Energy Operations Efficiency Services
NV5 helps maintain the energy efficiency of our client’s facilities during their operating lifetimes to minimize forward operating costs, improve the environment, and foster productive long-term relationships. We help clients understand how, when, and where resources are consumed, and use that understanding to identify cost-effective efficiency measures for them to implement.
For energy upgrade projects on operating facilities that do not require the services of an Energy Services Company and are typically Owner-Managed, we provide the following, valuable and independent quality assurance services:
- Development of detailed business cases, to help you identify technology suppliers
- Implementation support, including oversight of installation and commissioning activities
- Restoration of equipment/system efficiencies to initial performance levels through Retro-commissioning (RCx)
- Integration of systems to optimize performance of the entire facility
Energy Audits & Benchmarking Services
To inform the development of an energy project, NV5 conducts various levels of energy audits:
- ASHRAE Level 1 Audit – A cursory investigation aimed at pre-qualifying projects before a more detailed evaluation takes place, or to inform the creation of an RFP/RFQ scope for large energy projects like ESPCs.
- ASHRAE Level 2 Audit – A more detailed energy audit used to inform the development of smaller energy projects primarily concerned with instituting Energy Efficiency Measures (ECMs), with work usually implemented by local firms,
- ASHRAE Level 3 (Investment Grade Audit) – A detailed engineering document confirming the scope and expected savings of a larger, typically externally financed energy retrofit project to implement EEMs while possibly adding alternative generation or other resiliency/sustainability features. In the ESPC or EaaS projects we oversee, these audits are conducted by ESCOs to provide the performance guarantee, and we review them for technical accuracy.
- Benchmarking – A review of a facility’s utility usage to compare to other similar facilities around the country, usually using USEPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager, to determine which facilities should be included in energy retrofit projects and to maintain an ongoing comparison of performance against other facilities.
Building Controls
NV5’s unique blend of controls and energy management experience has been utilized by numerous clients where we have acted as Owner’s Representative in a controls upgrade process.
Our process ensures the client gets an open protocol control system which allows for flexibility of vendors.
Our four-phase approach implements our analytics service to ensure the controls are fully functioning at the end of the defects and liabilities phase. The four phases include equipment/systems assessment and project planning, design and implementation support, testing verification and training, and ongoing monitoring and support.
New/Renovated Facility Energy Design
For clients building new or renovating older facilities, NV5 performs Energy-Conscious Design Reviews (ECDR) that augment A/E energy system designs to reduce both capital costs of development and future electric, gas, and water costs. This cost-saving service is not typically provided by A/E firms.
This service includes:
- An overall design review of building envelope, HVAC equipment and technologies, building control systems, water, and lighting from an energy efficiency, resiliency and sustainability standpoint
- Detailed energy modeling (or review of A/E models) throughout the building process to ensure accuracy of final energy use predictions
- Suggestions for potential alternative energy sources and/or a microgrid that would offset utility costs and provide for greater resiliency/sustainability
- A review of contractor pricing to ensure fairness of pricing.
- Introduction and application for available rebates, incentives, and subsidies that are often missed
- An education on special financing options for upgraded design, paid for by enhanced energy savings (without increasing the price of original design)
- Suggestions for energy-efficient Sequences of Operation that minimize equipment energy use while ensuring occupant comfort and maintaining code compliant spaces
- Life cycle costing and optioneering to clarify true future O&M costs
- Metering and monitoring strategy for energy and water to identify system degradation and suggest remedies.
Measurement & Verification
NV5 provides Measurement and Verification (M&V) services to a wide-variety of clients, either as part of our Owner’s Representative service or on a stand-alone basis, including:
- Performance of Measurement and Verification on energy efficiency projects
- Development of M&V Plans for ISO Forward Capacity Market programs
- Oversight of ESCO and vendor proposals to ensure accuracy of energy savings claims
- Review of an ESCO’s M&V plan proposal and its subsequent periodic M&V reports to ensure expected performance
- Assistance negotiating effective corrective action and financial restitution
Many of our in-house engineering staff are Certified Measurement & Verification Professionals (CMVP) by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) and the Efficiency Valuation Organization – a distinction very few firms have.
