Energy Audits
An energy audit is a review of a building’s heating, cooling and lighting systems, water consumption, ventilation, control systems, and the building envelope. Energy used in manufacturing and production, "process" energy, may also be evaluated. Energy audits are performed by engineers with significant experience evaluating energy systems in commercial, residential, and industrial facilities.
Sieben Energy Associates has deep and broad energy auditing experience. Every building is different, and we understand and focus on that fact. We approach each assignment with the goal of finding energy savings opportunities for that particular building. We have worked with clients having a single building in one location or dozens of buildings nationwide. Our professional team has the skills and experience necessary to handle portfolio-scale assignments.
We offer a truly independent, unbiased perspective. We are not affiliated with any energy supplier, utility, or manufacturer. We do not perform energy audits with the intention of selling our clients more services at the end of the audit. We act independently and solely on behalf of our client’s best interest. As we focus on providing accurate, reliable, and thorough information, we uncover operational improvements that can have an immediate impact on the bottom line.
Energy audit reports provide a detailed description of the building’s energy-related systems, a list of opportunities for energy reduction, estimated implementation costs of energy cost reduction measures (ECRMs), and the financial metrics to aid the building owner with decision-making. Our reports can be either customized according to client needs, or standardized according to the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) reporting model.
Our goal is to find ways to cut energy use and realize energy cost savings. We emphasize these results in our reports, together with the data and rationale that might be necessary to get senior management approval for projects our client wishes to pursue. Our energy audits typically identify cost reduction opportunities in the 5% to 20% range from improvements with less than a 5-year payback.
We perform energy audits for several building types and for LEED for Existing Buildings prerequisites and credits.
Commercial
Commercial buildings serve specific functions that differentiate their energy use from other building types. Our engineers analyze a commercial building’s systems according to the unique needs and goals of each client. We develop reports based on an understanding of each specific building’s occupants, operating schedules, and comfort requirements. Our energy efficiency team has worked with a variety of commercial structures, including office buildings, retail buildings, hospitals and other healthcare facilities, museums, warehouses, data centers, schools and other educational facilities. Our team has developed particular expertise working with clients who maintain a portfolio of buildings across the country, including big-box retailers who manage a number of stores and distribution centers. For commercial buildings seeking LEED Certification, we offer ASHRAE energy audits (Level I and II) whether we are serving on the project as the LEED Consultant or not.
Industrial
Manufacturing and other industrial facilities often have significant energy consumption, and therefore, great potential for energy efficiency. Energy audits of this building type include a review of conventional building energy systems as well as a thorough examination of energy use for process applications. As for the commercial space, our energy efficiency team has uncovered cost-effective solutions for single industrial buildings and for entire portfolios of factories in different states and climate zones. We help industrial facilities compete more effectively by reducing their operating costs.
Multi-Family Residential
We have conducted hundreds of energy audits of high-rise, low-rise, and garden multi-family buildings, finding excellent opportunities for energy and cost savings in every assignment. These audits evaluate energy consumption in both common and resident areas. For some clients, we add value by integrating the energy efficiency work with our management services in order to provide ongoing portfolio-wide performance analysis and tracking of progress towards achieving energy reduction goals.
System-Level
System-level energy efficiency audits focus on one or more energy or water-consuming systems, such as lighting, cooling or ventilation systems. These audits are not as extensive as traditional whole-building audits, but they can be a very economical option. Such audits are valuable for facilities that are implementing energy efficiency improvements in a phased process or are renovating extensively and require only certain features of a full audit. Since many energy-consuming systems are interdependent, however, our engineers will also include an evaluation of any impacts on other facility energy use in the final audit report.
ASHRAE Level I & II Energy Audits and LEED for Existing Buildings
Through our green buildings services, we assist owners and managers seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification for their existing buildings. Our LEED Consultants are skilled at guiding projects successfully through the LEED Certification process. The energy efficiency team is very familiar with LEED requirements and is available to perform ASHRAE Level I and ASRHAE Level II energy audits or commissioning in support of the LEED rating system’s Energy & Atmosphere (EA) prerequisites and credits. Our engineers have earned the LEED AP (Accredited Professional) designation. The U.S. Green Buildings Council recognizes ASHRAE as an energy audit standard for achieving LEED certification credits. Our comprehensive audits may even help uncover efficiency measures that lead to additional Innovation in Operations (IO) credits. Whether our client chooses us as the LEED Consultant or not, our engineers strive to facilitate the achievement of credits towards certification.