Commercial Energy Audit

These program components may be employed independently, or may be combined into a comprehensive approach that provides scaleable options that are dictated by the sequential performance of individual actions that build upon one another and enable progressive characterization of building performance.

Utility Bill Analysis

PEG will establish a baseline for energy and water consumption and will also review current commodity acquisition practices in order to confirm that the facility is on the proper tariff, that there are no billing errors, and no more advantageous acquisition opportunities exist.

To properly provide the deliverables required for Utility Bill Analysis it is expected that PEG will be provided all necessary information pursuant to development of the end results and recommendations. Tasks are as follows:

1. Obtain the needed energy billing data.

2. Examine utility bills for the past three years and establish base year consumption for electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, steam, water, etc. in terms of energy units (kWh, kW, ccf, gallons, lbs., etc.) and in terms of total dollars and dollars per unit.

3. Describe the process to determine the base year (averaging, selecting most representative contiguous 12 months, etc.)

4. Consult with facility personnel to account for any anomalous schedule or operating conditions on billing that could skew the base year representation.

5. Account for periods of time when equipment was broken or malfunctioning in calculating the base year.

6. State how future plans for the building may affect the baseline energy and water usage and how the baseline will be adjusted.

7. List factors that may be adjusted such as cooling degree days, heating degree days, square footage changes, or changes to operating hours.

8. Review existing energy commodity acquisition practices, and confirm that the facility is on the proper rate tariff.

Energy Star Benchmarking

This program component is designed to collect data to benchmark buildings using the EPA ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. The information will be used to establish the building’s profile in Portfolio Manager, which is critical to calculate benchmarks of key metrics such as energy intensity and costs, water use, and carbon emissions. All building types can be entered into Portfolio Manager and receive energy and water benchmarks, as well as a comparison of performance against a national average for buildings of a similar type.

Some buildings will also receive an ENERGY STAR rating. The ENERGY STAR rating is a benchmark that indicates how efficiently buildings use energy on a 1-100 scale. A rating of 50 indicates that energy performance is average compared to similar buildings, while a rating of 75 or better indicates top performance, and means your building may be eligible to earn the ENERGY STAR label. To receive an ENERGY STAR rating, the gross floor area of the building must be comprised of 50% or more of one of the following space types:

Bank/Financial Institution
Courthouse
Hospital (acute care and children’s)
Hotel
K-12 School
Medical Office
Multifamily Housing
Office
Residence Hall/Dormitory
Retail Store
Supermarket
Warehouse (refrigerated and non-refrigerated)
Wastewater Treatment Plant

Lighting Survey

A Lighting Survey is performed to obtain detailed information on the efficiency of the building’s lighting system(s) from an electrical and light distribution standpoint. Fixture types and locations are determined during an on-site inspection of the facilities. General operating hours of the lighting system(s), through interviews with facility personnel, are obtained in order to assess what areas of the facility are in use at what times.

The buildings’ lighting systems will then be evaluated both individually, as well as collectively. Energy Conservation Measures (ECM) are then determined by a combination of wattages saved, hours of operation, cost effectiveness, and system wide product uniformity to reduce inventory diversity. The wattages used for the various existing and proposed technologies are based upon industry accepted Independent Testing Laboratory results of various manufacturers’ products. This survey assumes that the current electrical system meets all local, state, and federal electrical and building codes.

Energy Efficiency Facility Audits

These program components are designed to help building owners, residents, and facility managers understand how their building and critical use components are performing. Once the performance of the built environment is evaluated, and dependent on the level of facility audit selected, PEG will then provide direction in the decision making process of what energy efficiency improvements are practical and cost effective. PEG will develop and present a prioritized energy improvement plan with progressively more detailed recommended measures listed in order of cost effectiveness and projected ROI.

Energy Audit Levels

Level One – Basic:

Typically, a walkthrough assessment to evaluate conditions that affect the ability of the facility to use energy effectively includes an infrared and photo documentation of the exterior elevations and a cursory review of the historical energy consumption data to identify energy usage trends.

Level Two – Intermediate:

Investing additional effort in the building survey and energy analysis combined with critical system performance testing, this assessment provides a breakdown of how energy is used in the building as well as an expanded range of saving options, including capital investments. This level of audit accounts for the building occupancy levels, explores maintenance procedures, and assesses possible impacts proposed savings measures may have on them.

Level Three – Advanced:

This analysis details large-scale remedial projects that may be a result of previous assessments. The collection of supplemental detailed data from building equipment along with extensive test measurements, which may include: spot-measurements, short-term energy monitoring and the assessment of possible risks will produce an economic analysis with reliable estimates of projected energy and financial performance.

Energy Audit Report Levels

Level One Report:

The level one report will consist of an executive summary, assessment checklist, utility consumption evaluation, conclusions based on our walkthrough inspection, and recommendations of straightforward improvements.

Level Two Report:

the level two reports will include inspection findings, performance testing methodology, occupancy trend analysis, maintenance procedure evaluation, utility consumption trend evaluation, and investment to savings analysis of proposed improvements.

Level Three Report:

the level three reports will be developed and presented as a complete Building Analysis Report. This report will include the assessment methodology, utilities analysis, assessment findings, pertinent industry and code related comparison of findings and standards, photo-documentation, and itemized listing of remedial opportunities with investment to savings analysis.

Project specific scope of work would include extensive audit detail as to the specific actions and timing requirements as well as deliverable descriptions and project timelines and milestones.

These program components may be presented in line item format or as part of a comprehensive sequential program where initial analysis services such as Utility Bill Analysis and Energy Star Benchmarking are utilized to make decisions regarding subsequent actions such as Lighting Survey and the progressively more detailed levels of available Energy Efficiency Facility Audits.

Please contact PEG for further details.