How to Guide

Set Up Automated
Benchmarking for Utilities

Seattle City Light Instructions

1. Submit request to Seattle City Light

• Before entering any meter information into Portfolio Manager, submit to Seattle City Light (SCL) the PM Consumption Request Form found on the SCL website.

> Portfolio Manager Userid is the username you created for your Portfolio Manager account.

> Signatures: The ‘Account Holder’ signature is only needed if there is just one SCL account holder for the entire building. Otherwise, only the ‘Owner’ or ‘Authorized Agent’ signature is required.

> Include any alternate addresses for your facility, especially if listed in your notification letter.

2. Confirm accuracy

• SCL emails the "Portfolio Manager Automated Benchmarking Authorization" within about 3-4 business days. First, confirm the accuracy of all meters included in the profile. Work with SCL to correct any meter discrepancies prior to proceeding by emailing scl_portfolio_manager@seattle.gov.

>SCL's authorization combines all of the electricity meters into one "virtual meter" that is shown as the "Meter Name" in the email (it is typically the building address). This protects tenant privacy.

3. Add Seattle City Light Virtual Meter

• IMPORTANT: Please read the email from SCL carefully. It lists the date that your credentials will become activated. Do not try to add any information sooner than the date listed in the email.

• Log into your Portfolio Manager account.

• Under ‘My Portfolio’ click on your facility name. Under the ‘Energy Meters’ section, click Add Meter and enter the "virtual" Meter Name exactly as provided by SCL via e-mail.

• For ‘Apply this meter to the following’ select Entire Facility.
• For ‘Energy Type’ select Electricity.
• For ‘Generation Method’ select Grid Purchase.
• For ‘Units’ select kWh.
• For ‘Add this meter to Total Facility Energy Use?’ Select Yes.
• For ‘Is this meter currently active?’ Select Yes.
• Ignore ‘Temporary Energy Data’ box and click Save.
• Select 'Do Not Add Meter Entries' (since they will be automatically uploaded by SCL).

4. Authorize Seattle City Light In Portfolio Manager

• Click on My Portfolio. (See upper left.)
• Click on Automated Benchmarking ‘Get Started Now’.
• Use the drop down box to select Seattle City Light and accept Terms of Use.
• On the Select Facilities/Campuses to Change Authorization page, follow the prompts to select your building and virtual meter (the meter name provided by SCL).
• Select Read/Write access for SCL virtual meter.
• When prompted enter the Service Order number exactly as provided in your e-mail from SCL.

• SCL uploads data 4 hours after they are authorized to do so by you. Please check back after 4-5 hours to confirm that SCL has uploaded energy use data for the previous 24 months by clicking on the virtual meter. If data has not been uploaded contact SCL at scl_portfolio_manager@seattle.gov or call (206) 684-7557.
  

> Thereafter, electric use data will be automatically uploaded to your Portfolio Manager account monthly.

If your building is only has electric service, go to STEP 4 OR go back to STEP 3 to add other utilities if needed.