Observational Energy Assessment

Purpose and Need

The purpose of an observational energy assessment is to determine what features in a home are consuming or wasting excess energy so that upgrades can be made to reduce the energy consumption of the home, and therefore save money. With the rising prices in energy rates, along with excessive rates of consumption there is a need to reduce the footprint that we all leave from our lifestyle choices. Whether you rent your living space or own it there are plentiful ways to reduce your energy impact and live at the same comfort level that you are comfortable with.

What is involved in the Energy Assessment?

The observational home energy assessment can be completed without any tools to make broad generalizations about the living space which will lead to informed knowledge about energy use. A few of the traits that will be examined are heat and cold loss, electric consumption, and resident behavior. The behavior of the residents will play the largest role in the energy trends, as use of lights, appliances, and heating/cooling has the most influence on consumption. There are five sectors that will be looked at when determining traits of the home; these sectors include: building envelope, water heating and usage, delivery usage, heating, and conditioned vs. non-conditioned space. The design of the living space will determine how to approach these sectors, due to the relationship of conditioned and non-conditioned spaces and how they are treated.

Conditioned vs. Non-conditioned Space

Conditioned space is defined by the part of the building that is designed to be thermally conditioned for the comfort of occupants or for other occupancies or for other reasons. These rooms usually include living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens. The non-conditioned spaces within a home are not meant for habitation and usually include garages, attics, basements, bathrooms, and utility closets. The relationship that these areas have to each other in terms of placement and connection will have implications on how you will treat them is terms of energy retrofits so it is important that they are distinguished from one another.

Performing Observational Energy Assessment

According to Heidi Benzonelli of the Redwood Coast Energy Authority, the single most important detail to notice when starting a home energy assessment is the ambient noise occurring. The subtle noises heard can indicate heating leaks, high energy consuming appliances, or phantom loads that are present in the home. When examining heat and cold loss, the common threats are unsealed cracks in the doors and windows and simply leaving windows open while heating. These are both easily fixed problems, and by re-chalking window and doors seems these losses can usually be avoided quite easily.