There are a number of accepted M&V approaches available to you. The Environmental Protection Agency has done some work on this topic. The most-recognized protocol is known as the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP). Efforts are being made to have this Protocol (the “MVP”) made compatible with EPA documents.
In the United States, the first MVP steps were taken by a group of people representing the government, M&V companies, utilities, and energy efficiency and performance contracting companies operating under the sponsorship of the Department of Energy. This Protocol can be modified and used in any country. The MVP continues to be a work in progress and as such, you can expect it to be updated on a regular basis.
The MVP is used for performance contracting. The International Finance Corporation and the World Bank have both found it helpful and are adding it as a requirement for new energy efficiency projects.
The 2001 version of the MVP was developed through the work of hundreds of organizations and experts from more than 25 countries who provided their expertise to help develop it.
MVP is a Work in Progress
Each new version of the MVP includes changes and incorporates improvements that reflect new research, improved methodologies and better M&V data. It can always be thought of as being in a state of transition.
M&V Operations
Four options are provided in the MVP. Here is a brief description of all of them:
o Option A: Partially Measured Retrofit Isolation
With this option, savings are determined by partial field measurement of energy use in systems where an energy efficiency measure (EEM) has been applied. Measurements can be made for a short time or on a continuous basis. The energy use of the equipment involved must be isolated from the rest of the facility.
o Option B: Retrofit Isolation
The techniques to determine savings for Option B are identical to those used in Option A, except for the fact that no stipulations are allowed under this option. Full measurement is a requirement, and any savings will be determined by field measurement of the energy use of the systems to which the EEM is applied. This measure is kept separate from the energy use in the rest of the facility. Either short-term or continuous measurements are taken throughout the post-retrofit.
o Option C: The Whole Building
Even though Option C can be referred to as the “Whole Building” approach, it can also be used for only a portion of the building if the savings of all EEMs that are applied to that portion of the facility are being monitored by a single meter only. Either short-term or continuous measurements are taken throughout the post-retrofit time period. This option usually relies on continuous measurement of the entire facility’s energy use and demand for electricity for a certain time before retrofit and a continuous measurement of the entire facility’s use and demand after the installation has been completed.
Measurements can also be taken periodically with this Option, if all parties are in agreement.
o Option D: Calibrated Simulation
With this Option, energy savings are determined by way of computer-based simulation of the components used by the entire facility. The simulation routines are calibrated to predict an energy use pattern that is a close match to the actual level of energy consumption. This option should be used with caution, as it does require a certain level of skill in calibrated simulation, as well as a considerable amount of data input. As a result, the process can be quite pricey.
Cautions and Limitations
Keep in mind that none of these options will provide irrefutable data. It makes sense to use extreme caution when referring to this type of data.
The first two options listed here do not provide any kind of interaction with other measures. When one measure, such as lighting, affects other aspects of the energy systems (heating and cooling), these types of M&V calculations do not reflect this fact.
Option 3 doesn’t sort out the measures, which means it may not be possible to attribute the savings to any one party.
Other than the cost, the greatest drawback to using Option 4 is the quality of the data being input and the qualifications of the individual actually performing the work.
Matthew Shields
Energy Expert
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles. com/?expert=Matthew_Shields
1. Fiberglass is a good insulator. Not true.
Fiberglass is a poor insulator. Air is a very good insulator and fiberglass uses the insulation properties of air to make it work. Fiberglass creates millions of tiny air pockets by the way that it is made. Each one of those air pockets is a tiny insulation capsule by itself. But the air must be perfectly still or it can’t insulate. The fibers of fiberglass are actually tiny glass strands. That’s why they feel so abrasive to our skin and throat. In order for fiberglass to work, it must be installed carefully and fit the space it is in very closely. If it is packed in a space, it loses most of its insulating ability because it is more glass and less air. That’s why you can’t put 5 ½” (R-19) batts in a 3 ½” (R-13) wall and get the better R-value. You actually get less than R-13 if you do it that way.
2. A long as there is insulation in the wall, it will work as advertised by the printed R value on the paper.
Not True. Fiberglass needs to be installed in a 6 sided wall cavity to work properly. Furthermore, that cavity needs to be air tight. If either of those conditions are not met, the fiberglass will not perform as expected and the R value may be reduced by as much as 50%.
3. Blown fiberglass is the best attic insulation.
Not true. Blown fiberglass has some very serious flaws even before you get to the part about the installer adjusting the blowing equipment. Studies have shown that the colder it gets in the attic, the worse blown fiberglass performs. Meaning that the more you need it, the less effective it is. That’s because there is air movement within the blown fiberglass and as some of that air escapes, it takes energy and your hard earned money with it. If an insulation contractor does not adjust the equipment correctly (which is a fine line) the density of the fiberglass will be too low or high. Either way, the insulation value is reduced.
4. Rolling fiberglass insulation out on top of your existing attic insulation will drastically cut heating bills.
Not true. Much of the energy that is being lost from an attic is bypassing the existing insulation. Adding more on top only causes the energy make a zigzag and takes it about an additional second to dissipate. Even if the existing insulation completely fills the cavities it is installed in, there will be pathways for the energy to escape with little resistance.
5. Fiberglass batts with facing are supposed to be stapled to the inside edges of the wood framing in a wall or ceiling.
Not true. The staple tabs should be stapled to the face of the framing. Otherwise there is a channel on each edge that is held open for air to infiltrate and carry energy away before the insulation ever gets a chance to do its job. If there’s one gripe I have, it’s that I would like a real fullscreen mode while I read.
6. Fiberglass is better in areas where moisture may be present such as a crawl space.
Not true. Glass is not absorbent so it cannot hold water. When moisture travels through fiberglass insulation, it condenses and water drips out onto wood surfaces and the insulation value drops even further causing more condensation and more water dripping. Mold and rot occur more on wood that is adjacent to fiberglass than would occur if there was no insulation there at all.
Now I’ll explain how to choose the right insulation for every job and how it should be installed.
For walls:
The cavity must be sealed by caulking the seams in the sheathing and sealing all penetrations for plumbing and wiring.
The batts must fit the height of the cavity within ¼” overall. If there are wires in that cross the cavity, the insulation must be split and put around the wires.
If there is an electrical box in the cavity, the vapor barrier and some of the insulation must be cut around the box and part of the batt tucked behind the box.
The batts need to be gently squeezed as they are installed so they don’t drag on the sides of the framing and end up compressed in the cavities.
The staple tabs must be tacked to the face of the stud.
If all of these installation guidelines are followed, the insulation will perform to its rated R-value. If any one of them are missed, the R-value is reduced by approximately 10% in that cavity. If two are missed, the R value reduction can be as much as 25%.
If there are any vertical surfaces that are backed by unheated space, the insulation in those cavities must have an air barrier installed behind the studs. This applies to skylight tunnels in the attic too. The air barrier must be air tight. ½” foamboard is preferred with seams taped. If there is no air barrier, the rated R value is reduced by a full 50%.
For ceilings
On new construction, the ends of every ceiling joist must be windblocked to prevent windwashing of the batt ends by air coming in from the soffit. Omitting this step makes the wall/ceiling junction cold in the room and leads to high energy bills and staining on the paint in that area.
The staple tabs must be stapled to the bottom of the ceiling joist.
The batts must fit the cavity closely and must extend over top of the top plate at each end by cutting back the vapor barrier.
Ceiling boxes must be caulked around and if they are accessible from above, they should be sealed with an appropriate spray foam.
When the drywall is installed on the walls, an adhesive must be applied to the top plate or airsealing will need to be completed from the attic after the drywall is installed.
For attics:
Blown fiberglass is not the best choice for open attics for a number of reasons. Its R-value is unpredictable and hard to verify. If it is stepped on or compressed in any way, it loses insulation value and will not bounce back. It can easily be relocated by air currents and whole house fans.
In general:
The production of fiberglass requires massive amounts of energy. Blast furnaces which release tons of pollutants into the atmosphere every day run non-stop. Even during the weekends and holidays when there are no workers at the plant. Because it takes days to ramp the furnaces up to the temperatures required to melt sand, they must be kept hot all the time.
Breathing the fibers has not been proven to be a health risk, but many people are allergic to the fibers and it is unpleasant for anyone who must work with the products.
It has been shown that more energy is expended to manufacture the fiberglass insulation that goes into a home than will ever be saved by having that insulation in the home.
The solution:
Use cellulose insulation in all attic applications. Use damp spray or dense pack cellulose behind poly when possible on walls.
Blow a cap or blanket of cellulose over blown fiberglass to improve its effectiveness.
Cellulose absorbs moisture and wicks it so that it never reaches the level required to promote mold growth unless it is submerged. It rapidly releases the moisture when the surrounding air is dry again and returns to its natural state.
What makes cellulose a superior product is the fact that the air around it is not the insulation. The air in the cells of the fibers give it its insulation properties. This prevents density from being a determining factor in the way it is installed.
Cellulose is manufactured from discarded newspapers. It is crushed in a milling machine and is treated with a fire-retardant and an insect repellent that occurs naturally in the form of a mineral.
The machines that manufacturer cellulose are so energy efficient that they are even turned off while the employees take their lunch break. There are more manufacturing facilities for cellulose than fiberglass in the country so it is very likely that the materials will not have to be trucked as far to reach their destination saving.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for insulation and overall value should be the deciding factor. Where better long-term performance is available for a slightly higher installed cost, the investment is usually a good one. Energy costs will be escalating in the future and an energy efficient home will be a good value as a residence or for resale.
Ken Field is a certified energy auditor and operates an energy retrofit company in Easton, PA. He is a respected author in the area of home energy and heating and air conditioning. He writes a weekly column in the Blue Valley Times.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles. com/?expert=Ken_Field
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Bouilding Energy Retrofit – Energy Management Measurement and Verification