Hello,
is there any specification how should be consumption of base building divided and measured? For example in Breeam there are specification like "fans with input above 10 kW measure separately". I tried to find some similar specification in LEED CS document as well as in IPMVP document and didn´t find anything.
Question: Is there this kind of specification in any document? If not what´s the standard?
Question I´m solving:
- Lifts (don´t measure X measure together X measure separately)
- Cooling units (measure whole plantroom X measure units togehter X measure units separately)
- Heat exchanger plantroom (measure whole plantroom or somehow divide this consumption into separate meters)
- HVAC units (together X separately)
...and many many others very similar.
Whats the key to design this metering strategy?
Lauren Wallace
LEED Project Reviewer, LEED AP BD+C, Senior LEED SpecialistCertifications Department Manager, Epsten Group, Inc.
39 thumbs up
November 15, 2013 - 9:58 am
Mr. Bartos,
Is your project planning to attempt EAc1: Optimize Energy Performance using an energy model? If so, it is my understanding that the minimum requirements for metering for your M and V Plan would be the same types of energy consumption used in your energy model. For example, if your energy model and EAc1 submittal indicate that you use natural gas and electricity, then your M and V Plan should indicate that you are tracking the consumption of natural gas and electricity. The breakdown of what you are metering is completely up to the building owner. I personally feel as though M and V Plans are more successful in identifying which areas of consumption need improvements when more items are metered separately from other energy-consuming elements. For example, if you metered each HVAC unit separately, you might realize through the M and V process that one unit might need setpoint adjustments, whereas the other units are running as intended. If you didn't separately meter these units, you might find yourself recommissioning all of the HVAC units, which would be a much more expensive process in the long run. Hope this helps!
Marcus Sheffer
LEED Fellow7group / Energy Opportunities
LEEDuser Expert
5909 thumbs up
November 15, 2013 - 10:37 am
This particular standard sets out general guidelines and it is your job to interpret them and adapt them to your project. FEMP has published guidelines for Federal projects and they may help but I am not aware of any document specifying exactly what you need to do in your particular case.
It is up to you to determine the metering strategy that makes the most sense for your project. You will typically need to calibrate your energy model by energy end use on a monthly basis. Certainly any energy end use that consumes at least 5% of the total energy use should be measured. This does not mean you need to submeter everything. Some end uses can be derived, some can be estimated based on spot measurements or short term trending.
So look at your energy modeling results and figure out a plan to gather the data you would need to confirm your modeling inputs and calibrate the model. So from your examples above you appear to be focusing on the equipment rather than the energy end use. Rather than focus on the cooling units, heat exchanger plantroom and HVAC units, focus on the energy end use components like heating, cooling, fans, pumps, etc.