Produced in Association with SERIES 22 / Module 02 Measurement & Verification Measurement and Verification


Hilary Wood PMVE, director at Independent Measurement & Verification (M&V) Experts, EEVS, and EVO accredited M&V trainer.


M


easurement and Verification (M&V) refers to the process of quantifying energy savings resulting from


energy efficiency measures (EEMs) implemented in buildings or industrial facilities. It involves using a structured approach to confirm the savings achieved by EEMs, ensuring that the energy performance improvements are measurable, sustainable, and attributable to the specific EEMs implemented.


Where is it used? M&V can be used in any situation where it is important to understand the outcome of energy efficiency or decarbonisation projects – as organisations seek pathways to net zero, M&V can be included to provide feedback on the success or otherwise of these projects. Whilst M&V is an important part of


good energy management practices, to date its primary application has perhaps been within performance-based projects, such as Energy Performance Contracts (EnPCs), but more broadly, any project where outcomes have a guaranteed or shared savings aspect.


Why do we need it? M&V is needed to disaggregate results of energy efficiency or decarbonisation projects from what would have happened had the project not taken place, and potentially also from other consumption- impacting changes that are happening at the same time. One of the key challenges when


measuring the impact of EEMs (as distinct from renewable or low carbon energy generation) is that energy savings cannot be measured directly – and by savings, what is being described in this context is avoided energy. So metered energy consumption can be directly measured, but to determine the avoided energy, metered consumption should be compared to the energy consumption that would otherwise have occurred had the project not taken place – i.e. the counterfactual, or ‘business as usual’ case. Some calculations or estimates


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are necessary when finding the counterfactual consumption, and these will usually be derived from the baseline energy behaviour with some ‘adjustments’ likely to be accounted for.


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More on adjustments later, but because these are involved, it is almost always the case that an energy saving measured through a structured M&V process will be different from a simple comparison of energy data, e.g. one week before and after a project, or the current year compared with the previous year. Finally, because there are calculations


and estimates involved, these will introduce some uncertainty into the calculation of savings. It is important to understand the uncertainty relative to the value of the expected saving to assess whether the M&V method is suitable.


M&V Protocols and Standards Before discussing M&V processes and methodologies, it is worth recognising some of the key protocols and standards for guidance on these processes: International Performance


Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP): Developed and owned by the Efficiency Valuation Organization (EVO), IPMVP is an internationally recognised framework for M&V, offering detailed guidance on measuring energy savings. Its key principles set out that good practice M&V should be: ● Accurate ● Complete ● Conservative ● Relevant ● Transparent It provides four options for evaluating


energy efficiency measures, detailed later in this article. ISO 50015: This is the international


standard on Measurement & Verification principles and guidance, following a ’Plan-Do-Check-Act’ format and documentation management process that will be familiar from international standards in general. This standard and key International Standards related to energy management (ISO 50001 etc) have been well covered in module 3 of series 14. However, key to note is that it is method-agnostic and using one or more of the options from IPMVP would meet this aspect of the requirements.


Key Components of M&V Before considering M&V methods in more detail, it is useful to consider the process in general, particularly because the sequence of steps plays a part in ensuring that the outcome is transparent and accurate. An overview of the M&V process for a typical project is as follows: Measurement & Verifi cation Planning: Before any EEMs have been deployed, an M&V plan should be prepared to detail the methodologies and calculations that will be used to quantify energy savings. It identifies what will be measured, the frequency of those measurements, the data collection methods, and any instrumentation required. This will include establishing relevant baselines,


Savings or avoided energy consumption or demand (IPMVP Core Concepts March 2022 EVO 10000 – 1:2022)


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