Decoding Energy
Efficiency Audit
An energy
efficiency audit is often called an energy feasibility study. All energy audit
reports have one thing in common - they are a form of technical recommendation
report that are typically dedicated towards identifying the most cost-effective
and technically-feasible ways of using energy within a building. The idea is to
reduce the energy usage by increasing the efficiency of the operating energy
systems that are being used in a particular facility. This also means installation/upgrading
of equipment to reduce daily maintenance costs.
How To Conduct An Energy Efficiency Audit?
Whenever,
a business is planning to conduct an energy audit, the foremost question that
arises is determining who would carry out the audit. There are limited choices
when it comes to carrying out an energy efficiency audit. It can be done by:
- A business establishment’s in-house staff (rarely
done)
- Recruiting the services provided by energy consultants
or energy services solution providers (preferred)
Hiring energy
consultants or energy auditors is the most common choice, since it turns out to
be cost-effective. With it energy optimization solutions can also be better
customized to businesses’ needs.
Energy Efficiency Audits Through Energy Consultants
Energy
consultants are professionals who specialize in analyzing the reasons behind
compromised levels of energy optimization in commercial or institutionalized buildings.
Most energy consultants have their own team of electrical technicians and qualified
mechanical engineers to make an in-depth analysis of energy use patterns and
induction of more energy-saving systems.
The two
biggest reasons that make energy consultants the preferred choice are:
- They are able to execute the entire energy optimization
analysis without involving the staff of a business organization. This
ensures that businesses are able to concentrate on their own daily
functions.
- They provide many additional energy upgrade
services such as specifications related to engineering or infrastructural design,
which is actually beyond their scope of work.
Further,
many energy consultants even help in seeking proposals from vendors/contractors
who will install/upgrade the facility. Many energy consultants have tie-ups
with efficient energy solution providers, i.e. energy optimization vendors.
Energy Optimization Vendors And Energy Efficiency
Audits
An
important part of energy audits is to identify the most cost-effective solutions
that can raise the energy-efficiency of facility. This is where an audit goes
beyond the realm of just creating analytical reports. They will often invite
energy optimization vendors to cross-check the costs involved with installing/managing
the upgrades that have been recommended in the energy audit reports. This
process is repeated until the most economically-feasible solution is reached.
Often energy
efficiency audits are conducted in the form of long-term performance contracts.
As a part of Performance Contracts, the energy auditors and the vendors/contractors
are hired over a period of time to ensure that the installed energy-saving
equipment is meeting its goals and upgrades can be carried out, whenever
necessary.
Example Of Energy Efficiency Audits - Lighting Audits
Questions
that are typically included for lighting energy efficiency audits:
- Does the building have specific areas where
lights are left switched-on even when the space is not unoccupied?
- Are the exterior lights left switched-on during
the daytime?
- Do the lamps often flicker?
- Do the electrical fixtures include lamps that
radiate various colors?
- Are their repeated performance/repair-related problems
with lighting fixtures?
The
audit should be able to identify wasteful lighting sources (like incandescent A-lamps)
being used. For such lighting system energy audits, an audit report should be
able to estimate the quality of energy-efficiency retrofit installations that
are needed. Businesses benefit from such audit reports, as they can decide the
most productive energy-regulating lighting technologies such as automated wall-timer
switches, photosensors or timer circuits.
Dynamic
energy efficiency audits help businesses to systematically carry out their
energy-optimization installations. Comprehensive energy efficiency audits should
able to provide a detailed breakdown of energy-saving configurations,
suitability of energy technologies and the concluding effect of implementing energy
audit recommendations.
For more information please refer to the following pages:
Energy Saving, LED Lighting and USGBC
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