An energy audit is an investigation into the energy flows of a building: electricity, natural gas, propane, and water. An energy auditor examines a building for points at which energy is lost, costing you money and making your building less comfortable.
An audit can identify solutions ranging from relatively inexpensive actions such as:
- sealing air leaks
- replacing old thermostats with programmable ones
- installing low-flow faucet aerators, shower heads or toilets
- updating inefficient lighting
to more costly measures such as:
- replacing old and inefficient furnaces or appliances
- adding insulation
- repairing or replacing windows
- installing solar panel
energy audit types
residential audits
A Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) EnerGuide evaluation helps you better understand your home’s energy usage, make the best energy-efficiency choices, save on utility costs, and improve the comfort of your home. Having a reliable estimate of the net amount of energy a home consumes in a year also helps you make informed decisions when operating, renovating, or purchasing a home.
commercial audits
There are three audit levels for commercial buildings, as defined by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Newo’s energy auditor specializes in conducting ASHRAE Level I and II audits, while we partner with an Alberta energy-auditing firm for Level III.
- Level I identifies cost-saving measures and potential capital improvements through analysis of the building’s utility bills, operating data and a walk-through of the facility.
- Level II builds on the findings from the Level I audit and provides more detailed analysis of individual building systems.
- Level III provides detailed technical engineering information, costs, energy savings and economic indicators for the energy conservation methods studied.
Contact us today for a free consultation
Incentives to help your business go green
Being in good relationship with the natural world means considering our environmental impact, and a part of that work is reducing the carbon footprint of our buildings. But as business owners know, it can be hard to access the capital needed to invest in energy-efficiency upgrades…
rebates
There are several opportunities for assistance in covering the cost of an energy audit in Alberta.
residential
- The NRCAN Home Energy Retrofit Initiative provides free EnerGuide energy assessments and grants of up to $5,000 to help homeowners make energy-efficiency upgrades to their homes
- Edmonton’s Home Energy Retrofit Accelerator program provides financial incentives for homeowners who want to invest in improving the energy efficiency of their home
commercial
- The City of Edmonton’s Energy Audit Rebate Program covers 50 percent of the cost of a commercial ASHRAE audit
- Edmonton’s Building Retrofit Accelerator Program is designed for almost any energy efficiency upgrade for commercial buildings over 10,000 square feet
- Emissions Reductions Alberta’s Energy Savings for Business Program covers retrofits and solar installations for small to medium businesses across the province
