Improving existing building performance

Energy Audits & Retro-commissioning

Collecting large amounts of data about a building is easy; making sense out of it is not.  We convert building data into actionable information for benchmarking energy performance, identifying energy-saving opportunities, calculating returns on investment, and prioritizing and implementing selected measures.

Just as regular tune-ups help keep your vehicle in good operating condition, periodic building tune-ups can ensure that your facility operates in peak condition as well.  We look at each building as a complete system and evaluate how each component of that system affects the whole. Our diagnostic testing investigates the dynamic interaction between building system components to uncover wasted energy and operational performance problems.  We then evaluate, recommend, and implement selected corrective actions. Not only does this process improve the energy performance of an existing facility, solving these operational problems often resolves occupant comfort issues at the same time, allowing your facility staff to spend more time maintaining, improving, and operating your facility, and less time responding to comfort complaints.  

We offer energy audits and analysis, ranging from preliminary walkthrough audits to detailed investment-grade energy audits, which identify energy conservation measures and quantify energy and cost savings. We base our levels of auditing and analysis on the recommended practices of the American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Energy (ASHRAE).

ENERGY STAR® Rating

An ENERGY STAR® benchmarking analysis is the easiest way to get a snapshot comparison of your building’s energy performance and compare its performance to other similar buildings nationally.  Many times, this is a key first step to identifying how to proceed with improving the overall energy performance of your facility.

Walk-through Energy Audit / ASHRAE Level I Energy Audit

The walk-through audit provides recommendations on “low-hanging fruit” — the easily implementable and low to no-cost solutions.

Retro-commissioning / ASHRAE Level II Energy Audit

Retro-commissioning relies on testing and short-term diagnostic monitoring to uncover and systematically evaluate energy and cost-saving opportunities associated with system tune-ups and other low-cost and no-cost measures.  In this process, most minor and major energy consuming systems in your facility are investigated to identify operational inefficiencies.  Studies show retro-commissioning typically provides savings of 10-20% of a building’s annual energy costs.

Investment Grade Audits with Energy Modeling /
ASHRAE Level III Energy Audit

To evaluate opportunities involving capital measures, AEC combines detailed energy auditing and monitoring with building modeling, using state-of-the-art computer simulation tools. By developing a detailed and calibrated model that corresponds to measured building performance, we can simulate various alternatives to determine the most cost-effective investments in HVAC equipment, controls upgrades, and other system changes.

FEATURED PROJECT

W San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

Through retro-commissioning, AEC uncovered energy and cost-saving opportunities even in this well-run building.

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