ENRG 61: Measurement Tools and Verification of Savings Calculations

Program Description:

The Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center has developed a 4-semester program to prepare students to work as commercial building energy auditors. The Commercial Building Energy Analysis & Audits Program is divided into 15 modular courses designed for a community college level student. Courses are intended to prepare students for energy auditing, analyzing a building envelope and building systems for efficiency, employing appropriate tools for energy modeling and working with data, describing utility rate structures and demand response strategies, estimating energy savings and financial impacts, and integrating business development skills and concepts with energy audit reporting.

Content modules can be selected, recombined, or offered in a more compressed format for existing workers, or those that have some background in construction, architecture, HVAC, building operations or mechanical engineering.

Course Description:

This model course from BEST Center focuses on Measurement and Verification (M&V) as a quality assurance process for energy efficiency measures that have been implemented. The course asks students to consider how M&V relates to the audit process, accepted standards, M&V planning, measurement boundaries, data collection tools and methods, and savings calculations. In completing the course, students will be able to: 1) Describe the role of measurement and verification in the commercial building audit process, 2) Distinguish between different measurement boundaries, and describe the appropriate selection criteria for each, 3) Identify sources of data and appropriate measurement instruments, 4) Assess and apply different energy savings analysis methods, and 5) Calculate actual energy savings based on data.

The completion of the lesson in full takes 18 lecture hours. Resources available as part of this course include a course outline, and 8 PowerPoint presentations.

For orientation purposes, viewers should begin with ENRG 61_Course Outline.pdf, which offers a description of the course as well as an overview of topics covered through a course outline.

Course Contents:

The 4-page course outline document includes a course description, learning outcomes, and a detailed course topics outline. Topics include: 1) Role of measurement & verification (M&V) in energy efficiency (EE), renewable energy, or demand response, 2) Concepts, guidelines and standards, 3) Savings Calculation Fundamentals, 4) Measurement boundary, 5) Savings calculation methods, 6) Selection of measurement boundary, 7) Sources of Data and Measurement Instruments, and 8) Developing the M&V Plan. Sections detailing the types of in-class and out-of-class assignments required and other textbooks and resources are also included.

The PowerPoint presentations cover each of the 8 topics detailed in the course outline.

Below is a list of the files contained within the .zip attachment. The size of each file is included in parenthesis.

ENRG 61 - Measurement Tools and Verification of Savings Calculations (9 files, 3.4MB)

• Measurement Tools and Verification of Savings Calculations Course Outline (ENRG 61_Course Outline.docx 23KB)
• Role of Measurement & Verification in energy efficiency, renewable energy, or demand response process (MV A.ppt 489KB)
• Definitions and Concepts (MV B.ppt 423KB)
• Savings Calculation Fundamentals (MV C.ppt 389KB)
• Measurement Boundary (MV D.ppt 403KB)
• Savings Calculation Methods (MV E.ppt 874KB)
• Application in IPMVP (MV F.ppt 398KB)
• Sources of Data and Measurement (MV G.ppt 3.2MB)
• Developing the M&V Plan (MV H.ppt 383KB)