How are building energy audits performed?

1. How are building energy audits How are building energy audits performed? performed? Normally Online energy audit in buildings require several phases that focus on obtaining information about the property and its energy consumption in order to detect in which areas energy is not being managed properly. In this task of collecting information, it is necessary to have all the possible documentation of the building where information is collected on the construction systems as well as the building's facilities (reports, plans, measurements and budgets of the construction projects and facilities), year of construction and list of possible interventions or reforms carried out that affect the envelope or the facilities. It will also be necessary to have invoices that illustrate the energy consumption of the property, the schedules, the energy consumption of the equipment. Likewise, it must be verified that this documentation corresponds to the real state of the building and facilities. In addition, it is advisable to study how the building's maintenance habits have been to gain knowledge of how the equipment and facilities have been managed. Once all this information is available, simulations are carried out to estimate the building's energy performance and calculate its energy demand. From there we can obtain the conclusions, with graphs that show energy consumption, studies of the contracted rates, yields, etc. The comparison of results obtained in the simulation carried out for each of the energy services with the real data that the billing and measurements have provided us in the building itself will allow us to identify areas or parts of the building and its facilities where there are problems Either because the installation or any of its components have a problem, or because the enclosure has excessive losses. With all this information, those technical improvements that serve to reduce energy consumption should be proposed: from improving the building systems of the envelope, to the heating, hot water, electricity installations. With a single purpose: to optimize the energy consumption of the building. Apart from all this information, it is also necessary to carry out an economic analysis of the measures that are proposed in order to be able to assess the amortization period from the estimate of the investment cost, as well as the energy savings achieved, energy price and fuels, etc. So that the return periods of each of these proposals will be estimated. The audit concludes with the drafting of a report containing all the information collected from the building, the measurements carried out and the result thereof, in addition to the measures proposed to improve efficiency and the necessary economic information. This report will be delivered to the client who will have to make the final decision whether or not to undertake the measures recommended in it.

2. Energy audits in buildings: the case of companies Energy audits in buildings: the case of companies The obligation to carry out energy audits not only affects residential buildings, but also companies. According to Directive 2012/27 / EU (transposed into the Spanish legal system through Royal Decree 56/2016), companies that are not SMEs must undergo an energy audit at least every four years, from the date of the previous energy audit online. Which companies must undergo energy audits? Which companies must undergo energy audits? According to the legislation, those companies that are considered large companies, that is, those that employ at least 250 people, must submit to the energy audit. Or those that, even without meeting this requirement, have a business volume of more than fifty million euros and a balance sheet of more than forty-three million euros. They are also required corporate groups (considered as such according to article number 42 of the Commercial Code). On the other hand, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are excluded, in accordance with Title I of the annex to Commission Recommendation 2003/361 / EC, of May 6, 2003, on the definition of micro-enterprises, small and medium-sized companies What should the energy audit of companies contemplate? What should the energy audit of companies contemplate? The energy audit must cover, at least, 85% of the total final energy consumption of all the facilities located in the national territory that are part of the industrial, commercial and service activities that said companies and groups manage in the development of its economic activity. How long do companies have to carry out the first energy audit? How long do companies have to carry out the first energy audit? In principle, the first energy audit had to be carried out before November 14, 2016, although this period was later extended by allowing the presentation of supporting documents until February 14, 2017. After the deadline of November 14, 2016, it was estimated that around half of the companies that were required to carry out an audit were able to present the papers on time. Among the difficulties that the companies argued for not submitting the papers on time, they highlighted that the deadlines have been very tight: the standard was published late and, since it was published, it only granted nine months to submit the audits.