Measurement and Verification

Some implemented energy conservation measures will require performance verification. For these measures, engineering companies develop a Measurement and Verification (M&V) Plan.

The objective of this plan is to make sure that the new equipment is performing as originally specified and that the projected savings are being realized.

M&V can be performed at the system or component level, and might include:

• Chillers

• Boilers

• Variable speed drive applications

• Pumps

• Lighting systems

The equipment will be monitored using sensors and data collection equipment to determine energy efficiency curves. For example, in a typical chiller test, the chiller is monitored for a period of one week so that varying load conditions can be monitored. Then, the developed chiller efficiency curves will be compared to the manufacturer's published efficiency curve. Tabular results are included in the report document.

General Requirements

During M&V, the engineering company will require the following assistance from the operating staff of the facility:

• A copy of the manufacturer's published performance curves for each device to be tested.

• Operating conditions for the equipment performance curves. (For example, for a chiller test, the engineers will need to know the chiller hot water temperature, chilled water temperature, air temperatures, and so on. For a variable speed drive, they will require the temperature and frequency of the drive.)

• Address, contact information, and procedures for accessing the facilities where the equipment is housed.

• The engineering company will need to work directly with the building operating staff to determine which equipment to run during the tests and at what settings. (For example, which chiller to lead with, the condenser water set point, chilled water set point, and other information that is needed to conduct the test.)

M&V Deliverables

At the end of the M&V assessment, the engineering company typically prepares a brief report that presents the findings of the equipment tests. The manufacturer's data is incorporated into the report for comparative purposes. This report will include a brief summary of findings along with performance curves and tabular results.