Energy Resources Group has extensive experience working with energy and building systems to evaluate their performance. When investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency we know the potential pitfalls and how to mitigate them. Our Measurement and Verification (M&V) methodology enables us to take a system-wide perspective and verify the energy savings you were quoted are accurate.
M&V enables the energy savings delivered by specific energy conservation measures (ECMs) to be recognized for their contribution and fairly evaluated. ERG adheres to the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IMPVP) which was established by the U.S. Department of Energy and a myriad of international partners. The IMPVP outlines the steps and best practices in verifying results of energy efficiency, water efficiency, and renewable energy projects.
The preparation of an M&V Plan is central to proper savings determination and the basis for verification. Advance planning ensures that all data needed for proper savings determination will be available after implementation of the energy savings program, within an acceptable budget. An M&V Plan includes:
- A description of the ECM and its intended result
- Identification of the boundaries of the savings determination.
- Documentation of the facility’s base-year conditions and resultant base-year energy data.
- Identification of any planned changes to conditions of the base-year.
- Identification of the post-retrofit period.
- Establishment of the set of conditions to which all energy measurements will be adjusted.
- Documentation of the design intent of the ECM(s) and the commissioning procedures that will be used to verify successful implementation of each ECM.
- Specification of which Option from IPMVP Chapter 3.4 will be used to determine savings.
- Specification of the exact data analysis procedures, algorithms, and assumptions.
- Specification of the metering points.
- Specification of quality assurance procedures.
- Quantification of the expected accuracy associated with the measurement, data capture and analysis.
- Specification of how results will be reported and documented.
- Specification of the data that will be available for another party to verify reported savings, if needed.
- Definition of the budget and resource requirements for the savings determination, both initial setup costs and ongoing costs throughout the post-retrofit period.
A detailed M&V Plan provides transparency and objectivity to evaluation of energy conservation measures. When investing in new technologies it is critical that they perform as expected. We have the experience to make sure that happens. Our services can be conducted remotely or on-site depending on the system, with minimal impact on operations.
