CEM Certified Energy Manager Audit & Billing 3

Question 1

When comparing energy performance across multiple facilities, a CEM should normalize consumption data to account for:

Accepted Answer

Weather variations and occupancy differences

Answer

Normalization for weather (heating/cooling degree days) and occupancy ensures valid comparisons across dissimilar facilities and time periods.

Question 2

A facility's Energy Use Intensity (EUI) is calculated as:

Accepted Answer

Annual energy consumption (kBtu) divided by gross floor area (sq ft)

Answer

EUI equals total annual energy use in kBtu divided by gross floor area in square feet, enabling benchmarking across similar building types.

Question 3

Which document should a CEM review FIRST when beginning a billing analysis for a commercial facility?

Accepted Answer

Utility tariff schedules and rate structures

Answer

Understanding the applicable tariff and rate structure is essential before analyzing any billing data, as rates determine cost drivers.

Question 4

A facility is on a Time-of-Use (TOU) rate. Operations want to run a 500 kW chiller. To minimize costs, it should preferably operate during:

Accepted Answer

Off-peak hours (nights and weekends)

Answer

Off-peak hours have the lowest energy and demand rates under TOU schedules, minimizing operating costs for large loads.

Question 5

What is the purpose of a baseline energy model in an energy audit?

Accepted Answer

To establish pre-retrofit energy consumption for savings verification

Answer

The baseline model represents pre-retrofit conditions against which post-retrofit performance is compared to verify energy savings.

CEM - Certified Energy Manager Practice Test