Energy Management & Research Associates is a full service energy consulting firm. We are dedicated to designing and developing programs and projects that reduce energy use, optimize energy cost, and reduce facility "carbon footprint" in the multifamily-residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and public sectors. We achieve this with a comprehensive research and development capability and a staff of professionals deeply committed to energy efficiency.
- Energy Software development & Programming,
- Energy / utility rate modeling, analysis, and rate case input/opinion ,
- Metering & monitoring of installed energy efficiency equipment,
- Traditional individual building consulting services including:
- complete energy audits,
- new technology feasibility studies,
- boiler efficiency and HVAC equipment surveys,
- system troubleshooting,
- system balancing plans,
- connected load studies,
- system design review and computerized building modeling,
- replacement heating system sizing, and
- preparation of engineering design specification
For more information about these or other services contact us.
Design of company wide energy management programs
Developing an Energy Management Program or more broadly Energy Master Planning is the process of transitioning an organization's culture from the traditional "fixed cost, line item" view of energy to one in which energy is recognized as the opportunity and risk that it has become.
An Energy Master Plan (EMP) can guide an organization in longer-range planning of energy cost reduction and control as part of their facility maintenance, management, and design. An EMP can even lead the energy budget to be recognized as a potential profit center and source of opportunity rather than just another business expense. An EMP moves beyond the confines of traditional engineering to include:
- energy procurement
- energy-related equipment purchasing
- measurement and verification (M&V)
- staffing and training, communications
- setting energy consumption targets and tracking/feedback loop systems.
The long-term perspective goes beyond simply cutting last year's energy use. It makes energy awareness part of the everyday operation and "mindset" of the organization.
If you’re thinking this doesn't apply to your firm or clients because you’re too small, think again. This approach works for an organization as small as a single site to an owner with half a dozen small buildings to Fortune 100 companies. The effort and level of detailed varies respectively, but the approach is basically the same.
Training
Effective planning and implementation of any energy-related project or program can only go so far. Beyond the initial implementation, the long term success of any program or project must rely on the personnel who have day-to-day responsibility for the facility. Throughout the portfolio of projects implemented by the EMRA Team, the final and most critical element in the implementation process and long term success has been the education, training, and outreach components for facility operators and occupants. Team members have been involved in the development 
of nationally recognized energy professional certification courses, graduate level teaching for energy engineering students, and are engaged in numerous training and education activities for trades such as facility operators. This ability to assemble and conduct education and outreach programs has been used in many individual client projects to educate facility owners, operators, and occupants and is an asset to our clients whether as part of a specialized training program or just as a small integrated part of a energy audit or building upgrade project.
The EMRA Team senior staff personnel have extensive experience in the areas of training and preparation of instructional tools. Between them they have developed training curricula and instructed thousands of individuals on various energy related topics over the past 20 years. These sessions range from novice to expert level and from 1/2 day to 2 weeks in duration. This training has been conducted for audiences ranging from operating personnel, maintenance staff, facility managers, owners, and program managers to design engineers and other energy professionals. They have also authored and/or revised dozens of publications and training manuals on various energy use issues and energy efficiency techniques, in addition to hundreds of journal and conference papers on these subjects. Additionally, many of these individuals have also authored books and/or written articles on array of energy efficient measures and related topics. Three members of the staff teach at the university level. Based on this vast experience we are well equipped to design a most effective set of materials to meet our client’s needs.
Some publicly available seminars featuring EMRA staff include Energy Auditing Fundamentals and Developing an Energy Management Master Plan. Customized programs can be developed to meet the specific needs of your organization, staff and/or clients.
Energy Audits
Many of the products being labeled as "energy audits" are nothing more than a generalized look at a facility or an investigation of a particular system (often for the purpose of selling a particular product or project). A truly effective energy audit needs to examine not only the major energy end use equipment, but the operations, maintenance and management processes of the facility as well. It is one of the first actions that must be taken to accomplish an effective energy cost optimization program. The audit is a detailed examination of how the facility uses energy, what it pays for that energy, and in conclusion a set of recommendations to reduce the energy costs by both equipment and operational changes.
Due to their continuously developing work with building systems, EMRA engineers are particularly adept at establishing good communications with site engineers or building maintenance personnel or with superintendents, eliciting much information about equipment conditions and operating patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed. Perhaps because of this level of communication, the building staffs respond positively to the survey visit and comments we receive back are in the vein of ”your engineers know what they are doing”.
We begin the process with pre-audit work that needs to be done to make best use of the auditor's field time. The site visit involves data gathering and EMRA’s very well developed forensic detective techniques, which are supported by the use of a wide variety of survey/monitoring tools. From there, analysis of the subject facility’s data and potential savings opportunities are evaluated, covering both energy, economic and equipment life/maintenance considerations. At EMRA we pay special attention to the proper application of applicable energy rates so the savings projected accurately represents the way our clients are paying for their energy. Finally and importantly, the energy audit report is organized to most effectively communicate the recommendations and act as an action plan to assist our clients achieve their goal of lower annual energy expenditures.
The educational function is one of the most important, yet often overlooked, portion of an energy audit. It is in fact a fundamental key to a successful audit, in that for an energy audit to be effective recommended measures must be installed and/or maintained. As most facility managers and operators, (who are either the recipients of these reports or the persons ultimately responsible to carry at many of recommendations), are already overwhelmed with work, it is imperative that these individuals be involved and buy into the audit process. EMRA accomplishes this by including these facility personnel in the process during the site survey. During the walk through and data collection phase our auditors point out potential efficiency opportunities and explains through discussion and verbal images both the problems spotted as well as actions that will likely be detailed in the final audit report. We have found this greatly enhances the probability that the written report recommendations actually get implemented, and significant energy-savings are achieved.
