Energy Audit Project

By:

Instructor:  Mrs. Jean Young

Class:  Introduction to Green Building Concepts, Semester 1

The Green Building class conducted a school wide comprehensive energy audit during the first semester. Student teams collected energy use data, compiled it into a spreadsheet, analyzed the data and presented their findings and recommendations to administrators, the facilities manager and board members.

Energy Use data was collected using: Kill-A-Watt meters, the local utility guide for typical usage information, and occupancy surveys.

Team Data Assignments:

• Cooling Systems:  Locations/Type/BTU/SEER or EER/Hours Used per day/Typical Watts/Energy (kWh)
• Lighting:  Location/Fixture-Bulb Type/# of bulbs/Watts/Hours Used per day/Energy (kWh)
• Appliances:  Location/Device Type/Watts/Hours Used per day/ENERGY STAR?/Energy (kWh)
• Electronics:  Location/Device/Model & Serial #/Amount/Watts/Hours Used per day/On when not in use?/Energy (kWh)
• Water Heaters: Location/Type-Model/Serial #/BTU/hr/Gallons/Efficiency Rating/Insulation R value/ENERGY STAR?/Watts/typical energy usage

Students used Google Docs to coordinate spreadsheet data entries and create a presentation of their experience, findings and recommendations.  The students presented their part in the audit to  Board Members, Administrators and the Facilities Manager at the end of the first semester. 

During the second semester, energy expert, Dwight Streamfellow of 21st Century Technologies reviewed our recommendations and helped prioritize the ones that we should do. During our annual Community Day event, students and a parent volunteer installed venting in the eaves.  Fans were added to the roof to improve air flow in the attic.  Students participated in painting the roof white to create a cool roof.  Student Artur Mkrtychyan (Class of 2012) collected temperature data during the entire process to see the external and internal effects of our energy improvements.  We are already having a noticable difference in comfort and AC energy use as the roof temperature has dropped significantly.

We want to thank the Green Education Foundation for providing us with the spreadsheet for collecting our data.  We have been piloting their Green Building class and it has been a wonderful experience this year.  This lesson came out of the Energy Unit of the course.

http://www.greeneducationfoundation.org/

We also thank John Bendon of Green Building LLC (Maui, HI) and Carissa Sawyer of Energy Logic (Berthoud, CO) for conducting the Blower Door Test on Cooke Hall.  It was amazing to be able to participate in real building performance testing.  Mahalo nui!