Beyond PUMA: Taking Energy Insights Further with Power BI
Data is only as valuable as the insights it delivers. At PUMA, we’ve built a platform that focuses on what matters most in energy management: bringing reliable utility and weather data into one place, applying robust baseline models, and calculating energy and cost savings with confidence.
But sometimes, the question isn’t "Do we have the right numbers?"
It's "How do we want to see them?"
PUMA as the engine
PUMA's real strength lies under the hood.
The platform centralizes electricity, natural gas, and other utility data, pairs it with up-to-date weather information. Proven baseline modeling and savings calculations are applied, with results reviewed by certified staff. This “human-in-the-loop” approach ensures that automated analytics are supported by expert oversight.
The result is a system clients can trust. There’s no need to manually manage data, build models, or validate savings calculations. PUMA takes care of the heavy lifting, consistently and reliably.
When built-in dashboards and reports aren't enough
PUMA already offers customizable dashboards and a wide range of standard and custom reports. For many clients, these tools meet their needs perfectly.
However, there are situations where certain audiences, especially senior decision-makers and stakeholders, want something more tailored:
Advanced or highly customized visualizations and layouts
A single, high-level view that brings multiple metrics together
Interactive filtering across multiple dimensions
Dashboards aligned with corporate branding and visual standards
The data and calculations already exist in PUMA. What’s sometimes missing is the flexibility to present them in exactly the way a specific audience expects.
PUMA's built-in dashboard — Scorecard
PUMA's built-in dashboard — GHG
Custom report generated in PUMA
Extending PUMA with Power BI
This is where tools like Power BI complement PUMA perfectly.
PUMA remains the source of truth. It does the heavy lifting: data collection, baseline modeling, and savings calculations. The key metrics are then exported from PUMA reports and brought into Power BI, where the focus shifts to visualization, interactivity, and storytelling.
With Power BI, we can:
Create more refined and customized visuals
Combine metrics that normally live in separate PUMA reports
Create highly interactive views with filters, rankings, and drill-downs
Design dashboards that match corporate branding and executive preferences
The numbers stay trusted. The visuals get a boost.
Power BI custom dashboard using data from PUMA reports — Sample design 1
Power BI custom dashboard using data from PUMA reports — Sample design 2
From insights to action
The goal isn't just better-looking dashboards. It's clearer conversations and faster decisions.
When savings, trends, and site performance are easy to see and compare, stakeholders spend less time interpreting data and more time acting on it. That’s when energy analytics start driving real operational and strategic value.
By going beyond PUMA and integrating with tools like Power BI, we’re not working around limitations - we're building on PUMA's strengths and extending them. The result is energy data that remains accurate and trusted, while becoming more engaging, flexible, and impactful for every audience that relies on it.