An energy audit, sometimes referred to as an energy assessment or energy study, aims to discover the potential for efficiency improvements as well as the whys, wherefores, how factors, and wherefores of energy usage in a facility. Energy Audit Service Providers in India are provided by engineering firms, energy service providers, and energy experts. In order to guarantee the authenticity of data collection and the correctness of suggestions for energy efficiency, the Energy Audit Service Providers in India control the audit process while collaborating closely with staff, building owners, and other significant stakeholders.
The purpose of energy audits:
Your facility or organization may be at risk owing to the rising cost of energy if sufficient action isn’t taken and you keep guessing the energy use versus financial plan equation. Energy audits can help you identify the areas of your buildings where energy is being wasted. Residential and commercial properties are inefficient and wasteful since they contribute 15% of the UAE’s carbon emissions, according to the EPA. You can get suggestions from SAS Powertech on how to cut down on energy waste and overall energy use.
In terms of energy, less energy is typically appreciated. Lower energy expenses result from less energy consumption. It goes without saying that using less energy is better for the environment.
Exactly what is done during an energy audit?
Like all audits, Energy Audit Service Providers in India look at and map out every facet of your institution’s energy usage. It is a procedure that lets you identify the areas of your house where energy is being wasted and the actions you can take to increase energy efficiency. Every two to three years, all facilities must conduct an energy audit to ensure optimal effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.
An audit comprises three stages, which are determined by the client’s requirements:
Phases of investigation:
At this point, you should compile all the information on:
- Historical energy consumption for the past 1 to 2 years
- Tariffs and related energy supply contracts
- Floor areas, staff numbers, production levels
- Occupancy hours
- Industry energy use/cost benchmark levels
- Sub electrical and gas metering equipment
- After-hours air conditioning usage
- Lighting configuration, condition, and controls
- Compressed air system including rating, presence of air leaks, hours of usage
- Steam and hot water boilers
- Building Management Systems and control strategies
- Building envelope, shading, orientation, insulation levels
- Energy management process and policy information
- The asset management plan, if any
Monitoring Phase:
The objective of this phase is to gather data on the entire site and the major categories of energy usage. The primary plant’s operation is investigated, and measurements are taken as necessary of a variety of factors, such as:
- Electrical & gas load profiles
- Internal temperature/humidity
- Ventilation rate
- Light levels
- Boiler flue combustion analysis
Inquiries about building and plant operations and repairs that might be compromising energy efficiency and disturbing inhabitants are also made to the maintenance team.
Analysis and Reporting Phase:
This has to do with:
- Investigating a building’s complete energy efficiency
- Looking at office building greenhouse emission index (GEI) and ABGR energy star ratings
- Examining the life-cycle costs of various energy-saving strategies
- A tariffs analysis
- Demand management at the highest level that accounts for power factor adjustment
- Written results and, if necessary, a spoken report.
How are energy audits carried out?
An Initial Analysis of Utility Data:
- Examine building schematics, utility data, equipment inventories, and other property information.
- The auditor gathers and examines utility data from at least two years prior to the energy use study to take into consideration seasonal variations and patterns of energy usage.
- All available energy sources, such as electricity, gas, oil, and water, must be taken into account in this analysis.
- The results of this study are used to calculate the Energy Utilization Index (EUI) value for your facility (annual energy use/square footage) and energy end uses (energy used by each building system).
- The auditor can use the Energy Utilization Index (EUI) and base energy load to compare this data to the energy consumption of similar buildings and systems in order to highlight the range of energy efficiency options and offer a rough estimate of potential savings.
- The auditor also searches for changes in energy use over time and their underlying causes.
- The auditor will give a summary of the data in an initial report, complete with graphs and other visualizations for easy interpretation.
- Based on the study’s findings, the final report’s data collection and audit level are decided.
The Site Assessment:
- The auditor will begin by physically valuing your property and how it is used.
- The energy auditor also conducts a visual evaluation and an inventory of the building’s critical components.
- Construction details of the building envelope.
- The cooling and heating systems’ capacity and rated efficiency (HVAC)
- Manually operated, automatically operated, or timed HVAC controls
- Methods for lighting control (both interior and exterior)
- Upkeep for hot water heaters
Evaluation of Data:
Once they have all the data they want for your site, the Energy Audit Service Providers in India will begin the energy and cost analysis. The energy auditor needs to be well-versed in order to guarantee that the research is fairly compared to alternative investment options and that cash flows meet expectations.
Energy analysis: methodologies vary widely, therefore your project goals should determine the type of analysis you conduct in order to avoid results that are either too detailed or too general. For larger structures or structures with complex mechanical systems, standard analysis methods include whole-building hourly energy usage analysis and spreadsheet analysis that uses engineering formulas that account for seasonal and time-of-day variations.
Cost analysis helps determine whether or not Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) suggestions are realistic and deserving of consideration by taking into account current energy prices, measures implementation costs, and potential long-term savings. The economic technique the auditor will employ to decide the order in which EEM will be implemented must be included.
Review Report:
You can make necessary adjustments to your strategies for attaining your financial and energy-saving objectives using the information in the audit report.
In-depth descriptions like these are found in audit reports:
- A list of all current equipment, an evaluation of the state of your property, and information on energy usage
- A list of possible long-term, low-cost, and free EEM suggestions based on investigations into prior energy usage and the on-site evaluation.
- Present circumstances and suggested changes, in particular, equipment specs and installation sites
- How much energy will be saved by the measure and how it will be saved; 5. The financial analysis’ findings, such as the price tags for the indicated actions
- Effects on comfort and upkeep
The report should also include optimal bundles of activities, where shorter payback EEMs are combined with longer payback EEMs, in order to jointly meet energy savings and financial goals. This can be especially interesting if there are significant maintenance items that have gone unattended at your institution.
Energy auditing benefits:
- It lowers the energy costs for your building.
- Due to lower production costs, your business will become more competitive.
- It reduces the need for imported energy.
- It reduces pollution and damage to the environment.
- It can increase the security of your energy supply.
- It might reduce the consumption of natural resources.
- It can decrease the damage that resource extraction causes to the environment.
- It decreases the impact of greenhouse gas emissions.
SAS Powertech Private Limited is one of the few “Independent Energy Management” companies which does not represent any specific brand but are promoters of technologies rather than products.