If energy efficiency is to realise its full potential, building and industrial owners and operators, service companies, consultants, contractors and financiers must adopt common technical and financial methods for quantifying savings of energy or water efficiency business transactions.

EMANZ is the New Zealand representative of the Efficiency Valuation Organisation (EVO) which is the only non-profit organization in the world solely dedicated to creating measurement and verification (M&V) tools to allow efficiency to flourish. Its vision is a global market that properly values the efficiency resource, enabling and assisting the optimal investment in these opportunities.

EVO provides Protocols, Training and Certification, and builds a Community to promote energy efficiency through proper quantification of actual results.

EMANZ is very supportive of the EVO vision and believes that we in New Zealand need to raise the awareness and use of these protocols developed by EVO.

IPMVP

The main protocol developed by EVO is the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) which defines standard terms and suggests best practice for quantifying the results of energy efficiency investments and increase investment in energy and water efficiency, demand management and renewable energy projects. The IPMVP provides an overview of current best practice techniques available for verifying results of energy efficiency, water efficiency, and renewable energy projects in commercial and industrial facilities. It may also be used by facility operators to assess and improve facility performance.

Energy conservation measures (ECMs) covered in the protocol includes fuel saving measures, water efficiency measures, load shifting and energy reductions through installation or retrofit of equipment, and/or modification of operating procedures.

IPMVP Library of Documents

The IPMVP protocol consists of three volumes.

Volume I

Concepts and Options for Determining Energy and Water Savings

Volume I defines basic terminology used in the M&V field. It defines general procedures to achieve reliable and cost-effective determination of savings. Verification of actual savings is done relative to an M&V Plan for each project. This Volume is written for general application in measuring and verifying the performance of projects which improve energy or water efficiency in buildings and industrial plants.

Volume II

Concepts and Options for Improved Indoor Environmental Quality

Volume II reviews indoor environmental quality issues as they may be influenced by an energy efficiency project. It focuses on measurement issues and project design and implementation practices associated with maintaining acceptable indoor conditions under an energy efficiency project. It advises on measurement methods for verifying that indoor environmental quality remains under control.

Volume III

Applications
Volume III provides guidance on application - specific M&V issues.

• I - Concepts and Practices for Determining Energy Savings in New Construction
• II - Concepts and Practices for Determining Energy Savings in Renewable Energy Technologies Applications,

Options

After installing energy conservation measures, you may need to determine the energy savings resulting from the project and present the savings results to management or customers. A common way to calculate energy savings is to measure the flows of energy associated with the saving measures, and then to apply spreadsheet calculations to determine savings. For example, a chiller retrofit would require measurements of chilled water supply and return temperatures and kW. The benefit of this approach is that the ECM is isolated, and that only energy flows associated with the ECM itself are considered.

IPMVP provides four Options for determining savings (A, B, C and D). The choice among the Options involves many considerations. The selection of an IPMVP Option is the decision of the designer of the M&V programme for each project.

These options are summarised below:

IPMVP Option A – Retrofit Isolation: Key Parameter Measurement Savings are determined by field measurement of the key performance parameter(s) which define the energy use of the ECM’s affected system(s). Parameters not selected for field measurement are estimated.

IPMVP Option B – Retrofit Isolation: All Parameter Measurement Savings are determined by field measurement of the energy use of the ECM-affected system.

IPMVP Option C – Whole Facility Savings are determined by measuring energy use at the whole facility or sub-facility level.

IPMVP Option D – Calibrated Simulation Savings are determined through simulation of the energy use of the facility, or of a sub-facility. The simulation model must be calibrated so that it predicts an energy pattern that approximately matches actual metered data.

There are many situations where Option A or Option B (Metering and Calculating) is the best approach to measuring energy savings, however, some ESCOs insist upon only using Option A or Option B, when clearly Option C would be most appropriate. If the ESCO was a lighting contractor, then Option A should work in all cases. Spot measurements of fixtures before and after, agreed upon hours of operation, and simple calculations can be inserted into a spreadsheet that can calculate savings. The same spreadsheet can be used over and over. However, for ESCOs that offer a variety of different retrofits, it is necessary to be able to employ all options so that the best option can be selected for each individual job. Controls Retrofits, or retrofits to HVAC systems are typically excellent candidates for Option C.

Training

Energy efficiency projects around the world have many basic similarities, and can all benefit from M&V. Nevertheless local M&V training must recognise local techniques, technologies, materials, prices, expertise and budget. EMANZ is working to develop IPMVP training and accreditation in New Zealand.