Measurement and verification

If M&V Is Not Working

Sometimes, the best M&V Plan simply doesn't work out. When this happens, the first thing the parties should do is to sit down together to discuss it. In your discussion, be sure you are being realistic about the accuracy that the M&V Procedures offer. Keep in mind that some options only offer a +/- 10-20 percent accuracy. You may be expecting more than the Plan can deliver.

If the M&V isn't giving you the results you were expecting, the problem likely stems from the original baseyear calculations and/or the baseline adjustment provisions. After that, you need to perform a search to find out whether any modifications to the facility or procedures that may affect energy consumption have been made and not reported.

If none of these possibilities give you the answers you are looking for, then you will need to examine the individual EEMs. If you have been using Options C or D, you might want to isolate each EEM and measure the energy consumption rates.

Finally, it's possible that the M&V program itself simply hasn't worked. If you have concerns about the M&V specialist's work, the least expensive option may be to simply hire another M&V consultant to run a check and give you his or her opinion. Hiring a well-qualified person from the beginning is the better (and less expensive) option.

How to do you find this person? You ask for the following information as part of the hiring process:

•  Observations and recommendations about the facility and its processes and M&V needs

•  Thoughts on when the M&V professionals should become involved in the project

•  Costs of M&V compared to construction costs

•  Types of errors that can be expected with their approach

•  Types of measuring devices the M&V consultant would recommend

•  How M&V results will be reported

The bottom line here is that anything can be measured and it is possible to verify savings if you spend enough money to do so. If M&V becomes too expensive, then you won't be able to justify the cost.

You will need to weigh the question of cost vs. accuracy. The owner and the contractor need to get together and agree on their definition of a reasonable level of accuracy. Consider how much accuracy you can afford to buy and the owner and the contractor can justify.'

Matthew Shields

Energy Expert