Certified Energy Auditor Certification Energy Audit Data Analysis 4

Question 1

An energy auditor is analyzing a chiller plant and calculates a coefficient of performance (COP) of 2.8. The manufacturer's rated COP is 5.5. What action should the auditor prioritize?

Accepted Answer

Investigate operating conditions such as condenser water temperature, fouling, and refrigerant charge

Answer

A COP far below rated performance typically indicates an operational or maintenance issue—fouled tubes, high condenser water temp, low refrigerant—rather than an immediate need for replacement.

Question 2

What is the purpose of conducting a 'blower door test' during an energy audit?

Accepted Answer

To quantify building envelope air leakage at a standardized pressure differential

Answer

A blower door test depressurizes or pressurizes the building to a standard 50 Pa and measures air infiltration rate (ACH50), identifying envelope leakage magnitude and locations.

Question 3

When analyzing lighting system data, an auditor calculates lighting power density (LPD) in W/ft². This metric is primarily compared against:

Accepted Answer

ASHRAE 90.1 or IECC code allowances for the space type

Answer

LPD is benchmarked against ASHRAE 90.1 or IECC code maximums for the specific space type to determine if the lighting system is code-compliant or over-lit.

Question 4

An auditor identifies that a commercial building's HVAC system runs at full capacity overnight when the building is unoccupied. What data analysis step should be performed first?

Accepted Answer

Review BAS/BMS schedules and control sequences to identify programming errors or sensor failures

Answer

Before recommending solutions, the auditor must determine whether the overnight operation is a control issue (wrong schedule, failed sensor) or an intentional setpoint strategy.

Question 5

Which statistical method is best suited for identifying whether two variables—such as production volume and energy consumption—have a meaningful linear relationship?

Accepted Answer

Pearson correlation coefficient analysis

Answer

The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) measures the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two continuous variables, commonly used in energy-production regression analysis.

Certified Energy Auditor Certification Practice Test

Certified Energy Auditor Certification Practice Test

Certified Energy Auditor Certification Energy Audit Data Analysis 4