Friends, today in this article we will learn about energy audit of buildings. I am going to give you information about all this in a very good way. So let’s start.
Energy audit of buildings
There are many types of tasks to be performed for energy audit of buildings which depend on the type of audit and the size and function of the building to be audited. Some tasks are reduced if they are repeated or eliminated if other tasks are found. Therefore, often the conduct of energy audit is iterative rather than linear. However, the following process is followed for most facilities-
Feature & Utility Data Analysis
The main objective of this phase is to evaluate the characteristics of the energy system and estimate the energy-use pattern for the building. The characteristics or features of the buildings can be obtained by discussing with the building operator and/or from architectural/mechanical/electrical drawings. The energy-use pattern can be obtained by compilation of utility bills of the past several years. From the changes in these utility bills, the energy auditor finds out whether there is any seasonal effect or weather effect on the energy use of the building. The main tasks to be performed in this phase are as follows-
(i) Collect utility data for at least three years (to identify past energy-use patterns).
(ii) Identifying the type of fuel used such as electricity, natural gas, oil etc.
(iii) Determining the fuel format.
(iv) Understanding the utility rate structure.
(v) To analyse the effect of weather on fuel consumption.
(vi) Perform energy-use analysis by building design and type.
Walk-through Survey
In this phase, possible energy saving measures are found. This is an important phase. The main tasks to be done in this phase are as follows-
(i) Identifying the interests and needs of customers.
(ii) To examine the current operation and maintenance processes.
(iii) Determining the current operating status of major energy-consuming equipment (lighting, HVAC systems, motors, etc.).
(iv) Estimating occupancy, equipment and lighting (energy-use density and hours of operation).
Building Energy-Use Baseline
The main objective of this phase is to develop a base-case model, which represents the current energy use and operational status of the building. The tasks to be performed in this phase are as follows:
(i) Obtaining and reviewing architectural/mechanical/electrical and control drawings.
(ii) Testing and observing building equipment for efficiency, reliability and performance.
(iii) Obtain all enclosures and operating schedules for equipment (including lighting and HVAC).
(iv) Develop a baseline model for building energy-use.
(v) Calibrating the baseline model using utility data and/or metered data.
Evaluation of energy saving measures
In this phase, a list of cost-effective energy conservation measures is determined using both energy saving and economic analysis. The following tasks are performed to achieve this goal:
(i) Prepare a comprehensive list of energy conservation measures (using information collected from survey visits).
(ii) To determine the energy savings that result from various energy conservation measures.
(iii) To look at the initial cost required for implementing energy conservation measures.
(iv) Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of each energy conservation measure using economic analysis method.
What did you learn today :-
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