retrofit work can all be used to update older properties and reduce how much energy they consume.
The agency says these projects can also create a chance to install distributed generation at the same time. For building owners, the payoff may include lower operating costs, especially in aging facilities, along with a better pitch to prospective tenants and a stronger market position.
How retrofits can lower demand and operating costs
According to the Energy Department, retrofit work is often aimed at improving efficiency or reducing total energy demand. That can mean targeted upgrades to existing systems rather than a full rebuild, allowing owners to improve performance while keeping the building in service.
The department says the financial case is often strongest in older commercial buildings, where outdated equipment and poor efficiency can drive up utility bills. By cutting energy use, owners may be able to reduce day-to-day costs and make the property more attractive to businesses looking for lower overhead.
The agency also frames retrofits as a market strategy. Better-performing buildings can be easier to lease, and energy upgrades may help owners compete with newer commercial space.
Building Technologies Office offers planning resources from start to finish
The Energy Department’s Building Technologies Office says it provides tools for planners, designers, and owners who want to set energy goals early in the process. The idea is to think about energy use from the first planning stages instead of treating it as an afterthought.
Those resources are also meant to support work after construction or renovation is complete. The office says post-retrofit monitoring can help owners track whether upgrades are delivering the expected savings and performance gains.
That approach reflects a broader effort to make retrofit planning more data-driven. Rather than relying only on general advice, the office is directing users to guides and software that can shape decisions before work begins and after it ends.
Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides explain the retrofit process
One of the main resources listed by the department is the Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides. These guides are intended to walk users through how to carry out an energy-efficient retrofit in a commercial building.
The guides are part of a larger set of tools aimed at making building upgrades more systematic. For owners and project teams, that can mean having a clearer framework for deciding what to fix first, what to prioritize, and how to approach performance improvements step by step.
By putting the guidance in one place, the department is trying to make retrofit projects more manageable for people who may be juggling cost, design, and equipment choices at the same time.
Energy modeling software helps identify the most effective upgrades
The department also points users to energy modeling software that can simulate building performance. These tools are designed to show which measures are likely to have the biggest impact before money is spent on upgrades.
That kind of analysis can help owners compare options and focus on the changes most likely to improve efficiency. It can also support decisions about how to balance energy use, water use, and other building needs.
The Energy Department says this modeling step can improve retrofit planning by making the process more evidence-based. Instead of guessing which measures will work best, owners can use simulations to guide the scope of the project.
Reference buildings and EnergyPlus give owners comparison points
Another resource highlighted by the department is Commercial Reference Buildings, a set of energy models that characterizes 70% of commercial buildings in the United States. The models can serve as benchmarks for owners and planners trying to set energy performance goals.
The department says those reference points can help users understand how a building compares with common commercial property types across the country. That makes it easier to frame upgrade targets in a way that reflects the broader market.
The agency also points to EnergyPlus, a whole-building simulation program used to model and optimize energy and water use. Together, the reference models and software are meant to support more informed decisions during retrofit planning and execution.
A broader federal push to make building upgrades more informed
The resources listed by the Energy Department are meant to help owners make fact-based procurement decisions during a retrofit. That includes choosing equipment, setting goals, and evaluating whether a project is likely to deliver the expected improvements.
The department presents retrofits as a useful moment to act because building work is already underway. When owners are already renovating or refurbishing a property, adding energy upgrades can be more efficient than tackling them separately later.
For commercial building owners, the message is straightforward: retrofit projects are not just repairs. Federal tools and guides are being offered to help turn them into opportunities for lower energy demand, better performance, and stronger long-term value.
