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Audit
Outline
Utility
Bill review.
Any audit
should begin with an offsite review
of utility bills
for natural gas,
electric, water, sewer, etc. In this review we are looking to:
·
Verify bills were calculated properly;
·
Determine if lower rates are available from the
utility company or deregulated marketers;
·
Check for sales tax exemptions when possible;
·
Identify power factor penalties, ratchet demand
penalties that can be eliminated or reduced;
·
Calculate load factor to see if equipment is being
used at the most advantageous time, and
·
Identify anomalies in usage vs. prior months or the
same period in previous years.
Benchmarking.
Benchmarking
against similar facilities in a similar climate can help spot poor
performing facilities that need attention and also identify good
performing facilities where lessons can be learned. A benchmarking
report
will produce statistics such
as:
·
Energy consumption per square foot of conditioned
space for electric and natural gas;
·
Dollars spent per square foot of conditioned space for
electric and natural gas; and
·
Energy Use Index (EUI) is a measure that looks at how
efficient a building is when combining all fuel sources.
Heating
and Ventilation System.
HVAC systems are a prime candidate for energy conservation.
·
Look for opportunities to employ variable speed drives
so that equipment runs only at the speed needed. This is often
an effective technique for fan motors in ventilation systems and pump
motors in fluid cooling systems.
·
Make sure damper controls are connected, lubricated
and functioning properly.
·
Install volume controlled ventilation (VCV) controls
with CO2 detectors in the ductwork. Ventilation in this
facility is designed to handle approximately 1,000 people at times,
but often only a few office staff are present. Running systems at
maximum capacity, when occupancy is low, is not needed and can lead
to temperature control problems.
·
Look for signs of mold formation particularly around
windows. Install data loggers to measure relative humidity in
suspect areas.
Lighting.
Lighting will
undoubtedly be a major driver of electric bills. We will look
for opportunities to use more efficient lighting in various spaces
throughout the church, parish center and office spaces. It is
important to recognize the need for fixture aesthetics and light
coloring in certain spaces.
·
Control lights with occupancy sensors spaces that are
not frequently occupied, e.g., restrooms and storage rooms.
·
Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent
(CFL) bulbs.
·
Replace T-12 fluorescent bulbs with T-8 fluorescent
bulbs and electronic ballasts in offices and kitchen areas.
·
Replace old Emergency Exit signs with LED technology.
·
Look for alternatives to high pressure sodium lights
in the sanctuary. The goal is to gain efficiency without
sacrificing
appearances or suggesting costly retrofits in bad economic times.
·
Place outdoor lighting on timers or photosensors.
·
Take lighting measurements at various locations to
determine adequate lighting levels for the particular space use.
· Click here to read a previous newsletter
devoted
to lighting technology.
Building envelope. We will
look closely at windows,
doors and any other penetration through the building envelope.
·
The use of an infrared camera will enable us to
identify air leakage and missing or damaged insulation.
·
We will also use an infrared camera to identify
"hotspots" in electrical panels, pump/motor bearings,
etc. This can not only save energy, it can identify a safety
hazard before it can cause serious problems.
Shut
it off, close it, lower the setpoint.
Shutting equipment off is the ultimate energy conservation
measure. In a church, this primarily means turning off lights
and office equipment.
·
If you are going away from your computer for 2 hours
put it in sleep mode, if you are leaving for the night, shut it down.
·
Lights can be turned off or dimmed. Take
advantage of natural lighting and use occupancy sensors or photo
sensors where practical.
·
Domestic hot water setpoints are often much higher
than needed and can also create a risk of scalding.
·
Care needs to be taken for equipment that may have
considerable start up costs and/or long start up times. In
these instances seek a setback mode of operation so conditioned space
is ready to go when people arrive.
Maintain
it.
Well maintained
equipment uses less energy and lasts longer. Typical
preventative maintenance should include.
·
Clean/replace filters
·
Lubricate equipment to reduce friction
·
Caulk windows
·
Weather strip doors
·
Repair damaged insulation
·
Boiler efficiency - with the aid of a combustion
analyzer you can determine boiler operating efficiency.
Maintenance staff can adjust fuel and excess air flows; and clean
burners as necessary to achieve efficient operation. A
combustion analyzer can also be used to determine the efficiency of
domestic hot water heaters.
Ability
to combine meters.
It may make sense to combine multiple electric meters if the wiring
change is not too costly. Combining meters can eliminate:
·
Multiple monthly service charges;
·
Peak demand charges for the combined account.
Adding the energy loads of multiple accounts may not increase the
peak demand, may improve load factor, and may make you eligible for a
lower cost rate code from the utility. A good example for a
church would be combining outdoor lighting if separately metered.
Purchase
Energy Star equipment.
When cost justified or when replacing worn out equipment the church
should buy energy efficient:
·
Computers and copiers
·
Kitchen appliances - refrigerators, freezers, ranges,
microwaves, dishwashers, etc.
·
Televisions and A/V equipment
Here
is a link to energy
star appliances
to give you an idea of
how much energy specific appliances consume and what is your savings
potential.
Contact
Independent
Energy Consultants for help with your energy
purchases, and all your energy management needs.
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