In the B3 Benchmarking system, the Benchmark is an engineering model of the site, Produced on the fly, it predicts how much energy that site would use if it were built to today's energy code. The benchmark is used to compare each site's actual vs. predicted performance, identifying which sites should be audited for energy improvement projects. If you improve the right sites in your portfolio, you will get the best return on your improvement efforts and funds. The benchmark metric is only available in the Energy Mode.
The Baseline is a comparison of your site to itself over time. You select a baseline period, and the B3 Benchmarking system shows how the site would perform in subsequent years if operated in the same fashion. The decrease between actual consumption and the baseline is savings, based on year over year changes in the operation, occupancy, building components, or systems. Within the Energy Mode, the system automatically applies weather normalization to the baseline. This option can be turned off.