How Do You Perform an Energy Audit?

There should be a direct relationship between the amount of guests visiting on average and power usage. I.e. the more guests the more vacuuming, laundry equipment and lights are used on average. You might also want to include whether the average power used is reactive or real… Remember that when I refer to power it is actually energy per unit time (Joules/sec)

There is too much involved to answer in a short comment. If you want a good one you need to model what you have now as detail as you can and then make decisions. I have taken a clamp-on Amp meter and checked every motor and then charted the run time over a year so I would have summer and winter readings. I tried to do this when I knew the equipment would be under full load for chillers and such. Name plate data gives a different results. It depends on how accurate you want to be. I even spent time in an elevator penthouse counting the number of times the elevator motors ran and for how long. There is a real art to a good audit.

First step would be to benchmark,by comparing with other similar installations and fix the optimum energy consumption,as target. Then check the consumption of your installation whether it exceeds the benchmark.To contain consumption within this target,identify losses or wastages,to avoid such energy losses. Wherever feasible,replace with better energy efficient appliances.

This will get you started.

Get the utility bills for at least the past 2 years.

For this period, check to see if there has been any changes in operation or construction.

For the hotel at least, request monthly demand profiles from the electric utility company (energy consumption every 15 or 30 minute demand interval). Hotels have unusual demand profiles with peak typically occuring between 8 to 10 PM. There is usually a charge for this information, but it does not cost much. Get at least one month per each season.

Do a lighting audit - identify all old style energy inefficient fixtures. A company that specializes in lighting retrofits would be the best resource here.

Collect all the pertinent structural information needed for a building model. This would include such information as exterior wall construction; roof construction; window types, size, orientation, shading, treatment; building dimensions and orientation; etc.

Identify and describe all significant energy using devices and schedules of use.

Quantify occupancy load, activities and schedules.

Quantify ventilation rates and schedules.

Talk to the building operating personnel. They know their building and the problems they are having, where they think they are wasting energy and why.

By they way, there is a term called an "investment grade energy audit". There is no controlling body for the definition of the term and there is no commonly accepted definition.

Some of these questions may seem stupid but I'd rather be more educated.

Questions:

What do you do with the demand profiles from the electric utility company?

How does collecting structural information help?

What do you mean by quantify occupancy load, activities and schedules?

Thanks.

Don't forget water usage. Costs will be high for the Hotel, especially if they do the laundry onsite. The office park could have high water use for irrigation (consider rainwater storage for irrigation). Note that the sewer charge will probably be based on the metered water use. Like lighting, there are companies that specialize in water conservation retrofits that can provide audits.

For Lodging, the Energy Information Administration of the US measured consumption ranges of 128,000 to 196,850 btu/sq-ft for different areas of the US in 1999. Office space ran 85,000 to 98,000 btu/sq-ft. For electricity this was end use consumption at 3412 btu/kwh (vs the generation energy value of typically coal to produce the electricity of around 11,000 btu/kwh).

This is way too large a topic to be discussed on this forum. Seriously, it is a topic that fills textbooks!

Be prepared to spend a lot of time to do the research, do the work, analyze the results, and figure out your "next steps." Heck, this is why most people just hire an energy consultant or energy auditor. It seems like their fees are high until you realize how much time and money they save you, especially since their fees are more than covered by your savings.

Google "how to do and energy audit" or "energy audit check sheet" to get started. Or contact me off line to discuss further.

Dear Mr. Chris Leonard,

The Link below will help to start with. Copy the links, and paste and you will get it.

http://www.beeindia.in/energy_managers_auditors/documents/guide_books/1Ch3.pdf

The following links also will help.

http://www.beeindia.in/energy_managers_auditors/documents/ea_em/TR-EnergyAudits.pdf

http://www.ehow.com/info_8410002_calculations-used-energy-audits.html

http://www.ehow.com/info_7942313_definition-energy-audit.html

http://www.ehow.com/list_6630502_checklist-accounting-audit.html

and lot more.

ALSO GOOGLE and get more.

DHAYANANDHAN.S