Although Valentine’s Day is
over, it’s not too late to show your building some love and affection. Has it
become unresponsive, non-communicative or giving you the cold shoulder? It may
need some special attention and TLC to get its “motor running” again.
Like any relationship, the
best way to fix a problem for the long-term is to find out what caused it. In
this case, the best place to start is with a professional energy audit, which
is a comprehensive review of energy costs and a building inspection to find out
where things may have gone wrong. Once the problems are identified, solutions
can be recommended to increase energy efficiency and restore the relationship.
How-to
Conduct a Professional Energy Audit:
1.
Review utility bills for the past
one or two years.
2.
Interview facilities personnel to
identify how systems are being operated, regular maintenance performed and equipment
repairs made.
3.
Inspect the building for any drafts, insulation problems, loose
fittings or leaking pipes.
4.
Assess
the building’s envelope, HVAC equipment, hot water systems, plug loads,
lighting, process loads, and energy management system (if applicable).
5.
Perform
an energy-consumption analysis to quantify base loads, seasonal variations, and
effective energy costs. The analysis should include an evaluation of lighting,
air quality, temperature, ventilation, humidity, and other conditions with the
goal of providing a similar or better performance while using less energy and
without sacrificing on comfort.
6.
Provide
a detailed report to the owners and management team on the recommended
priorities and the cost-benefit analysis associated with them.
7.
For
energy retrofits that require a large capital investment, a whole building
computer simulation may be needed to collect data while monitoring lighting,
pumps, motors, etc. The data is then used to accurately model the actual brick
and mortar building and how it would respond in varying environments. By
varying the input, the system is able to test the performance of the
recommendations before they are actually implemented.
Source: ASHRAE
For example, EntegralSolutions conducted an energy audit at Mercedes Independent School District and
found several energy saving opportunities including lighting upgrades to
classrooms and gyms, HVAC equipment replacement, ventilation optimization, and
building automation system commissioning. Once implemented, MISD is now saving
approximately $760,000 per year in energy costs. Now, that is what we call true
love!
Maintaining a building is
like any other relationship; it requires an ongoing commitment and dedication
to “keep the fire burning.” If you show building some love, it will reciprocate
with lower energy costs and increased comfort for tenants.
