Commercial Energy Auditing

Many organisations have limited knowledge of how much energy they use annually, let alone where and when it is being used. This makes it difficult to successfully implement energy savings measures. In the same way that you track finances, inventory, sales and staff performance to ensure your business is operating efficiently and profitably you should also monitor energy use. At Tropical Energy Solutions, we believe in the adage “you cannot manage what you do not measure”. The most effective way to measure energy use is to conduct an Energy Audit.

An Energy Audit shows how and where electricity is currently being used and gives quantified recommendations for energy cost reductions.

Tropical Energy Solutions carries out Energy Audits in accordance with the Australian Standard AS/NZS 3598:2014. According to this standard there are 3 “types” of energy audits that can be performed which range in complexity depending on the customer’s needs.

The most common level of audit is Type 2. All of our Type 2 Energy Audits include:

  • A complete load inventory of all electrical devices on site
  • Matching of metered data against load inventory consumption
  • Light level measurements and evaluation for relevant sites as per AS/NZS 1680.1
  • Indoor temperature measurements at relevant sites and representative locations
  • Site specific recommendations to reduce consumption and demand including:
    • Energy savings for each recommendation
    • Cost savings for each recommendation
    • Co2-e savings for each recommendation
    • Investment required for each recommendation
    • Payback period
  • Recommendations to improve energy efficiency through modifications to building envelope, workplace environment and staff training
  • On site power generation opportunities (grid connect and off grid)
  • Tariff analysis
  • Account check (eg correct customer status and meter number reconciliation)
  • Presentation of audit results to client

Our energy audit report structure has been developed over several years of conducting multiple site audit projects including three projects with over 250 audits in total at Ergon Energy depots, Ergon Energy customers in the Torres Strait and the Burdekin Shire Council. Through these projects we have developed a reporting style specifically for multiple site projects. It is designed to be user friendly and suitable for use by senior management, property management staff and individual site managers.

This reporting provides succinct data regarding where and how energy is currently being used (load inventory and load profile) and an action list of technical energy efficiency recommendations, their implementation cost, payback period, and cost, energy, and Co2-e savings. The recommendations to improve energy efficiency through modifications to the building envelope, staff activities and renewable energy opportunities are provided in dedicated sections.

Reports are supplied in both hard copy and electronic formats for ease of distribution. Many customers also find our complete load inventories useful to cross reference with existing asset registers and as a maintenance tool for planning and inventory management.

To complement the individual site reports an overarching summary report provides details on methodology, climatic and seasonal factors, and possible funding opportunities.