306 Energy Project Financing: Resources and Strategies for Success
the intended scope of the project, and determine whether adjust-
ment will be made to post-retrofit conditions or to some other set
of conditions. (These fundamental decisions may be written into
the terms of an energy performance contract.)2 Gather relevant energy and operating data from the baseyear and
record it in a way that can be accessed in the future.
3 Design the energy savings program. This design should include
documentation of both the design intent and methods to be used
for demonstrating achievement of the design intent.
4 Prepare a Measurement Plan, and a Verification Plan if necessary,
(commonly together called an “M&V Plan”). The M&V Plan fun-
damentally defines the meaning of the word “savings” for each
project. It will contain the results of steps 1 through 3 above, and
will define the subsequent steps 5 through 8 (see Chapter 3.3).
5 Design, install and test any special measurement equipment
needed under the M&V Plan.
6 After the energy savings program is implemented, inspect the in-
stalled equipment and revised operating procedures to ensure that
they conform with the design intent defined in step 3. This pro-
cess is commonly called “commissioning.” ASHRAE defines good
practice in commissioning most building modifications (ASHRAE
1996).
7 Gather energy and operating data from the post-retrofit period,
consistent with that of the baseyear and as defined in the M&V
Plan. The inspections needed for gathering these data should
include periodic repetition of commissioning activities to ensure
equipment is functioning as planned.
8 Compute and report savings in accordance with the M&V Plan.
Steps 7 and 8 are repeated periodically when a savings report is
needed.
Savings are deemed to be statistically valid if the result of equa-