Engaging an Energy Auditor
An energy audit helps manufacturing and real estate organizations determine the consumption and energy flow of the facilities. The process involves conducting a walk-through or a visual inspection of the facilities and utilizing testing equipment to identify problems and analyze energy flow. An audit is helpful to determine areas of the facilities where there is energy loss and to identify where may curb power usage to earn savings.
An energy audit can be done either by a professional energy auditor or an energy consultant.
The time for completion of the energy auditing process for a facility depends on the following:
§ Facility size,
§ Type of process,
§ The complexity of the process,
§ Type of equipment and quantity.
§ Readily availability of data and information.
If organizations are unsure about employing a professional energy auditor, they must verify the following:
· Verifying requirements,
· Verify whether the auditor is suitable to fulfill the requirements.
· List out the differences between the engagement by the auditor or internal persons.
Some tools can help organizations conduct the assessment on their own. But there are chances of missing out and identifying wrong energy efficiency measures by the organizations due to a lack of audit process and co-relating the data for identifying the Energy efficiency enhancement projects.
Another issue is timelines. Internal persons have primary jobs other than energy audit, and then the process will consume more time than expected.
While the organization may not engage a professional energy auditor, it could provide a less efficient process without the timelines.
The qualified and relevant subject expert cum energy auditor enhances the energy efficiency of an organization at its peak with the following characteristics or qualities:
o His vast previous experience and learning
o Application of energy efficiency measures other than standard projects where he learned from other clients in the previous enhancements
o Looking and collecting evidence to ensure the credibility of the projects recommended without taking any chance on any projects. So, the risk of investing money in implementing the energy efficiency measure will be lesser.
o Provision of Cost-benefit analysis with all possible expenses with conservative benefits
o Provision of cost reduction if he has vendors for every measure
o Identifying the energy efficiency measures with an agreed timeline
o Agree about the complex projects and engage an expert to deal with complexity and provide the simple cost-benefit analysis as the same for the other recommended measures
o Saving time and money better than local technicians due to the ability to convert the issues to corrective measures by doing root cause analysis and applying all sorts of knowledge.
o Using testing and measuring equipment.
o Easily identify the easily implementable, no cost and low-cost investment projects
o He can quickly adopt the govt policy; it is there for the energy efficiency enhancement projects for its investment, benefit, subsidy, technicality, and time duration.
o Can customize the energy efficiency projects according to investment cost, return of investment, and Risk analysis after Life cycle assessment of the projects
A professional energy audit can help to pinpoint these issues and develop immediate solutions by auditing the facilities. The energy auditor can help the organization with additional savings than when assessing their own. However, the only additional expenditure for the organization is auditing fees for the energy auditor. But considering the savings benefits and risk level, the fess is lesser. Within a short period, the organization can recover the money.
As per the above analysis engaging an energy auditor or energy consultant for energy saving by energy audit process will help the organization save more money and sustainable resources than doing on their own. It is better to do the energy audit by an energy auditor for the organizations.
