EMP Compliance Reporting & Documentation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons CO2e or more per year must submit annual reports by what deadline?
- March 31 (Correct answer)
- June 30
- September 30
- December 31
Correct answer: March 31
GHGRP requires covered facilities to submit annual GHG reports to EPA by March 31 for the prior calendar year.
Question 2: Which documentation element is MOST critical when establishing a baseline for an ISO 50001 energy management system?
- Employee training records
- Significant energy uses (SEUs) and their performance indicators (Correct answer)
- Vendor invoices for energy equipment
- Marketing materials for efficiency programs
Correct answer: Significant energy uses (SEUs) and their performance indicators
ISO 50001 requires organizations to identify and document significant energy uses (SEUs) as the foundation for setting energy baselines and performance indicators.
Question 3: A facility's ENERGY STAR score dropped from 75 to 68 after a building renovation. What documentation should the energy manager update first?
- Utility bill archive
- Portfolio Manager property use details and floor area (Correct answer)
- Capital expenditure ledger
- Tenant lease agreements
Correct answer: Portfolio Manager property use details and floor area
Changes in floor area or occupancy/use details in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager directly affect the score, so property use data must be updated to reflect post-renovation conditions.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes a Measurement & Verification (M&V) report under IPMVP Option C?
- Meter-level sub-metering of individual systems
- Whole-facility utility meter analysis comparing pre- and post-retrofit consumption (Correct answer)
- Simulation model calibrated to spot measurements
- Stipulated savings based on manufacturer specifications
Correct answer: Whole-facility utility meter analysis comparing pre- and post-retrofit consumption
IPMVP Option C uses whole-facility utility data to determine savings by comparing baseline and post-installation billing periods with appropriate adjustments.
Question 5: When documenting an energy audit for ASHRAE Level II compliance, which item is required that is NOT needed for a Level I audit?
- Building address and contact information
- List of low-cost/no-cost recommendations
- Energy cost analysis with simple payback for capital improvements (Correct answer)
- Utility bill review for the past 12 months
Correct answer: Energy cost analysis with simple payback for capital improvements
ASHRAE Level II audits require a detailed energy cost analysis and capital improvement recommendations with simple payback calculations, which go beyond the Level I scope.
Question 6: Under California's AB 1103 (now part of the Nonresidential Building Energy Use Disclosure Program), commercial building owners must disclose ENERGY STAR data during which transaction?
- Annual property tax assessment
- Sale, lease, or financing of the whole building (Correct answer)
- Permit application for interior remodel
- Utility rate renegotiation
Correct answer: Sale, lease, or financing of the whole building
California's disclosure law requires ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager data to be provided to prospective buyers, lessees, or lenders when a whole nonresidential building is sold, leased, or financed.
Question 7: An energy manager is preparing documentation for a carbon offset project using the American Carbon Registry (ACR). What document establishes the project's eligibility and quantification methodology?
- Project Design Document (PDD) (Correct answer)
- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
- Facility Energy Audit Report
- ISO 14064-1 Inventory Report
Correct answer: Project Design Document (PDD)
A Project Design Document (PDD) is the foundational document for carbon offset projects that describes project activities, baseline methodology, and expected emission reductions.
EMP Compliance Reporting & Documentation 2
Under the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons CO2e or more per year must submit annual reports by what deadline?