More Savings Opportunities, Greater Savings Benefits
Most energy consultants can help you find the “low-hanging fruit” of energy efficiency (e.g., lighting upgrades). But if your efficiency goals extend to most or all areas of your operation, contacting a skilled industrial energy auditor that can conduct industrial energy audit is the right move.
D.L. Steiner has over three decades of experience auditing the energy systems of manufacturing facilities, commercial buildings, and public institutions. Our ASHRAE Level 1, 2, and 3 energy audits will identify the gaps in your energy efficiency program so you don’t miss any reasonable opportunity to conserve energy and save money.
D.L. Steiner will partner with you to develop a comprehensive plan that offers more energy savings opportunities – and greater savings benefits from the opportunities you choose to implement.
ASHRAE Level 1 Energy Audit
The Foundation of Effective Energy Management
D.L. Steiner’s Level 1 Energy Audit provides a thorough evaluation of your current energy efficiency and a list of possible actions you can take to lower your energy consumption levels.
The Level 1 Audit begins with a walkthrough of your facility to:
- Become familiar with its layout and operation.
- Collect key data on its building envelope and energy-using systems.
- Obtain copies of energy-related documents (e.g., utility billing histories).
- Speak with personnel about facility operation and maintenance practices.
D.L. Steiner uses this information to analyze your facility’s energy use patterns. We then compare these results against nationally recognized energy performance indexes to build a benchmark energy use profile of your facility. This profile indicates your level of energy efficiency – above average, average, below average – compared to facilities of a similar size and function.
From this, we develop a list of energy conservation opportunities (ECOs) you can implement – along with estimates of their potential energy savings, projected costs, and anticipated ROI.
With D.L. Steiner’s Level 1 Audit, you get solid energy usage information that will help you prioritize your company’s ECOs and determine if a more in-depth Level 2 Energy Audit is warranted.
ASHRAE Level 2 Energy Audit
A Quantified Roadmap to Energy Efficiency
D.L. Steiner’s Level 2 Energy Audit provides quantified analysis of your energy-using systems, giving you an accurate roadmap to follow for reaching your energy efficiency goals.
The Level 2 Audit begins with in-depth data collection at your facility. During this phase, D.L. Steiner gathers a range of information needed for accurately baselining your current energy use and efficiency, including:
- Utility billing histories
- Equipment specifications
- Equipment maintenance records
We also conduct measurement and verification (M&V) operations at select facility locations and interview your key personnel to gain a broader understanding of facility operation and maintenance practices.
Next, we run the data we’ve collected through a series of industry-recognized energy assessment calculations and use the results to:
- Quantify your facility’s baseline energy efficiency (usage and losses).
- Identify the energy conservation measures (ECMs) that best support your energy usage reduction targets.
Finally, we calculate the cost and savings of all proposed ECMs to determine their capital investment requirements and the ROI you can reasonably expect.
D.L. Steiner’s Level 2 Energy Audit delivers the accurate, numbers-based analysis you need to determine with confidence which ECMs to implement and the best timetable for implementing them.
ASHRAE Level 3 Energy Audit
Guaranteed Energy Savings Before You Invest
D.L. Steiner’s Level 3 Energy Audit delivers in-depth analysis of your total energy use. Its scope and thoroughness guarantee your energy conservation measures (ECMs) will deliver the cost savings and ROI they promise – even before you implement them.
The Level 3 Audit begins with a comprehensive review of your energy-using systems and the facilities that house them. For each facility, we examine:
- Its footprint and envelope.
- The climate in which it operates.
- Its “usage pattern” (hours of operation; types of activities).
We also perform measurement and verification (M&V) on all energy-using systems and conduct interviews with your key personnel to understand facility operations and maintenance practices.
Next, we enter this information into our energy analysis system to create a computer-simulated model of the facility, one that mirrors its actual conditions, operating characteristics, and energy use. We calibrate this model with data from various sources (e.g., engineering studies) and the facility’s “people factor”: the profiles of those who actually use the facility.
The result is an accurate digital representation of the facility that we can use for analysis and comparison in order to identify all ECMs appropriate for your company. We evaluate these ECMs against five criteria to produce a master list of ECMs, each of which is quantified in terms of the energy and cost savings it will deliver.
D.L. Steiner’s Level 3 Audit provides reliable up-front analysis of your facility’s ECM costs and paybacks. This gives management and lending institutions the assurance they need for confident decision-making when considering which energy efficiency projects to fund.
Partner with D.L. Steiner for a More Energy-Efficient Future
Don’t settle for surface-level energy savings. Partner with D.L. Steiner for ASHRAE Energy Audits that uncover deep savings opportunities and maximize your return on investment. Contact us today to learn more about how our audits can benefit your organization.