CEM Facilities and Site Selection 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which renewable energy resource assessment is essential before committing to a wind turbine installation at a candidate facility site?
- Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
- Minimum one-year on-site anemometer wind speed data at hub height (Correct answer)
- Geotechnical boring log analysis
- Traffic impact study for equipment delivery routes
Correct answer: Minimum one-year on-site anemometer wind speed data at hub height
At least one year of on-site anemometer data at the proposed hub height is required to accurately characterize wind resource variability and project annual energy production.
Question 2: A CEM is comparing two warehouse sites. Site A is in a Title V air permit area; Site B is not. What energy-related operational constraint may apply to Site A?
- Site A cannot use LED lighting due to electromagnetic interference regulations
- On-site combustion equipment at Site A will face stricter emission limits and monitoring requirements, potentially restricting fuel choices (Correct answer)
- Site A must purchase carbon offsets for all electricity consumption
- Natural gas use at Site A is capped at 50 MMBtu/year
Correct answer: On-site combustion equipment at Site A will face stricter emission limits and monitoring requirements, potentially restricting fuel choices
Title V permits apply to major air emission sources; combustion equipment at Site A will be subject to strict emission standards and reporting that may constrain fuel type, capacity, or operating hours.
Question 3: During site selection, a team is evaluating a facility with a high-voltage (115 kV) transmission line crossing the parcel. What is the primary energy infrastructure concern?
- Electromagnetic interference with wireless energy monitoring systems
- Setback requirements and easements that limit building placement and may prevent substation siting (Correct answer)
- Increased lightning strike frequency near high-voltage lines
- Mandatory participation in demand response programs
Correct answer: Setback requirements and easements that limit building placement and may prevent substation siting
Transmission line easements restrict land use and building placement, which can prevent optimal substation location or building orientation for energy efficiency.
Question 4: What is the significance of a facility site being located within an 'Opportunity Zone' from an energy capital investment perspective?
- It mandates LEED Gold certification for all new construction
- It provides federal tax incentives for capital investment, potentially improving the financial returns on energy efficiency upgrades (Correct answer)
- It exempts the facility from state energy codes
- It requires the facility to participate in community solar programs
Correct answer: It provides federal tax incentives for capital investment, potentially improving the financial returns on energy efficiency upgrades
Opportunity Zone designations offer federal capital gains tax deferrals and exclusions for investors, improving the economics of capital-intensive energy infrastructure investments at those sites.
Question 5: A facility energy model shows that infiltration accounts for 25% of heating energy loss. Which site or design feature would MOST reduce this loss?
- Installing a cool roof membrane
- Selecting a site with natural windbreaks and designing air-sealed vestibule entries (Correct answer)
- Orienting the building to face south
- Using high-efficiency boilers with condensing heat exchangers
Correct answer: Selecting a site with natural windbreaks and designing air-sealed vestibule entries
Natural windbreaks reduce wind-driven infiltration pressure at the facade, and air-sealed vestibule entries create pressure buffer zones that dramatically cut uncontrolled air leakage.
Question 6: A manufacturing facility under site evaluation has an on-site wastewater treatment plant producing biogas. Which energy opportunity should a CEM prioritize investigating?
- Using the biogas to fuel a CHP system for on-site electricity and heat generation (Correct answer)
- Compressing the biogas for sale as vehicle fuel to neighboring businesses
- Flaring the biogas to generate renewable energy credits
- Using the biogas to power absorption chillers only
Correct answer: Using the biogas to fuel a CHP system for on-site electricity and heat generation
On-site CHP fueled by biogas maximizes energy value by converting a waste stream into both electricity and useful thermal energy, dramatically improving site energy economics.
Question 7: Which ASHRAE standard specifically governs the energy performance requirements for the design of new commercial and industrial facilities in the US?
- ASHRAE 55 (Thermal Comfort)
- ASHRAE 62.1 (Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality)
- ASHRAE 90.1 (Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential) (Correct answer)
- ASHRAE 15 (Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems)
Correct answer: ASHRAE 90.1 (Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential)
ASHRAE 90.1 establishes minimum energy efficiency requirements for building envelopes, HVAC, lighting, and service water heating in new commercial and high-rise residential construction.
CEM Facilities and Site Selection 4
Which renewable energy resource assessment is essential before committing to a wind turbine installation at a candidate facility site?