As some cities around the country begin to mandate the verification of energy data for large residential and commercial buildings, being one step ahead of this process will be key. Each building’s energy consumption will need to be tracked and verified by a building engineer. But don't fret - free tools are available to begin this process, such as Portfolio Manager, a web-based tool administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Building controls can also be put into place to ensure energy usage stays on track. If performance falls below par, the problem can be reported, analyzed and solved before the city becomes involved.