Certified Energy Auditor Certification Energy Audit Process 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which document is most critical to review during the pre-audit phase to understand a building's energy consumption history?
- Occupant comfort surveys
- Utility billing records for 12–24 months (Correct answer)
- Equipment purchase invoices
- Local building code amendments
Correct answer: Utility billing records for 12–24 months
Utility billing records spanning 12–24 months establish the baseline energy use intensity (EUI) and reveal seasonal consumption patterns essential for audit planning.
Question 2: During a walk-through audit, an auditor notices condensation on interior window surfaces in winter. What does this primarily indicate?
- High indoor humidity combined with poor window insulation value (Correct answer)
- Excessive HVAC cooling capacity
- Roof membrane failure
- Oversized domestic hot water system
Correct answer: High indoor humidity combined with poor window insulation value
Condensation on interior glazing occurs when warm, humid indoor air contacts a cold surface, signaling low window U-value and potentially high relative humidity.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of a blower door test in an energy audit?
- Measure HVAC airflow at supply registers
- Quantify building envelope air leakage (Correct answer)
- Test exhaust fan performance
- Calibrate CO2 sensors
Correct answer: Quantify building envelope air leakage
A blower door depressurizes the building to a standard pressure (typically 50 Pa) and measures the airflow required, revealing total envelope air leakage in CFM50 or ACH50.
Question 4: An energy auditor calculates a simple payback period of 6 years for a lighting retrofit costing $18,000. What annual energy savings does this imply?
- $1,800
- $2,400
- $3,000 (Correct answer)
- $4,500
Correct answer: $3,000
Simple payback = Cost ÷ Annual Savings; $18,000 ÷ 6 years = $3,000 per year in energy savings.
Question 5: Which ASHRAE audit level involves detailed energy modeling and investment-grade analysis?
- Level 0 – Benchmarking
- Level I – Walk-Through
- Level II – Energy Survey
- Level III – Detailed Analysis (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Level III – Detailed Analysis
ASHRAE Level III audits provide rigorous engineering analysis with calibrated simulation models, suitable for major capital investment decisions.
Question 6: When assessing lighting energy consumption, which metric best represents the efficiency of a luminaire?
- Color Rendering Index (CRI)
- Lumens per watt (luminous efficacy) (Correct answer)
- Correlated Color Temperature (CCT)
- Beam angle in degrees
Correct answer: Lumens per watt (luminous efficacy)
Luminous efficacy (lumens per watt) measures how efficiently a light source converts electrical energy into visible light.
Question 7: An auditor finds that a chiller's actual COP is 3.2 versus a rated COP of 4.5. What is the most likely cause?
- Oversized condenser water pump
- Fouled condenser tubes reducing heat rejection (Correct answer)
- Excessive supply air static pressure
- Incorrect thermostat setpoints
Correct answer: Fouled condenser tubes reducing heat rejection
Fouled or scaled condenser tubes increase condenser water temperature, forcing the chiller to work harder and reducing its actual coefficient of performance.
