ENERGETIC AUDIT
Energy audit / Energy efficiency audit of the company / installation / facility.
What are the reasons for implementing energy efficiency assessment in a company or institution? – What are the management staff guided by?
The main reasons that entrepreneurs and institutions are guided by when ordering an energy efficiency audit are:
the need to achieve savings in the amount used energy,
examining the possibilities of improving the energy efficiency of the company and/or buildings,
willingness to increase its competitiveness,
- a sense of a well-fulfilled obligation in the field of environmental protection,
- willingness to improve the image of the entity on the market and join the positive trend prevailing on it.
Who is required to conduct an energy efficiency audit? How often should an audit be performed?
The obligation to perform (order to conduct) an energy audit applies to large enterprises and it results from the Energy Efficiency Act.
The energy audit is carried out every 4 years, which results from the provisions of the above-mentioned of the act.
According to the above Pursuant to the Act, entities with:
1) energy management system specified in the Polish Standard for energy management systems, requirements and recommendations for use or
2) environmental management systemreferred to in Art. 2 point 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the voluntary participation of organizations in the Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS), repealing Regulation (EC) No 761/2001 and Commission Decisions 2001/681/EC and 2006/193/EC
– if an energy audit of the company was carried out under these systems.
Energy audit - purpose and scope!
The purpose of conducting it is to obtain data enabling the reduction of energy consumption in many areas of the company's operation, resulting in an increase in energy efficiency in the company.
The audit may concern the entire facility, a specific installation, technical device or technological process along with the instrumentation that is part of it.
Should an energy audit be reported somewhere?
After the energy efficiency audit is completed, the fact of its performance should be reported to the Energy Regulatory Office by submitting the audit report together with the relevant statement.
What are Energy Performance Certificates?
Energy performance certificates are commonly referred to as White Certificates. Such certificates determine the demand for energy.
Energy efficiency audit - what are the benefits?
The energy efficiency audit gives the opportunity to apply for White Certificates, the obtaining of which and subsequent introduction to the market (in cooperation with the Polish Power Exchange) may affect the financial condition of the investor. They have a real financial value, which can be compared to stock quotes on the stock exchange. They are energy efficiency certificates awarded for the achieved energy effect. They are awarded once. They are purchased by electricity, heat and gas trading companies. If they did not acquire the appropriate number of White Certificates, they would be forced to incur the so-called "replacement fees"
Only planned investments - not implemented or in progress - will be qualified to the system.
How can energy efficiency be improved?
White Certificates are issued in the field of energy efficiency improvement, e.g. for activities in the field of modernization of lighting, modernization or installation of thermal insulation, insulation of walls and roofs, replacement of windows and doors, modernization of pipelines, heat recovery, replacement of air compressors, modernization of the refrigeration system, ventilation or replacement of heating sources (e.g. boilers) and hot water, or introducing changes to power lines.
In the area of industry, in order to improve energy efficiency, one should look at i.a. the following aspects:
- thermal insulation of technological lines,
- improving tightness or even introducing hermetic methods of transmission, e.g. thermal energy,
- process heat recovery,
- replacement of boilers or boilers.
Systematic service inspections of equipment/process lines also have a positive effect on the effects we expect in this case. Such treatments allow the device to be kept in proper technical condition and ensure the possibility of using it with high efficiency.
It is important to implement appropriate measures to ensure the effective use of specific parts of the infrastructure by following the manufacturer's recommendations regarding the maintenance of devices or products, e.g. in the form of lubrication or adjustment of window or door hinges. This procedure extends the life and good condition of devices / objects, while ensuring a sealing effect - i.e. protecting against heat loss in winter and heat transfer in summer.
The above-mentioned ways of trying to increase the company's energy efficiency are of a cost nature.
It should be noted that some of the improvements we can implement are cost-free.
An example is measures that can save energy in the area of transport. In this regard, you can introduce periodic inspections of vehicles, implement a procedure for checking and ensuring proper tire pressure, persuade drivers to drive in "eco" mode or teach employees simply economical ways of driving. Get employees used to turning off lights when no one is in the room.
What form should the effect of the conducted energy audit take?
The result of the audit should be a plan or concept for the implementation of the investment, taking into account the use of energy-saving technology. Audit activities preceding the reconstruction or expansion of existing facilities or installations are common. Often, as a result of the audit, in the case of a full design concept for an investment with energy-saving features, the entity has the opportunity to apply for external financing.
The energy audit of the building is only a guideline for the project in order to carry out modernization changes of the building.
However, it is necessary in order to carry out any investment aimed at thermomodernisation, and its implementation gives the opportunity to apply for environmental funds and funds from structural programmes. When conducting an energy audit of the facility, special attention is paid not only to external partitions such as windows, doors, walls, but also various types of installations operating within the analyzed facility (e.g. ventilation, air conditioning, heating, e.g. central heating and hot water, lighting).
A very important, often key, element is the part concerning the economic and energy analysis, which gives a vision of the effects that can be achieved in the future.
Ekomeritum supports institutions and enterprises in their operation by providing services in the field of environmental protection aimed at achieving both benefits by customers and minimizing the impact of their activities on the environment.
Contact us! - Trust our specialists!
We are available from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 16:00.
How is the Energy Performance Certificate of a building different from an energy audit?
An energy audit is an assessment of the existing, e.g. on the basis of which it will be possible to precisely determine the method, scope, technical and economic parameters of the planned energy modernization.
The performance certificate, on the other hand, is performed on the basis of an audit and shows the level of energy consumption and the impact on the environment and climate.
The energy performance certificate is valid for 10 years from its issue.
The certificate of performance will be required to be submitted as an attachment in the case of sale of flats, buildings and before putting the facility into use,
– when making changes to the thermal characteristics of a building and/ or – for public utility facilities exceeding 1 km2 usable area, in the case of the Energy Audit carrying out an audit is mandatory for a certain group of entities. It should be repeated periodically and constitute a kind of review of the building, during which the aim is to examine the scope in which it is possible to improve the energy performance of the building. Its implementation is aimed at reducing the costs associated with the use of energy for various purposes, e.g. cooling and heating.
In addition, from the end of April 2023, there will be an obligation resulting from the amendment to the Act on the Energy Performance of Buildings and the Construction Law, stating that there will be an obligation to have an energy certificate for buildings built before 2009, if such a building undergoes modernization, and it will be an obligation to control heating and air-conditioning systems with a capacity of more than 70 kW (institutions and business entities that own real estate.)
In the case of natural persons, such an obligation will arise at the moment of renting or selling real estate and will apply personally to the owner of this real estate.
What positive effects can an Energy Audit bring?
- the possibility of applying for a thermomodernization bonus (it constitutes a significant percentage of the loan), e.g. in the case of replacement of floors, windows and doors, replacement or modernization of the heating or ventilation system, plans to implement RES elements or the use of thermal insulation of the facility.
- the possibility of applying for funding in the Clean Air program,
- the possibility of applying for a renovation allowance.
A good solution is to hire a specialist to conduct an energy audit who will not only plan and carry out the necessary analyses, but also propose solutions to reduce the energy consumption associated with the processes of heating and cooling the building.
If you need the services of an energy audit company, we will be happy to help. Contact with account managers and experts will "clarify the subject" and enable you to make a decision. We, for our part, assure you that we will try to offer the most favorable conditions for an energy audit in your facility.
What are thermal imaging tests used for?
Thanks to thermal imaging, it is possible to indicate areas of the facility where excessive heat loss is located by the penetration of cold air into the interior of the rooms during winter and lack of tightness of partitions preventing it from keeping cool during the summer. Thermovision audit allows you to assess whether construction works have been carried out correctly and to select the most important places during thermomodernization works.
When should you decide to carry out a building's heat balance?
If you want to select the thermal power of the source, you can perform the building's heat balance. The heat balance indicates the building's demand for energy necessary to maintain the right temperature inside the building. During the analysis, specialists use climate and weather data from previous years. The heat balance is often useful when selecting the type of heat pump to heat buildings.
Law basics:
energetic audit
- bill:
- on supporting thermo-modernization projects,
- on supporting thermal modernization and renovations.
- Regulations Minister of Infrastructure:
- on the detailed scope and form of the energy audit,
- on the verification of the energy audit.
Energy performance certificates
- Act: Construction Law
- Regulations Minister of Infrastructure:
- on conducting training and an examination for persons applying for the right to draw up an energy performance certificate for a building, a dwelling and a part of a building constituting an independent technical and utility whole
- on the methodology for calculating the energy performance of a building and a dwelling or a part of a building constituting an independent technical and utility whole and the method of preparation and templates of energy performance certificates
The material is for information purposes only and is not an interpretation of the law. Due to possible changes in applicable law, all information provided should be verified and checked for validity.
Contact us! - Trust our specialists!
We are available from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 16:00.
EkoMeritum Sp. z o. o
- 605 390 203
- biuro@ecomeritum.pl
- st. Łabiszyńska 21 C 03-204 Warsaw
- st. Zawislanska 43 03-068 Warsaw
- st. Browarska 1 B 26-500 Szydlowiec