Energy efficiency is very important in commercial buildings. Being energy efficient saves you electricity bills as well as reduces greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide which helps in fighting climate change. It also helps reduce the consumption of natural resources used for the production of energy.

When performing a commercial energy audit to analyze the energy consumption of a commercial building, many people are unaware of what to do. The purpose of this post is to guide you, to prepare effectively for a commercial energy audit.

Understanding the Purpose of an Energy Audit

First of all, do you know what a commercial energy audit is? If you don’t, it is conducted to understand and analyze the energy consumption and usage patterns of a commercial building. Afterward, you adopt a plan accordingly to minimize energy consumption. 

There are numerous benefits of conducting an energy audit. If we write them all down, you would have to spend your entire day on it. So let’s summarise them into a few points, such as reducing your electricity cost, diminishing the carbon footprints, reducing the strain on natural resources, and also saving you from legal issues in some cases.

There are different levels or you can say, different types of a commercial energy audit. There are three main types, walk-through, standard, and detailed. The type you would need to conduct depends on your requirements and the upgrades you want to do.

Steps to Prepare for a Commercial Energy Audit

1.     Define Goals and Objectives

First of all, you need to clarify what you want to achieve through an energy audit. Is it to improve efficiency or reduce the cost or is it for something else?

You also need to pinpoint your area of focus by deciding which thing you want to focus on. Figure out if it is the lighting, insulation, or any other area of concern.

2. Gather Building Information

In the second step, you need to collect the architectural and structural details of the buildings. Finding out the building’s age and condition as well as the material used for the construction of the building helps in formulating a strategy you need to adapt to reduce energy losses. You can find out where and how you need to insulate the building for the greatest efficiency. Setting up solar panels according to the orientation of the building also helps to maximize the utilization of solar energy.

First of all, you need to lay out the floor plans for each floor to see the dimensions of the room, the location of windows, wall thickness, and so on. Then you need to identify different areas such as the kitchen, lounge, and rooms to identify where energy is being consumed and how.

3. Assemble Utility Data

After laying out the floor plans and identifying different areas and their energy consumption patterns, you need to start digging up the past. What we mean is that you need to check the historical records of resource usage. The historical records include utility bills or smart meters for real-time usage analysis.

You need to take out the data of the building of at least one to two years for a complete data set. You must cross-check the data to ensure its accuracy to identify various anomalies and develop energy-saving plans.

4. Identify Key Stakeholders

You should do heavy projects or tasks by yourself. You must have a team working with you on all fronts for favorable results. That is why, you need to identify and involve the key stakeholders for the completion of the energy audit. The key stakeholders might include a few of the following depending on the type of energy audit you are conducting:

•  Building owner
• Facility manager
• Maintenance staff
• Financial manager
• Tenants
• HVAC technicians

You need to conduct multiple meetings when required with the key stakeholders for good cooperation on the project. The meeting should have a clear objective and all the participating members must be provided with the relevant data. You also need to get regular updates to minimize errors and misunderstandings.

5. Prepare Operational and Maintenance Records

You cannot just walk in and begin with an energy audit. You need to make a list of items, including cooling systems, heaters, and so on. You also need to procure their maintenance logs, like routine checkups, upgrades, and frequency of changing parts.

Make their operational log, when they are used, and how their usage varies relative to the day and seasons. Organizing these records and logs can help you immensely in your energy audit.

6. Conduct a Preliminary Walk-Through

Conducting a preliminary walkthrough is an important step of an energy audit that allows you to distinguish problems and areas of improvement. In this step, you need to check the following things:

• Building insulation
• Gas leaks
• Water leaks
• Equipment condition
• Replacing old units and appliances with new and energy-efficient ones

You should take pictures and notes of immediate observations and areas of concern. Then classify them according to their importance such as immediate attention or short-term or long-term improvements.

Selecting the Right Energy Auditor

Selecting the right energy auditor is of utmost importance when we talk about conducting a commercial energy audit. If the person handling everything is not well enough for the job, all of your investment will go to waste. Thus, you need to look for an energy auditor with the right certificates and a good experience in the field. You could also ask for references and feedback from previous clients.

You can ask for proposals from different auditors and compare the cost, time, and methods to select the best one.

What to Expect During the Audit

Initial Consultation: You first need to meet with the auditor to relay your expectations. Specify milestones and an end goal. You should provide the auditor with preliminary data and records such as utility bills. Also, make sure to discuss the scope as well as the expected time required.

Site Inspection: Take the auditor to the site, or the concerned building for inspection. This is so the auditor can check for various problems in the insulations, HVAC system, lighting, water system, and so on. This is important so that the auditor can verify the areas that require improvement.

Data Analysis: The auditor will analyze the data and records provided to identify problems in the systems. They can find out various problems and inefficiencies in systems just by cross-checking the data. Then, devise a plan for you to find opportunities for saving energy.

Reporting: Lastly, the auditor will make a detailed report of his findings by site inspections and cross-checking the data. They will give you a list of problems in the building, their reason, and the solution. 

Post-Audit Actions

Reviewing the Audit Report

Reviewing the audit report is very important. You can finally understand why your energy bills are so high. You can understand different problems in the building as well as their solutions and recommendations.

Prioritizing Recommendations

You need to classify the recommendations according to their importance and start upgrading with the most important or urgent matter towards the least.

Implementing Energy Efficiency Measures

You need to make a plan to implement energy efficiency measures. It should include when and where the upgrades are going to take place, how long they will take, as well as the budget for those upgrades. You can also contact the related service company to implement the upgrades for you.

Monitoring Progress

You should make a plan and monitor the progress of the implementation of energy efficiency measures. Also, keep track of the completion rate and timeline. You also need to keep an eye on the implemented upgrades to see whether they are providing the expected results or not.

Seeking Financial Incentives

You always need to keep an eye out for potential financial aid. Converting a building into an energy-efficient space costs a lot more than you would think. For that reason, you need to explore potential rebates, grants, and financial options provided by the auditor. Some states also offer policies to help with energy audits. 

Common Challenges and Solutions

1. Data Accuracy

Collecting data for a successful commercial energy audit is not a straightforward task. It requires precision and accuracy. If there are mistakes in the data you collect, your final audit report won’t be able to help you much either. That is why you need to be super diligent while making entries. 

2. Stakeholder Engagement

Constantly updating all the parties involved is important in this case. Make sure there are no communication gaps or conflicting interests. Regularly give updates and keep everyone in the loop all the time. 

3. Implementation Barriers

If you want to avoid any technical difficulties during the audit, make sure to do proper budget planning beforehand. Hire a technical staff, create a detailed logistic plan, etc. before you move towards auditing. 

7. Conclusion

For a successful commercial energy audit, start by setting a goal. After you’re done planning, gather the building information and data. Assemble this data and identify your building’s key stakeholders. Last but not least, maintain records and devise a plan for potential improvements. 

Once you are done with all the above-mentioned steps, it’s time to work on the recommendations and save energy!