Conducting an energy audit

Conducting an energy audit will not only get you started on your energy management program, it will also reveal your organization’s potential for significant savings.

An audit

• determines where, when, why and how energy is being used
• gives you information you can use to improve efficiency, and reduce your energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions
• can verify the effectiveness of the energy-efficiency projects you implement

Energy Savings Toolbox will guide you through the process

To help you assess and lower your organization’s use of energy, Natural Resources Canada has developed the Energy Savings Toolbox – An Energy Audit Manual and Tool (PDF, 36.74 MB). It is a guide for self-audits and has Excel spreadsheets (ZIP format, 300 KB), forms, checklists and templates that will help you collect and analyze your organization’s energy information.

Section A: Energy Auditing Overview

This section of the toolbox gives an overview of energy auditing and the steps involved. It also outlines how to prepare your organization for an audit.

Section B: Energy Analysis Methods

This section gives detailed instructions on how to carry out the 10 steps of the audit process:

1. Conduct a condition survey
2. Establish the audit mandate
3. Establish the audit scope
4. Analyze energy consumption and costs
5. Compare energy performance
6. Profile energy use patterns
7. Inventory energy use
8. Identify energy management opportunities
9. Assess the benefits
10. Report for action

Section C: Technical Supplement

This section offers background information, including an overview of the basic principles involved in energy analysis and the tools used to conduct an audit.

It also describes the spreadsheet tools and forms that accompany the guide, and the checklists and templates that will help you collect and analyze your organization’s energy information.