An energy audit is a comprehensive assessment of a building's energy use throughout its operations. The purpose of the audit is identifying the most cost-effective opportunities to reduce energy usage through equipment upgrades, equipment repairs, and/or occupant behavioral implementations. Energy audits are the best way to receive information regarding how fast, easy, cost-effective upgrades can reduce your overall energy costs.

Energy audits are performed by engineers, engineering firms, and energy service providers. Information about our Green Certified Energy Service Providers can be found in our Local Green Certified Businesses Directory.

• Step 1: Submit all utility bills for the past one to two years to the energy auditor.
• The process includes an evaluation of the buildings electrical, natural gas, and water consumption based on utility bills for the past one to two years.
  
• Step 2: The facility walk-through.
• A trained auditor will conduct a walk-through of the facility, noting both easy implementations that will result in a quick investment payback and implementations maybe require a longer payback period (for example, replacing older, low efficiency furnaces with a new high efficiency furnace). During the course of the walk-through the facility"s lighting levels and lighting equipment will be inspected, along with the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system(s), windows, and infrastructure composition.
  
• Step 3: Recommendations for improving energy efficiency.
• After proper analysis, a written report will be generated detailing the current conditions of all energy systems, the current total energy usage for electricity, natural gas, and water, and the auditor"s recommendations on what improvements to make, their initial costs, and their potential payback periods.

• Provide realization of the building"s utility costs and structural condition
• Identify and prioritize potential capital improvement projects
• Provide a financial analysis for each potential capital investment project.

• Businesses with less than 25 full-time employees are eligible for a free energy audit from DRG team members (2 part-time employees = 1 full-time employee). Simply check the box in section B indicating that DRG will do your energy audit on the Green Business Application form. Once your Green Business Application checklist has been submitted, and all the minimums and mandatory requirements are met, you will be contacted by DRG to schedule your energy audit.
• Businesses with more than 25 full-time employees applicants for certification must have a contract in place for an energy audit. Fill in section C with the Energy Service provider information. Keep in mind that DP&L rebates energy audits cost.
• Provide a financial analysis for each potential capital investment project.

The energy audit requirement is waivered in the following circumstances:

• The building is LEED certified.
• The building has already been audited in the past year or so. The audit must be ASHRAE Level 1 or higher.
• Your business is a tenant in the building and does not control the HVAC systems, lighting systems, or building upgrades (apply under the tenant program).
• Your business is a home office (apply under the tenant program).
In all other cases, an ASHRAE Level 1 or higher energy audit is required.

Link to local Green Certified Energy Service Providers - look under Energy Services-