Business Energy Audits

Available to business accounts at Access Energy Cooperative is a program to offer energy audits to help members find ways to conserve energy and also to become more energy efficient.

Please contact our member services department if you wish to schedule an energy audit.

The Audit Procedure is generally as follows:

1. Preliminary interview with key member personnel to identify projects and areas of member interest.

2. Walk through of the facility to look at equipment, processes and identify Energy Management Opportunities (EMO).

3. Post survey interview to discuss EMO’s identified which will be evaluated in the report and report delivery issues.

4. Delivery of energy audit report, generally by email with a follow up phone or in-person conversation.

The following procedure, although not applicable to all items, is used as a general guideline for data gathering during the survey: The object is to identify Energy Management Opportunities and concentrate the time and effort available in these specific areas.

1. Conduct an on-site inspection of the facility. Walk through the building, examining all major energy using systems including electrical systems, lighting, auxiliary and process systems, envelope, HVAC, service water heating, and controls. Record the following information for major energy-using equipment: age, condition, operating problems, environmental problems, operating schedules and set points, and identity any responsibilities of maintenance contractors.

2. Determine the building use, equipment operating schedule(s), number of occupants, and occupancy schedules. Document schedule and occupant variations during typical weekdays, weekend days, and for various periods of the year.

3. Evaluate existing energy management procedures. Identify opportunities for formalizing an energy policy, increasing energy awareness, installing an on-site energy team, improve the monitoring, targeting and benchmarking of energy usage.

4. Complete a Utility Cost and Consumption Analysis. Calculate Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Carbon Footprint of the facility for electricity and natural gas (if available).

Post Audit Report Deliverables

Based on interview, customer preference, and site observations, develop a list of potential energy conservation measures. Analyze the energy and dollar savings potential for each measure as follows:

1. Calculate the Energy Savings and Carbon Reduction (CO₂) of each conservation measure. Document the basis for the anticipated energy savings.

2. Estimate the cost of implementing the energy conservation measures.

3. Calculate the Simple Payback of each measure up to ten (10) years or life of the equipment.

4. Investigate possible operations and maintenance procedures that would contribute to energy savings.

5. Prepare a written report.