by Shane Henson — November 21, 2011—Building owners and facilities managers seeking a better understanding of energy audits may benefit from reading the second edition of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ (ASHRAE) Procedures for Commercial Building Energy Audits. According to ASHRAE, the new publication includes time-saving tips for energy auditors, how to hire an auditor, what to ask for in a comprehensive audit report, and how to build a successful energy efficiency retrofit team.
“As we work to reduce energy consumption in our commercial buildings, we want to ensure that recommendations are cost effective, technically feasible, maintain safety and comfort, and result in significant energy savings,” said Jim Kelsey, a member of Technical Committee 7.6, Building Energy Performance, and who oversaw the writing of the updated publication. “This volume focuses on how to improve energy audit best practices. Providing the best audits that we can will help move the industry forward to net-zero buildings.”
Additionally, the publication addresses how to build a successful team, analytical methods, successful approaches to site visits, incorporating on-site measurements, economic evaluation of measures, and how to organize an energy audit report that promotes action on the part of building owners and managers. It includes many tips for conducting energy audits and reviewing results prepared by others. For example, according to the report, the top things to check for in when reviewing an audit report include verifying that:
- Proposed measures are feasible and appropriate for the building;
- Proposed measures meet applicable building codes;
- Data are internally consistent;
- Estimates of potential energy savings are reasonable compared to quick estimates and historical energy use;
- Proposed cost estimates are reasonable relative to field experience;
- Any financial discussion includes current and viable mechanisms available per the tax structure, location, and motivations of the client.
Another benefit of the new publication is a greatly expanded section of forms and template analyses, including “live” Excel spreadsheets, checklists and equipment-specific forms suitable for field collection of detailed commercial building data.
