baseline energy consumption
The amount of energy the building would have used this year based upon the energy baseline period usage patterns, and this year's conditions (such as weather and number of days.) This enables you to make comparisons between the energy baseline period and a subsequent years that accounts for the differences in conditions between the two time periods being compared.
The baseline energy consumption is determined by the baseline equation
Savings = How much energy we would have used this year – How much energy we did use this year
Or, using different terminology:
Savings = Baseline Energy Usage – Actual Energy Usage
The predicted energy consumption that is determined by the baseline equation is called baseline usage.