Updated

U d t d
Procedures for
Commercial
Building Energy
Audits
Jim Kelsey, PE
www.kw-engineering.com
kW Engineering
 What we’ll cover
2

 Background of ASHRAE’s
ASHRAE s “Procedures
Procedures
for Commercial Building Energy Audits”
 Quick
Qu c Summary
Su a y of
o Audit
ud Levels
e es
 Putting together a successful audit
implementation
p team
 What to look for in the audit
 Technical points to look for
 Balancing costs, accuracy
& time spent
p
 The future. What next?
 Energy
gy Audits are like p
photography
g p y
3

 Everybody thinks they can do it

 Tools are cheap and available
 Producing a product is easy
 But results may vary…

In fact, a lot of skills and

experience are needed to ensure
that recommendations are cost
effective, technically feasible, and
result in significant energy
sa ings
savings
 Background
g
4

 86% of building g construction

expenditures are on existing buildings
 If we’re to get to net zero we need
t address
to dd audits
dit iin existing
i ti b buildings
ildi
 There is a lack of industry
standardization on audit methods
 Need for a common vocabulary &
Standardized methods
 2004 Publication referenced by
 LEED EBOM
 Commercial PACE Programs
 Proposed ASHRAE Std 100 (2012?)
 San Francisco Ordinance
5

 All commercial buildings

g to submit energy
gy usage
g data
annually and conduct energy audits every 5 years*
 Annual Energy Benchmark Summary (AEBS) report
submitted
b itt d annually
ll using
i EPA ENERGY STAR P Portfolio
tf li
Manager

Building Size Audit Level* Required

5,000-49,999 sq ft ASHRAE Level 1 - Walk-through Analysis

50,000+ sq ft ASHRAE Level 2 - Energy Survey /

Engineering Analysis

*See www.sfbos.org/ftp/uploadedfiles/bdsupvrs/ordinances11/o0017-11.pdf
 Highlights
g g of what was added – 2nd Ed
6

 Much more info on “how

how to”
to do audits
 Importance of team building & human factors
 Summary of measurement approaches
 Lifecycle cost approaches
 Excel templates
 Checklists
 Greatly expanded “how to”
7
sections
200
180
160
140
120
pages

100
Level Definitions
80
60 "How To"

40 Forms
20
0
* This is placeholder
2004 Version 2011 Version cover design – actual is
not yet final
 ASHRAE Energy
gy Assessment Levels
8

 Minor changes in Level Definitions

 Removed requirement for analysis of no-cost
a d low-cost
and o cos measures
easu es u under
de Level
e e 1
 Levels I, II, and III have become 1,2 and 3
 Added summary table to make levels clearer
 Preliminary Energy
U A
Use Analysis
l i
• Calculate kBTU/sf
• Compare to similar

Level 1: Walk-through
• Rough Costs and Savings for EEMs
• Identify Capital Projects

Level 2: Energy
gy Survey
y & Analysis
y
• End-use Breakdown
• Detailed Analysis
• Cost & Savings for EEMs
• O&M Changes

Level 3: Detailed Survey & Analysis

• Refined analysis
• Additional Measurements
• Hourly Simulation

9
 Level
Process 1 2 3
Conduct Preliminary Energy Analysis (PEA) ● ● ●
Conduct walk-through survey ● ● ●
Identify low-cost/no-cost
low cost/no cost recommendations ● ● ●
Identify capital improvements ● ● ●
Review M&E design, condition and O&M practices ● ●
Measure key parameters ● ●
Analyze
y capital
p measures ((savings
g & costs including
g interaction)) ● ●
Meet with owner/operators to review recommendations ● ●
Conduct additional testing/monitoring ●
Perform detailed system modeling ●
Provided schematic layouts for recommendations ●
Level
Le el
Report 1 2 3
Estimate savings from utility rate change ● ● ●
Compare EUI to that of similar sites ● ● ●
Summarize utilityy data ● ● ●
Estimate savings if EUI met target ● ● ●
Estimate low/cost / no-cost savings ● ●
Perform detailed end-use breakdown ● ●
Estimate capital project costs and savings ● ●
C
Complete
l t b
building
ildi d description
i ti and d equipment
i t iinventory
t ● ●
General description of considered measures ● ●
Recommended M&V method ● ●
Financial analysis of recommended EEMs ● ●
Detailed description of recommended measures ●
Detailed EEM cost estimates ●

10
Level Summary
 Preliminaryy Energy
gy Use Analysis
y ((PEA))
11

 Done pprior to site visit

 Required 1st step for Level 1 audit
 Compile billing data
 Calculate Energy Use Intensity (EUI)
 kBTU/sf or MJ / m2
 Compare to similar buildings
 Energy Star / CBECs
 Energy
E IQ (www.energyiq.lbl.gov)
( i lbl )
 Your portfolio
(don’tt forget to correct for weather, schedules, etc.)
(don
 Preliminary
y Energy
gy Analysis
y
12

50%
Your Building = 80 kBTU/ft2
ercent of Building Stock
k

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
0 20 40 60 80 100
Building Energy Use Intensity (kBTU/ft2 or MJ/m2)
Pe
 Level 1- Walk-through
g
13

Process
 Conduct Preliminary Energy Analysis
(PEA)
 Conduct walk
walk-through
through survey
 Identify low-cost/no-cost
recommendations
 Identify capital improvements
Report (brief)
 E ti t savings
Estimate i ffrom utility
tilit rate
t change
h
 Compare EUI to that of similar sites
 Summarize utility data
 Estimate savings if EUI met target
 Level 2 – Energy
gy Survey
y and Analysis
y
14
 Level 2 – Energy
gy Survey
y and Analysis
y
15

Process
 Detailed site visit
 Review M&E design, condition
and O&M practices
 Measure key parameters
 Analyze capital measures
(
(savings
i & costs
t iincluding
l di
interaction)
 Meet with owner/operators to
review
i recommendations
d ti
 Level 2 – Energy
gy Survey
y and Analysis
y
16

Report
 Estimate low/cost / no-cost
savings
 Perform detailed end-use
end use
breakdown
 Estimate capital project costs and
savings
 Complete building description
and equipment inventory
 Generall d
G description
i ti off
considered measures
 Recommended M&V method
 Financial analysis of
recommended EEMs
 End Use Allocation
17

End Use kWh  therms  kBTU  %

Lights 85,668  292,300  14%
Misc Equip 145,457  496,300  23%
Space Heating 8,336  833,600  39%
Space Cooling 78,605  268,200  13%
P
Pumps 645
645  2 200
2,200  0%
Fans 52,550  179,300  8%
DHW 547  54,700 
, 3%
%
Total Estimated 362,925  8,883  2,126,600  100%
Historical Billing 366,455  9,217  2,172,044 
Percent of Actual 99% 96% 98%
Total per sq ft 11.9  0.3  69.5 
Detailed End Use Allocation
DHW
Fans 3% Lights
8% 14%
Pumps
0%

Space Cooling
13%

Misc Equip
23%

Space Heating
39%

18
 The Energy
gy Balance
19

 AKA Utility Bill Calibration, Energy Use Allocation

 Idea is fundamental –baseline energy estimates
should match bills
 If they don’t, you
don’t understand
the building
 If this isn’t done,
you run risk
i k off
overestimating
savings
 EEM Summary Table
NRG Geeks Inc.
20
 Level 3 – Detailed Analysis
y
21

Level 2 and then some…

Process
 Additional testing /
monitoring
 Detailed system
modeling
 Schematic
layouts for
recommendations
 Level 3 – Additional Scope
p & Value
22

Level 2 and then some…

Report
 Detailed description
of recommended
measures
 Detailed EEM cost
estimates
 LCCA
 Approaches to date have
23
missed human factors
 Team building is key to audit &
implementation success
 Seek involvement with key players at site
 Let folks do what they’re good at
 Leave site staff with the knowledge to follow through
 Don’t believe everything you hear
 Site inspections with staff can be misleading
 Your questions may be threatening
 Building
g a Balanced Team
24

 Committed management
 Engaged financial staff who
understand risks and rewards
 Trained building engineers
 Trusted contractors and vendors
 Utility account representatives
 Engaged
E d and
d iinformed
f dbbuilding
ildi occupants
t
 Trained and experienced energy auditor
 Costs vs. Accuracy
y
25

 Energy auditing seeks to strike a

balance between time spent and
the value returned
 Important to allow flexibility to
seek best return on time
 Too little effort may result in less
identified potential
p
 Too much effort… gilded lilies and
science projects
p j
 How to Hire an Energy
gy Auditor
26

 Use either Competitive Bidding or Sole-source

Sole source
Using sole-source can be quicker, but competitive bids
may result in a lower price
 Consider effect of price on results.
Low price may not be best choice
 What to look for from a good auditing firm:
 References, work samples, and
resumes of keyy staff members
 Professional certifications
 Vendor-neutral
 Solution-neutral
 What to ask for in an audit report
p
27

 Actionable recommendations
 Realistic treatment of rates
 Transparent
p analysis
y
 Guidance to more resources
 Reasonable savings g estimates
 Reasonable cost estimates
 Analysis
y of interactive effects
 Measurements of key input variables
 Monitoringg of baseline pperformance
 Hourly modeling
 Top
p 10 to check in an energy
gy audit
28

1.
1 Proposed measures are feasible and appropriate for the building
2. Proposed measures meet /exceed applicable building codes
3. Data are internally consistent
4
4. Savings estimate methods follow established principles and methods
5. Energy savings estimates are reasonable compared to quick
estimates and historical energy use
6 Proposed cost estimates are reasonable relative to field experience
6.
7. Cost savings adequately treat utility rates
8. Interactions between EEMs are identified and addressed
9 Recommendations and report meet the project scope
9. scope, goals
goals, and
client’s needs
10. Financial discussion includes current and viable mechanisms
available per the tax structure, location, and motivations of the client
 New Resources
29

 Live Excel - customizable

 Preliminary Energy
Analysis Template
 Energy Efficiency
Measure Summary
Table Template
 Template Forms
 Measure checklists
 Complete IEA Energy
Process Assessment
P t
Protocoll handbook
h db k
 Conclusions / Future Work
30

 There
There’s
s a lot of new material that provides a
good foundation for best practices
 Still much
S uc to
o add to
o make
a e this
s 2nd ed
edition
o
publication comprehensive
 More detail on modeling and analytical methods
 Additional treatment of Cx and RCx
 We need an audit standard
 BEAP certification
will help
 Questions?
31

Contact:
Jim Kelsey, P.E.
kelsey@kw-engineering.com

www.ashrae.org/bookstore
www kw-engineering
www.kw engineering.com/audits
com/audits