CMM Energy Management & Sustainability 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which metric is most commonly used to measure a building's energy use intensity (EUI)?
- BTU per square foot per year (Correct answer)
- Kilowatts per hour per occupant
- Therms per month per floor
- Watts per square meter per day
Correct answer: BTU per square foot per year
Energy Use Intensity (EUI) is expressed as BTU (British Thermal Units) per square foot per year, allowing comparison across buildings of different sizes.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of an energy audit in a commercial building?
- To identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption and costs (Correct answer)
- To verify compliance with fire safety codes
- To assess structural integrity of HVAC ductwork
- To benchmark employee productivity levels
Correct answer: To identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption and costs
An energy audit systematically identifies where and how a building uses energy in order to pinpoint opportunities for reducing consumption and lowering utility costs.
Question 3: Which ASHRAE energy audit level involves a detailed analysis of capital-intensive modifications with engineering-level calculations?
- Level III (Correct answer)
- Level I
- Level II
- Level IV
Correct answer: Level III
ASHRAE Level III audits (Investment Grade Audit) include detailed engineering analysis of high-capital modifications, providing the data needed to support major investment decisions.
Question 4: A building maintenance manager wants to reduce peak demand charges on the electricity bill. Which strategy is most effective?
- Load shifting or demand response scheduling (Correct answer)
- Replacing all incandescent bulbs with LEDs
- Installing additional insulation in exterior walls
- Increasing the frequency of preventive maintenance cycles
Correct answer: Load shifting or demand response scheduling
Peak demand charges are based on the highest 15- or 30-minute interval of power draw; load shifting moves energy-intensive tasks to off-peak hours to reduce that peak.
Question 5: What does LEED stand for in the context of green building certification?
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Correct answer)
- Low Energy Efficiency Development
- Licensed Environmental Engineering Design
- Lifecycle Energy Evaluation and Documentation
Correct answer: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a globally recognized green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Question 6: Which type of lighting control system automatically adjusts light levels based on the amount of natural daylight entering a space?
- Daylight harvesting (photosensor control) (Correct answer)
- Occupancy sensing control
- Time-clock scheduling control
- Dimmer switch control
Correct answer: Daylight harvesting (photosensor control)
Daylight harvesting uses photosensors to detect ambient light levels and dims or raises electric lights accordingly, reducing energy use when natural light is sufficient.
Question 7: Which term describes the ratio of useful cooling output to electrical energy input for a chiller?
- Coefficient of Performance (COP) (Correct answer)
- Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER)
- Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER)
- Integrated Part Load Value (IPLV)
Correct answer: Coefficient of Performance (COP)
The Coefficient of Performance (COP) is the ratio of useful refrigeration effect to the energy input, commonly used to rate chiller efficiency at a specific operating point.
CMM Energy Management & Sustainability 1
Which metric is most commonly used to measure a building's energy use intensity (EUI)?