Energy Audit Steps

COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL
BUILDING ENERGY AUDIT
By
Dr. O Phillips Agboola

COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL
BUILDING ENERGY AUDIT
 Why do we audit Commercial/Industrial buildings

 Important for successful business performance
 Provide predictable positive cash flow
 Open doors to energy retrofit
 In the long run, reduce CO

2 emission
 Reduce over-head cost of a project, thereby increasing
the feasibility of the project
 Types of Commercial/Industrial buildings energy
audits
 Walk-through Audit
 Utility Cost Analysis Audit
 Standard Energy Audit
 Detailed Energy Audit

 Walk-through Audit
 This audit consists of a short on-site visit of the

facility to identify areas where simple and
inexpensive actions can provide immediate energy
use and/or operating cost saving. Some Engineers
refer to these types of actions as operating and
maintenance (O&M) measured.
 Examples
 Replacing broken windows
 Insulating exposed hot water or steam pipe
 Adjusting fuel-air ratio
 Setting back heating set point temperature

 Utility Cost Analysis Audit
 The main purpose of this type of audit is to carefully
analyze the operating costs of the facility. Typically, the
utility data over several years are evaluated to identify the
pattern of energy use, peak demand, weather effects, and
potential for energy savings.
 To perform this analysis, it is recommended that a walk-

through survey is done first
 In performing this type of commercial energy audit the

following are necessary
 Check the utility charges to rule out error in bills
 Determine the most dominant charges in the utility bills
 Peak demand charges and ways to shaves them

 Determine whether or not the facility can benefit from
using other utility rate structure to purchase cheaper
energy and reduce its operating costs.
 Determine if the facility is ripe for energy retrofit
 Standard Energy Audit
 The standard audit provides a comprehensive energy

analysis for the energy systems of the facility. In addition to
the activities described for the walk-through audit and for
the utility cost analysis described, the standard energy
audit includes the development of a baseline for energy use
of the facility and evaluation of the energy saving and the
cost effectiveness of appropriate selected energy
conservation measures.
 Typically, simplified tools are used in the standard energy

audit to develop baseline energy models and predict the
energy saving of energy conservation measures.
 Among these tools are degree-day methods, linear

regression, simple payback analysis, net present value etc
 Detailed Energy Audit
 It’sthe most comprehensive form of energy audit

and very time consuming.
 Specifically, the detailed energy audit includes the
use of instruments to measure energy use for the
whole buildings and/or for some energy systems
within the building.
 For instance, lighting systems, office equipment,
fans, chillers etc
 In addition, sophisticated computer simulation
program are typically considered for detailed energy
audit to evaluate and recommend energy retrofit for
the facility
 NOTE
 During auditing , hand held and clamp –on instruments
can be used to determine the variation of some building
parameters such as
 Indoor air temperature
 The luminance level
 Electrical energy use
 Also, the use of sensors are common e.g the use of Non-
Intrusive Load Monitoring techniques (NILM)

General Procedure for a Detailed Energy Audit
 Step 1: Building and Utility Data Analysis

 This step evaluate the characteristics of the energy
systems and the pattern of energy use for the
building.
 The building characteristics can be collected from
the architectural/mechanical/Electrical drawings
 The energy use pattern can be obtained from a
compilation of utility bills over several years
 Analysis of the historical variation of the utility bills
allows you to determine if there are any seasonal
and weather effects on the building energy use
 Practical steps
 Collect at least three years of utility date
 To identify a historical energy use pattern
 Identify the fuel types used
 Electricity, natural gas, oil etc
 Determine the fuel type that accounts for the largest energy
use
 Determine the pattern of fuel use by fuel type
 Identify the peak demand for energy use by fuel type
 Understandutility rate structure (energy and
demand rates)
 Peak demands and if cheaper fuel can be purchase
 Analyze the effect of weather on fuel consumption
 Perform utility energy use analysis by building type
and size
 To compare against typical indices
 Step 2: Walk-through Survey
 From this step, potential energy measures should be
identified. The results of this step are important
since they determine if the building warrants any
further energy auditing work. Some of the tasks
involved in this step are
 Identify the facility concerns and needs
 Check the current operating and maintenance
procedures
 Determine the existing operating conditions of major
energy equipment
• Lighting
• HVAC systems
• Motors etc
 Estimate the occupancy, equipment, and lighting
• Using energy density and hours of operation
 Step 3: Baseline for Building Energy Use
 The main purpose of this step is to develop a base-
case model that represents the existing energy use
and operating condition for the building, This model
is to be used as a reference to estimate the energy
saving incurred from approximately selected energy
conservation measures. The major tasks to be
performed during this steps are:
 Obtain and review architectural, mechanical, electrical, and
control drawings
 Inspect, test, and evaluate building equipment for
efficiency, performance, and reliability
 Obtain all occupancy and operating schedules for
equipment
 Develop a baseline model for the building use
 Calibrate the baseline model using the utility data and/or
metered data
 Step 4: Evaluation of Energy Saving Measured
 In this step, a list of cost effective energy conservation
measures are determined using both energy savings and
economic analysis. To achieve this goal, the following
tasks are recommended
 Prepare a comprehensive list of energy
 Determine the energy savings due to the various energy
conservation measures pertinent to the building using the

balance energy use simulation model developed
 Estimate the initial costs required to implement the energy
conservation measures
 Estimate the cost-effectiveness of each energy conservation
measure using an economic analysis method

COMMON ENERGY CONSERVATION MEASURES
1. Building Envelops
 Walls, roofs, floors, windows and doors
 Insulations of these envelops
 Windows glazing, door fitting allowance
 Recommended energy conservations measures
 Additional Thermal Insulation
 This can be costly
 Replacement of Windows
 Reducing od Air Leakage
2. Electrical Systems
 Electrical energy cost constitute the dominant
part of the utility bill

 Lighting
 Office equipment
 Motors
- When luminance levels are above the levels

recommended by the standard
- Fastest growing part of electrical load e.g computers etc
- The energy cost to produce electric motors can be a
significant part of the operating budget of any commercial
and industrial building
3. HVAC Systems
 The energy use due to HVAC systems can
represent 40% of the total energy consumed by

a typical commercial building
 Determine condition of the equipment
 Operating schedule
 Quality of maintenance
 Control procedures
Case Study/Assignment 1
Submission deadline: 19th October 2012
A. Consider an apartment (2-3 bedroom

apartment) and perform an energy audit.
B. After the audit, perform a retrofitting evaluation
of the apartment base on the energy audit of the
apartment

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COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL

BUILDING ENERGY AUDIT

Dr. O Phillips Agboola

 Why do we audit Commercial/Industrial buildings

 Open doors to energy retrofit

 In the long run, reduce CO

 Standard Energy Audit

 Detailed Energy Audit

 This audit consists of a short on-site visit of the

 Adjusting fuel-air ratio

 Setting back heating set point temperature

 To perform this analysis, it is recommended that a walk-

 In performing this type of commercial energy audit the

 Determine the most dominant charges in the utility bills

 Peak demand charges and ways to shaves them

 The standard audit provides a comprehensive energy

 Typically, simplified tools are used in the standard energy

 Among these tools are degree-day methods, linear

 It’sthe most comprehensive form of energy audit

 Electrical energy use

Intrusive Load Monitoring techniques (NILM)

 Step 1: Building and Utility Data Analysis

 Calibrate the baseline model using the utility data and/or

conservation measures pertinent to the building using the

measure using an economic analysis method

part of the utility bill

- When luminance levels are above the levels

represent 40% of the total energy consumed by

A. Consider an apartment (2-3 bedroom

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