The energy efficiency improvement proposals are always needed due to the fact that the age of the building/facility increases and the continuously developing building technologies, even if the buildings/facilities are regularly maintained.
GVP Green Building Consulting provides the energy audit service both as part of the green building certificates and also as individual service.
Within this context, the energy audit specific to the building/facility are conducted at three levels as described in the ASHRAE codes;
1. Level I - Walk Through Analysis
The building’s energy cost and efficiency are assessed by analyzing energy bills and conducting a brief on-site survey of the building. A Level 1 energy survey will identify low-cost/no-cost measures for improving energy efficiency and provide a listing of potential capital improvements that merit further consideration. Because calculations at this level are minimal, savings and costs are approximate.
2. Level II - Energy Survey and Analysis
A Level 2 audit involves a more detailed building survey, including energy consumption and peak demand analysis. A breakdown of energy end uses within the building is developed.
A Level 2 energy analysis will identify and provide the savings and cost analyses of all practical energy efficiency measures (EEMs) that meet the owner’s/operator’s constraints and economic criteria, along with proposed changes to operation and maintenance (O&M) procedures. It may also provide a listing of potential capital-intensive improvements that require more thorough data collection and engineering analysis as well as an assessment of potential costs and savings. This level of analysis will provide adequate information for the owner/operator to act upon recommendations for most buildings and for most measures.
3. Level III - Detailed Analysis of Capital Intensive Modifications
The third level of engineering analysis focuses on potential capital-intensive projects identified during a Level 2 analysis. It requires more detailed field data gathering as well as more rigorous engineering and economic analyses, often including modeling (simulation) of the annual energy performance of the building and vendor pricing. It provides detailed project cost and savings calculations with a high level of confidence sufficient for major capital investment decisions. It often goes beyond the economic analysis of a Level 2 audit and uses a comprehensive life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) as a decision-making tool.