In today’s business landscape, improving energy efficiency is more than just an environmentally conscious decision—it’s a financial imperative and it’s becoming a regulatory necessity. Buildings need to meet certain standards in order to qualify for certain certifications and benefits. Conducting a commercial building energy audit allows property owners to identify energy-saving opportunities and improve their standing. In this guide, we’ll go over how audits can help improve a building’s energy efficiency and maximize long-term savings.
Understanding Commercial Building Energy Audits
A commercial building energy audit involves performing a thorough assessment of a property’s energy systems and building operations. The goal is to pinpoint inefficiencies and plan energy conservation measures to improve the way the building’s major systems perform. This audit process helps building owners and facility managers quantify how much energy their building consumes and wastes and identify where they can make improvements.
Energy audits typically follow three levels of analysis:
- Level 1: Walk-Through Analysis: The Walk-Through Analysis is a preliminary assessment to identify obvious issues and energy saving measures. This phase is useful for identifying simple issues and inefficiencies and quickly solving them.
- Level 2: Detailed Energy Survey and Analysis: The Detailed Energy Survey and Analysis phase is a more in-depth evaluation of the building and its systems. The goal is to perform detailed data collection and a cost benefit analysis to be used for later decision-making.
- Level 3: Comprehensive Analysis: The Comprehensive Analysis dives deeply into building systems, energy consumption data, and potential capital intensive modifications. Here, the goal is to achieve maximum efficiency.
The Importance of Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings
Commercial buildings contribute heavily to energy consumption across the globe. By implementing energy efficiency improvements, property owners can improve our environment while also lowering their operating costs. These improvements can also increase asset value, helping owners recoup their costs sooner.
Key benefits of a commercial building energy audit include:
- Reduced Operating Costs: Identifying and addressing energy waste leads to measurable long-term savings.
- Enhanced Energy Performance: Upgraded systems improve the building’s energy performance and reduce energy bills. They improve the air quality and comfort as well.
- Increased Sustainability: Supporting energy efficient solutions contributes to corporate sustainability goals, many of which are becoming regulatory necessities rather than optional improvements.
Key Areas of Focus During Energy Audits
An energy audit needs to focus on some specific areas of the building to make the greatest impact. The following are the most important.
- HVAC Systems: Evaluating heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to reduce higher energy consumption and improve indoor air quality.
- Lighting: Implementing energy-efficient lighting solutions to reduce energy usage and enhance productivity.
- Building Envelope: Inspecting windows, insulation, and exterior components to minimize energy loss.
- Control Systems: Upgrading automated systems to optimize energy usage patterns.
- Major Equipment: Analyzing the efficiency of critical machinery to ensure minimal energy waste.
HVAC Systems
HVAC systems are often one of the largest consumers (and wastes) of building energy. Audits should evaluate the efficiency of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to identify opportunities to upgrade outdated equipment, improve system controls, and optimize schedules.
HVAC improvements can make significant headway in a building’s struggle for efficiency. Regular maintenance and advanced technologies such as variable speed drives can significantly enhance performance, reduce energy waste, and improve indoor air quality.
Lighting
Lighting energy usage can unnecessarily drive up the cost of operation for commercial properties. Energy audits often reveal that switching to energy-efficient lighting solutions, such as LED fixtures and smart lighting controls, can drastically reduce energy usage. Automated systems that adjust lighting based on occupancy and natural daylight levels further optimize efficiency while enhancing the building’s functionality.
It’s important to note that reliance on daylight rather than artificial lighting can also improve efficiency, mood, and general comfort for employees, as well.
Building Envelope
The building envelope—including walls, windows, roofs, and insulation—can make or break a building’s energy consumption. The envelope plays a crucial role in regulating indoor temperatures and minimizing energy loss, and auditing can identify issues like air leaks and insufficient insulation. Sealing gaps, upgrading windows, and reinforcing insulation have been proven to improve energy efficiency and reduce heating and cooling costs.
Control Systems
Modern control systems allow for precise management of building operations. They can optimize energy usage across multiple systems, improving functionality, data collection, and more. Energy audits assess existing control systems and recommend upgrades to automated solutions that can adjust HVAC, lighting, and other systems in real time based on occupancy or environmental conditions. Effective control strategies help reduce operating costs and improve overall building performance.
Major Equipment
Large equipment, such as boilers, chillers, and industrial machinery, are expensive to replace and are often left in service for as long as possible. However, they can consume a significant portion of a building’s energy, making an audit extremely important.
An energy audit examines the efficiency and condition of this major equipment. Often, these audits allow property owners to easily identify opportunities for upgrades, retrofits, or better operational practices. Regular maintenance and modernizing equipment with energy-efficient models can substantially reduce energy consumption and operating expenses.
Strategies for Energy Efficiency Improvements
While an experienced commercial building contractor should be able to help choose the right upgrades, the following are some helpful strategies for improving a building’s energy efficiency after an audit.
- Energy Efficient Equipment: Upgrading to modern, more energy-conscious equipment is a major improvement. The audit should provide information on which systems should be replaced first and offer the best value proposition.
- Building Upgrades: The audit is likely to reveal that the building envelope is the cause of many of the building’s efficiency issues. Investing in insulation, advanced control systems, improved windows and doors, and other envelope enhancements can play a major role.
- Energy Benchmarking: Monitoring performance to identify trends and areas for further optimization. New building controls and operations software can help provide the latest data.
- Renewable Energy: Exploring solar, wind, and other sustainable sources as part of long-term energy efficiency projects.
The Role of Energy Consultants and Contractors
Partnering with professional energy consultants and contractors ensures a detailed analysis and tailored recommendations. These experts provide energy audit services that align with your building’s unique needs and your goals, delivering actionable strategies for achieving optimal building performance and reducing energy costs.
Financial Benefits of Energy Audits
Energy audits aren’t just for improving eco-friendliness. A commercial energy audit lays out the road map to cost savings through strategic efficiency improvements. As mentioned, commercial buildings consume a lot of energy, and by reducing energy consumption and waste, building owners can achieve significant savings on energy bills and maintenance expenses. Many energy efficiency measures even qualify for tax incentives and rebates, further enhancing the return on investment.
Contact TopKey Construction for Your Next Steps Toward Improved Energy Efficiency
To start your journey toward improved efficiency, consider scheduling a professional commercial energy audit with TopKey Construction. Through our partnerships, we offer actionable insights that you can implement for effective energy upgrades, reducing energy waste, and enhancing your building’s long-term sustainability.
Maximizing efficiency and savings is within reach when you commit to a proactive approach to building energy management. TopKey Construction can help leverage the findings of a thorough energy audit so you can take meaningful steps to save energy, reduce operating costs, and create a healthier, more sustainable environment for your occupants.