Most utility reviews start with the latest bill. We start with 24 months, agree the baseline in writing, and judge every later bill against it.
The four phases, with timing
Timings for under 25 sites. Larger portfolios take longer.
Set the peg
24 months of bills and interval data, mapped, weather-normalized and signed. Sold alone as Peg Baseline.
Read against it
Every bill and rate schedule read against the baseline and the current tariff.
Fix what moved
Corrections filed, better-fitting rates drafted, operating changes where demand spikes.
Hold the peg
One report a month by the 10th business day, every variance explained.
When the baseline moves
The baseline moves only with a written reason: a site opens, closes or changes use. A store that adds a walk-in freezer gets a new baseline from the month it starts, with a note saying why.
Nothing else moves it. A hot summer is handled by weather normalization, and a billing error is a finding, not a new normal.
What you get at each phase
| Phase | You receive | Service that runs it |
|---|---|---|
| Set the peg | A signed baseline memo, a meter-to-site map and 24 months of history by site | Energy consumption monitoring |
| Read against it | A findings list: the bill line, the tariff section and the amount in question | Utility bill tracking, tariff analysis |
| Fix what moved | Filed corrections and drafted rate requests, each tracked until the bill shows it | Tariff analysis, utility bill tracking |
| Hold the peg | One page a month with every variance explained, an accrual file and a CSV export | Utility bill tracking |
Questions about the method
Why 24 months and not 12?
Two years shows whether a change is a pattern or a one-off. One hot July or one estimated read can distort a 12-month view; with 24 months we see each month twice and weather-normalize against real temperatures. If a site has less history, we use what exists and note the gap in the baseline memo.
What does weather-normalized mean?
It means adjusting each site’s use for how hot or cold each month was, so a cold January is not read as drift. We model use against heating and cooling degree days from the nearest weather station, and the adjusted figures sit beside the raw ones in the workbook.
Who signs off the baseline?
Someone on your side with budget authority, usually the facilities lead and a finance lead together. Signing means you agree the meter map and the history are right, not that you accept any finding. Until the baseline is signed, nothing is read against it.
Can we skip straight to fixing bills?
Yes. A Back-Bill Review or a Rate Fit Review builds a narrower baseline for just the accounts in scope. Monthly tracking always starts with the full baseline, because a variance means nothing until you know what it varies from.
Does green power and benchmarking work follow the method?
Yes. Green utility optimization prices each option against the load in your baseline, and clean energy advisory files benchmarking from the same meter map and bill history. The numbers you report to the city or state then match the numbers you pay.
See what phase one needs
A 30-minute call covers what data you have and how long the baseline would take.