By evaluating the impacts of an action at specified intervals, you can make timely adjustments when needed. You can use the information to update goals and targets. Evaluation can be based on measures that are easy to track, such as the number of certified projects, or on measures that require more work to determine, such as greenhouse gas emissions reductions achieved. Either approach requires staff time and may require financial resources.
The evaluation may address general issues, such as:
- How well policies and measures were formulated and goals defined.
- Effectiveness of leadership, staff coordination and implementation strategies.
- Sufficiency of budget allocation and whether actions were cost effective.
- "Customer" satisfaction with information and assistance received.
To gather and analyze the data, you will need help from appropriate departments. For example, utilities can provide information on energy performance that can be translated into greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
Elements of a monitoring and evaluation program are:
- Clear goals with performance targets and indicators that will be evaluated.
- Data needed to assess performance toward targets.
- Analysis of data that may range from quantitative techniques, to comparative studies, and to carefully designed surveys.
- Report of findings and recommended next steps based on results.
Examples of evaluation tools and reports:
- Portland’s Green Building Policy Status Report and Recommendations, 2005
- San Francisco GreenPRINT project tracking tool to monitor progress
- Seattle’s Sustainable Building Program 5-Year Report
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory developed a protocol for measuring the performance of green buildings, Building Cost and Performance Metrics: Data and Collection Protocol that can be applied to a city or county’s green building portfolio to capture the cost / benefits through building performance verification.
