Measurement and Verification (M&V): Essential Guide to Energy Efficiency and Savings Tracking
As a property manager or building owner, you’re taking sustainability measures seriously. You need smart systems, filters, and other facility energy solutions that pay for themselves. Energy management and verification protocol help you know if your efforts are fruitful or if you’ve paid a lot of money for a box that does nothing.
Your measurement and verification protocols will tell you how your systems are running. If they’re working correctly, you’ll know that you’re saving energy, money, and the environment.
What Is Measurement and Verification?
M&V is a set of processes you use to evaluate how much energy your building is consuming. These processes measure progress on your energy consumption goals, while also providing alerts to weaknesses in your system. They also verify your energy savings.
Key Protocols in M&V: Understanding IPMVP and Beyond
What do you need in place to measure your energy consumption? Use these common measurement and verification protocols.
IPMVP (International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol)
The IPMVP is a set of standard terms and best practices for measuring the performance of your energy investments. It was developed by the Efficiency Valuation Organization (EVO) and is comparable to guidelines from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program.
With this protocol, you determine your measured baseline energy by recording your usage for a specific amount of time. After installing a new HVAC system or making other changes in your building, for example, you would measure your energy usage again and compare it to the baseline energy.
ASHRAE (Association of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers) and Other Industry Standards
ASHRAE has a list of standards and guidelines to measure HVAC functionality. ASHRAE standards address ventilation, energy standards, design and construction, and energy efficiency. They were updated in 2022 to better align with building and system design. Other industries set standards for energy management, including the widely adopted ISO 50001.
With all these options available, which one is right for you? Consider your building’s complexity, the type of energy efficiency measures you’re evaluating, and your project goals. Next, consider whether you’re measuring a whole building or part of a building, then look for standards for retrofit isolation.
Benefits of M&V for Energy Efficiency Projects
Measuring and verifying your energy efficiency project lets you know if they’re working. Detailed measurements also highlight problems in your systems. You may notice places in your building that are burning through energy faster than a 1970s muscle car burns through gas.
Methods and Techniques Used in M&V
Once you’ve set your protocols, use these techniques to see whether or not your building is truly energy efficient.
Baseline Establishment
Start by determining how much of your building you’ll measure. If you’re only interested in measuring a new wing, for example, you would only collect data from that area. Next, decide how long to collect baseline data. It’s better to collect data for at least a year so you know how seasonal variations impact energy consumption. You need to measure your baseline energy consumption before implementing energy efficiency projects.
Data Collection and Monitoring
After you’ve established your baseline energy model and kicked off your energy management efforts, start collecting data. Use Internet of Things (IOT) sensors and direct measurement devices to monitor your energy consumption. Consider external factors that impact usage such as building occupancy, operational changes, and weather patterns.
Verification Techniques
Use techniques such as energy metering, data analysis, and post-installation monitoring to verify your facility's energy solutions. Choose an application that will run regression analysis for you to compare post-installation energy consumption with your baseline data.
Implement M&V With Attune’s Automated Solutions
You don’t have to be a math and science whiz to approach strategic energy management. Attune’s automated solutions make verification of energy savings easy. Our IoT sensors and measuring devices give you access to your energy consumption data in real time and have endless industry applications. Our plug-and-play hardware helps you customize your data collection efforts and you can use our software to continuously monitor results.
Schedule a demo to see how we can help you make the most of your energy efficiency projects.
Frequently Asked Questions About Measurement and Verification
What Are the Key Components of an M&V Plan?
Key components of your plan include:
Determining your energy conservation measure
Selecting your protocols
Setting your baseline: period, energy, and conditions
Setting your reporting period
Determining the basis for adjustments
Choosing an analysis procedure
Choosing your reporting format
Choosing quality assurance methods
Scheduling data collection and analysis
How Do Utility Companies Assess Energy Savings?
Many utility companies use data from your energy bills and a full building audit to calculate energy savings. During the audit, they will inspect your building with infrared cameras, blowers, and other tools that highlight areas of energy leakage.
What Challenges Do Organizations Face in M&V?
M&V poses challenges to anyone trying to run an analysis. Firstly, you need to know your data is of the highest quality. If you’re not using proper sensors, analysis techniques, or factoring in weather changes and other anomalies, you won’t get an accurate view of your energy usage.
Secondly, you need to set up your monitoring system according to the application guidelines or you could end up with bad data.
Lastly, there are varying industry standards and regulations, so you need to use the same standards for each M&V assessment.
Why Is Accuracy Important in M&V for Energy Efficiency?
Accuracy lets you know your reported energy savings data is credible. You need to understand your building’s true performance to know that you’re actually delivering on your goals. Accurate data also helps you negotiate energy savings performance contracts. If you’re getting tax breaks or other incentives, you need to prove that your building is efficient.
