An energy audit evaluates a building’s energy efficiency. Auditors visit residential buildings and talk to owners and residents during an energy audit. They inspect, test, and measure to decide what energy-efficient retrofits are practical and cost-effective. Energy specialists also call an energy audit: an energy assessment or an energy survey. Energy auditors may operate as independent parties or may work for an energy service companies. If an energy auditor works for a service company, he or she might also be a salesperson.
Energy auditors evaluate a building’s air leakage using a blower door.
Purpose of an energy audit
- Identify the type, size, condition, and rate of energy consumption for each major energy-using device.
- Note current and potential health and safety problems and how they may be affected by proposed changes.
- Evaluate the energy efficiency of heating and air conditioning equipment.
- Measure air leakage and determine insulation levels.
- Recommend appropriate energy conservation, operation, and maintenance procedures.
- Estimate labor and materials costs for energy retrofits.
- Project savings expected from energy retrofits.
- Explain behavioral changes that will reduce energy waste.
- Provide a written record to support decision making.
Energy-audit software
Computerized energy audits help set retrofit priorities by rating the cost-effectiveness of each retrofit, as well as to present a the building-retrofit proposal. Energy-audit software makes more accurate predictions of savings compared to manual calculations or guesswork. Energy audits for larger buildings require a lot more analysis than energy audits for homes.
Courses for sale here
Weatherization Assistant (WA – Individual Purchase Course) Software Intro
Building Evaluation Skills (Short Course – Individual Purchase Course)