Energy audits – best practice and decision support

Panel: Panel 4. Building the bridge from lab to customer

Author:
Kari Aamodt Espegren, Institute for Energy Technology

Abstract

Energy audits are a central feature in the effort to increase energy efficiency. The paper provides an insight into key elements of an Energy Audit Programme and gives guidance in relation to how such programmes should be set-up to produce high quality results in an efficient way. The paper is based on the AUDIT II project, which has been co-financed by the EU’s SAVE programme. It mainly focuses on five vital elements of Energy Audit Programmes, i.e. Implementing Instruments - which instruments ensure that Energy Audits are implemented on a broader scale?; Monitoring - what are the effects/impact of the Energy Audit programmes?; Energy Audit Models - what kind of models are used to ensure that the audits are focused, comprehensive and answering the appropriate questions?; Energy Audit Tools - what kind of tools can bring additional efficiency to the audit work and lower administrative burden of the operating agent?; and Auditor Training, Authorisation and Quality Control - what is the right balance between these three topics to ensure that the audits have good quality, taking into account available resources?

Basic options and recommendations within the above topics will constitute the core of the paper. Administrative issues that need to be addressed by the operating agents of energy audit programmes are also discussed. Finally, the paper addresses the need for a European standard for energy audits.