In 2021, the M&V community celebrates the 25^th anniversary of the International Performance Measurement & Verification Protocol (IPMVP).

With funding from the United States Department of Energy, industry experts from the United States, Canada, and Mexico initiated work to address the challenge of measuring energy savings in early 1994.

But savings resulting from energy efficiency projects are unique. They reflect a reduction (or absence)of energy use and cannot be directly measured like kilowatt-hours (kWh) generated from power production.

To determine energy savings, the parties (the building owner, the installer, the financier, and other parties involved) must first agree on the "base case" (what the building used before retrofit). They then must measure energy use after a retrofit. They may want to adjust the savings for variations in the weather or occupancy, or work schedule changes. And they should keep up the measurements to ensure that their savings persist.

Industry experts agreed that the measurement of energy savings required both metering and a methodology, hence the need for a protocol. However, existing protocols were considered a patchwork of inconsistent, sometimes unreliable efficiency installation and measurement practices that prevented new forms of lower-cost financing. The North American Energy Measurement and Verification Protocol was published in March 1996 to help overcome these impediments.

The response to this document was tremendous. As a result of widespread interest and adoption by stakeholders beyond North America, a second edition was soon prepared to include a global network or corresponding members to incorporate international expertise and develop a consensus among professionals worldwide.

The resulting second edition was renamed the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) and published in 1997.

2021 marks the 20^th anniversary of Efficiency Valuation Organization, the gatekeeper of the IPMVP.

One of the goals in creating the IPMVP was to make it a living document that includes methodologies and procedures that enable the protocol to evolve and adapt to changing market conditions and new technologies.

In its earlier days, the IPMVP was maintained by the United States Department of Energy. After a few years, it was decided that the mandate of preserving and improving the IPMVP over time would best be guaranteed under the auspices of a not-for-profit organization: IPMVP Inc. was created in 2001, and the organization was renamed Efficiency Valuation Organization (EVO) in 2003.

In its 20^th year of existence, EVO is thriving as the world's only organization solely dedicated to a mission of providing tools to quantify energy efficiency business transactions. EVO is a global think-tank where experts meet to discuss and debate new ideas and consensually agree on new M&V solutions to fit the changing market needs. The IPMVP is the result of a remarkable collaborative effort among the industry. And this tradition of excellence continues to this day through the work of EVO's IPMVP Committee.

Today, EVO shines around the world as the M&V leader. EVO's products and services cover a broad spectrum of energy efficiency and measurement and verification related activities, including protocol development, training, and industry professionals certification.

EVO is present on all continents. The IPMVP and related application guides are available in different languages. Its flagship training program, M&V Fundamentals and IPMVP for Energy Managers, reaches out to hundreds of participants annually thanks to a global network of training partners.