Energy Audits
What is an energy audit?
A comprehensive residential energy audit is an assessment of energy use and inventory of the energy using equipment in the home. The energy assessment includes:
- how energy is used (can determine the use of a smaller appliance instead of a major appliance to save energy)
- how much energy is used – this means tracking your energy consumption using your utility bills or reading your own utility meters
- when it is used – means the time of day and time of year usage, which will help determine if savings can be made when no one is home
- how and the amount of lost or wasted energy will help determine where energy can be saved
The inventory of energy using equipment provides:
- a list of all energy consuming devices for both natural gas and electricity
- nameplate energy load, which indicates the connected energy use under full operating conditions
- efficiencies of each, if available, (for example, on an EnerGuide label, which compares use to all similar equipment in the same category). Efficiency can also be calculated by the formula: Energy Efficiency = Energy Output/Energy Input (numbers usually available on the nameplate of furnace).
How to get an energy audit
- Many of the tasks for a residential energy audit can be undertaken by the homeowner without the use of specialized tools or equipment. There is a significant amount of electronic and printed information available to help with this task and is referenced under Key Energy Efficient Information.
- Specific contractors can help assess efficiencies of specialized equipment such as furnaces and hot water heaters.
- Should you want to consult outside help, visit the NRCan website for a list of organizations that deliver energy audits in your area.
Funding
- All Albertans who participate in the federal government’s ecoENERGY Retrofit Program are eligible for a provincial Home Energy Evaluation rebate. Visit Climate Change Central's website for information on this rebate.
