Certified Energy Auditor Certification Certified Energy Auditor Energy Audit Process Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a Level II energy audit, what is the primary purpose of sub-metering individual building systems?
- To isolate energy consumption patterns of specific equipment (Correct answer)
- To satisfy local building code requirements
- To replace utility billing meters
- To measure outdoor temperature variations
Correct answer: To isolate energy consumption patterns of specific equipment
Sub-metering during a Level II audit allows auditors to attribute energy consumption to specific systems, enabling targeted efficiency recommendations.
Question 2: What is the recommended first step when conducting a preliminary energy audit of a commercial facility?
- Review at least 12 months of utility billing data (Correct answer)
- Install temporary data loggers on all HVAC equipment
- Interview all building occupants about comfort complaints
- Conduct a blower door test on the building envelope
Correct answer: Review at least 12 months of utility billing data
Analyzing a minimum of 12 months of utility data establishes baseline consumption patterns and identifies seasonal trends before any on-site work begins.
Question 3: Which metric is most commonly used to benchmark a commercial building's energy performance against similar facilities?
- Energy Use Intensity (EUI) in kBtu per square foot per year (Correct answer)
- Total annual electricity cost in dollars
- Peak demand in kilowatts during summer months
- Number of HVAC units per floor
Correct answer: Energy Use Intensity (EUI) in kBtu per square foot per year
EUI normalizes energy consumption by building area, making it the standard metric for comparing performance across buildings of different sizes.
Question 4: When calculating simple payback period for an energy conservation measure, which formula is correct?
- Implementation cost divided by annual energy savings (Correct answer)
- Annual energy savings divided by implementation cost
- Implementation cost multiplied by equipment lifespan
- Annual energy savings minus annual maintenance cost
Correct answer: Implementation cost divided by annual energy savings
Simple payback period equals the total implementation cost divided by the expected annual energy cost savings, expressed in years.
Question 5: What distinguishes an ASHRAE Level III energy audit from a Level II audit?
- It includes detailed engineering analysis and financial modeling of capital-intensive projects (Correct answer)
- It only focuses on no-cost and low-cost operational improvements
- It eliminates the need for on-site data collection
- It is limited to lighting and plug load assessments
Correct answer: It includes detailed engineering analysis and financial modeling of capital-intensive projects
A Level III audit provides investment-grade analysis with detailed engineering calculations, life-cycle cost analysis, and comprehensive financial modeling for major capital projects.
Question 6: During an energy audit walk-through, an auditor notices that exhaust fans in an unoccupied warehouse run continuously. What type of energy conservation measure does scheduling these fans represent?
- Operational and maintenance improvement (Correct answer)
- Major capital retrofit
- Building envelope modification
- Renewable energy installation
Correct answer: Operational and maintenance improvement
Adjusting equipment schedules to match occupancy is classified as an operational and maintenance improvement, typically requiring minimal or no capital investment.
