What is an Energy Audit ?

Ramon Casado

Adam Romano

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Energy Audit

• What is an Energy Audit?– Energy Audit: is a survey focused on finding out how

a building is using it’s energy. This information is analyzed. The energy related improvements are then prioritized according to the cost effectiveness.

– Some of the issues found in the house aren't energy related but must be pointed out by the energy auditor in order to ensure the safety of (his/her)self and of the occupants in the house.

Energy Audit

– The audits consist on two focus points:

• Health and safety.– Indoor air quality– Hazardous Chemicals– Electrical hazards– Structural issues

• Energy assessment.– Conductive losses– Convective losses– Appliances survey– Heating system

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Health and safety

Indoor air quality (IAQ)– Combustion Appliances.

• Fireplaces, gas oven, space heaters.

– Moisture problems.• Standing water, Mold, condensation, plumbing leaks, etc.

– Carbon monoxide (CO).

Hazardous chemicals.

– Asbestos, lead based paint, etc.

Electrical hazards:• Knob and tube wiring, exposed junction box, etc.

Structural Issues.5

Health and safety Tools

• Gas leak detectors

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• Hygrometer and Sling psychrometer

Health and safety

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Health and safety Tools

• Carbon monoxide meters and combustion analyzers

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Health and Safety tools

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• Lead test kits

Energy assessment

• In order to know how the energy is being used, it’s necessary to understand how it’s transferred:– Conduction (components in contact).– Convection (using fluid as transfer media. i.e. water

or air).– Radiation (components in sight).

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Conductive losses

• In order to determine heat loss due to conduction of a building component, it is necessary to know it's dimensions. This implies measuring them. – Windows, doors, walls, ceiling and floors areas.

• We also need to know how much insulation is in the walls, ceiling and floor. The insulation effectiveness is rated in R-values. Higher R-value more resistance to heat transfer.

• All materials have some R- values11

Conductive losses

• Some building components are rated in U-values. Such as windows and doors.

• It is quite simple, convert U-values into R-values and vice versa.

U=1/R and R=1/U

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Assessment tools

• Borescope

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Assessment tools

• Infrared camera

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Assessment tools

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Convective losses

• A commonly test performed by auditors is the “Blower door”, this will demonstrate the infiltration rate and the dynamic of the airflow in a building.

• Some of the infiltration leaks can be found by locating cracks, and openings around the house.

• Air leakages generally represent about 15% to 25% of all energy related bills.

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Assessment tools

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Energy assessment

• Appliances survey– Take note of all the appliances and their power

consumption in the building.• One of the most cost-effectiveness measures is the

replacement of regular incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). The common rule for lighting replacement is as follows: i.e. 100watts incandescent for a 25watts CFL. That represents a 75% saving.

– Meter the refrigerator• This will help to determine if it’s necessary to replace the old

refrigerator for a new one.

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Assessment tools

• Power consumption meters:

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Heating system assessment

• Combustion safety test – Quantifies the efficiency and makes sure the heating

system is operating safely. – If in a range of 2 or more years a heating system has

not been serviced, cleaning and tuning is highly recommended in order to improve performance.

– Make sure byproducts of combustion are vented outside of the house.

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Heating system assessment

• Evaluate heating sizing for potential of replacement.– The heating system can be in some cases over sized

after some of the other measures are installed in the house. For example, if walls and roof are insulated now the house doesn’t need the same amount of energy to keep it warm during the winter season. It may be cost effective to replace the heating system for a new high efficiency one.

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Assessment tools

• Combustion analyzer

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Contact info:

• I would like to thank you all for attending. If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact me as follows:

• Ramon Casado• rcasado@aeanyc.org

• Adam Romano• aromano@aeanyc.org

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