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EZ SIM BILLING ANALYSIS SOFTWARE |
M&V-- Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why do Measurement and Verification (M&V)?
Verifying savings is the proof that the installed measures are really working. Performance-based contracts require explicit proof that the savings really occur. Financial managers want reassurance that the investment in energy efficiency was well spent.
Q. Is it different from commissioning?
Yes, it is different. Commissioning is based on short-term tests or inspections as part of the installation. Commissioning assures that the measures are installed and operating correctly. But commissioning can't tell if the savings are there on a year-round basis. This is often the case when the commissioning is done at one season of the year and the efficiency measures take effect during a different season.
Q. How does it apply to performance-based contracting?
Stipulating a certain performance requires that all parties agree to (1) the baseline for estimating savings (2) how to estimate partial savings during installation (3) interactive effects between measures (4) correction for weather, occupancy changes, and structural modification or other changes that might interfere with simply comparing the pre- and post-retrofit utility bills. EZ Sim provides all this -- in one consistent, easy to communicate procedure that covers both pre and post conditions.
Q. What is required?
Many government agencies require verification according to the USDOE document International Performance Measurement & Verification Protocol (IPMVP).
Q. What does IPMVP specify?
Basically, common sense procedures. The important requirement is that the savings report must state the accuracy of the savings estimate. That is, if the savings are estimated at 100,000 kWh/year, you want to know if that estimate is + 200,000 kWh. Obviously, if the error band is that big, the estimate is meaningless.
Q. How do you follow IPMVP?
There are four options:
Q. How does EZ Sim contribute?
EZ Sim provides an easy, low cost approach consistent with Option D. EZ Sim builds a calibrated engineering model that can be used to provide a normalized estimate of savings. Best of all, EZ Sim can provide statistical calculations of the accuracy. There is no additional cost for monitoring expense because you are using information you already have -- your utility bills.
Unlike other engineering models, EZ Sim uses local weather data. This means that you can take into account any unusual weather occurrences and adjust energy consumption to that expected under normal conditions.
EZ Sim is designed to be easy to use -- you don't need a lot of detailed site data in order to model a facility.
Q. What is the typical accuracy of EZ Sim analysis?
This graph shows results from a study conducted for the World Bank under IPMVP protocol. The error bars show the amount of uncertainty in the savings estimates for eight participants. The first participant got no savings because they did not install the measures. The other participants all got robust savings. Even taking the error bars into account, they clearly had savings greater than zero. Thus, we can conclude that these installations were effective. The cost of performing this study was modest, less than 1% of the retrofit cost because no additional data needed to be collected.
Stellar Processes, Inc.
Stellar Processes is a company of consulting engineers specializing in energy economics, measurement and verification. Experts in monitoring and commissioning large facilities as well as diagnostic evaluation of small buildings.
1033 SW Yamhill Suite 405
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 827-8336
www.ezsim.com
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Download M&V FAQ. Adobe Acrobat document file