Energy Decision # 51 - Energy Audits (ASHRAE Level 1, 2, 3) Explained: Pick the Right Level

Energy Audits (ASHRAE Level 1, 2, 3) set how much engineering rigor you buy when you pay for an energy audit. Pick the wrong level and you either waste audit money or rest a capital project on a rough savings estimate.This is Energy Decision #51 in the complete C&I energy management series by Daniel Burke. It's part of his mission to create the world's largest, free, high-trust energy resource library for commercial and industrial consumers.In this episode, Daniel Burke covers:- Why "energy audit" tells you nothing until a vendor names an ASHRAE level- ASHRAE Standard 211 and the Procedures for Commercial Building Energy Audits- The Preliminary Energy Use Analysis: utility bill analysis, EUI calculation, and energy benchmarking- The Level 1 walk-through audit and rough order of magnitude estimates for energy efficiency measures (EEMs)- The Level 2 energy survey and analysis: equipment inventory, energy balance, and M&V plan- The Level 3 detailed survey, the Investment Grade Audit (IGA), and performance contracts- The conflict of interest when the ESCO that writes the IGA also builds the project- Right-sizing audit spend against the savings your EUI benchmark suggests- Scoping an audit to support LEED O+M requirements- Screening auditors for ASHRAE BEAP and BEMP credentialsWhat's the difference between ASHRAE Level 1, 2 and 3, and which energy audit do you need for your building? Daniel answers both.Who this is for: Building owners, industrial facility managers, and property managers at commercial buildings, industrial facilities, K-12 schools, hospitals, and municipalities who need to scope an audit without overpaying or under-scoping a capital project.If you're deciding which ASHRAE energy audit level fits your building's savings goals and your tolerance for error on a capital project, this episode is built for you.Read the full breakdown on Energy Audits (ASHRAE Level 1, 2, 3) at tac-nrg.comIf you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at tac-nrg.com/blueprint.Visit tac-nrg.com to access the entire Energy Answers resource library and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators.