What’s An Audit?: Simple Through Comprehensive 2009 ACI Conference, Kansas City AUD2 A. Tamasin Sterner Pure Energy Lancaster, PA www.PureEnergyAudits.com
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What’s An Audit?: Simple Through Comprehensive
2009 ACI Conference, Kansas CityAUD2
A. Tamasin SternerPure Energy
Lancaster, PAwww.PureEnergyAudits.com
Session Objectives
►Focus on the people side of the energy equation
►Share a business model that avoids customer disappointment & maximizes profit
►Leave with simple tools to support your auditing
What are the reasons potential customers
call you?
Typical Reasons We Experience
►Feeling afraid of…
►Want to do right thing regarding climate change
►Gather ammunition to support expenditure
►Explore decision to sell house
►Renewable energy desire, want to do something
►High cost of energy
►Uncomfortable
Pure Energy’s Philosophy
We believe:
►There is no “one size fits all” audit process!
►People should get what they ask for, not what we think they should want or need
Pure Energy’s Business Model
► Win-Win-Win Approach
► Three Assessment Choices1. Jiffy Audit: no site visit
2. Walk Through: no major diagnostics
3. Comprehensive Audit: includes 1, 2 & full range of appropriate diagnostic tests and maybe modeling
► Facilitation & referral
► Support & problem solving
► Tracking Results
Key Questions Before Home VisitCustomer-Focused Auditing
►What are the reasons you called us?
►What do you imagine your house/bills/life to be like after our visit?
►House sq. ft. and volume, number of occupants, water heater fuel, heating system type & fuel, year house built, number of stories, structure type, unconditioned attached areas, energy use history for all fuels
►No visit is scheduled until after receiving energy use history
What Happens On Site
►Review reason for call
►Share results of pre-visit energy use analysis
►Show Total Consumption Picture
►Walk through home with occupant & determine what, if any, diagnostics will provide useful information
►Do diagnostic testing
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Conservation Connection Consulting [email protected]
Houses don’t use energy. People do.
Then…►Draw conclusions:
Decide what is important – the big things
Categorize findings & decide what to tell them
Keep asking questions and listening
►Merge their wants/needs (self-interest) with cost effectiveness calculations including benefits beyond payback.
Then…►Develop options and likely outcomes, including
option of phased activities. If this…, then that…
►Facilitate the customers’ decision-making►Decide on work plan: what are they going to do,
what we are going to do►Prepare for follow-up reports, contacts, referrals
etc. ►Arrange for feedback
When Simple is Best►Using diagnostic equipment and/or computer
modeling doesn’t always make sense If the customer’s pattern of energy use indicates the
structure is not the problem (seasonal use is low)
If the customer can’t afford the extra cost
If structural problems are obvious in the walk-through
If the audit is not part of a program that requires use of diagnostic equipment
If a contractor will be following you and will do diagnostic testing as part of his estimate
Simple Ways to Analyze Use
►Lots of tools are available!
►Utility website
►Home Energy Yardstick www.energystar.gov/yardstick
►Books, such as Residential Energy
►New tools every day!
Annual End Use Consumption Ranges (kWh)
Electricity Use LOW MID HIGH
Baseload 2250 5000 8000
Domestic Hot Water
Hot water use, 1-3 people 2500 4500 6000Hot water use, 3-6 people 4000 6000 8000
Cooling
Cooling load (total household) 750 1500 2500
Heating
Electric heat load 2000 5000 8500
National averages trued up to PA utility program experience
Electricity Use Analysis, All Cases, Pre-Audit
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
An
nu
al k
Wh
Average
Baseload Summer Winter
Tamasin’s Cases
Short Cuts
►Use analysis - Knowing low to high use ranges – how much energy use is high?
►Separate seasonal use from baseload use
►If any category of use is Low, save your time and energy and focus where the use is Mid or High
►Determining if the issue is structural, and/or waste, and/or inefficient appliances
Savings Follows Use / Waste
Total electricity use relates directly
to potential electricity savings
“It’s about my windows…”
Listening for Content & Feelings
HERS
ContentWants new windows because existing ones are drafty & difficult to clean.
Feelings
Vulnerable & unheard. Afraid of husband’s resistance and judgment that ease of washing is frivolous interest
HIS
Content
Agrees that he feels cold when around the windows in the winter and wants to know if new windows would be the best value for the money.
Feelings
Afraid it is a poor economic investment and that they will cost too much, and that he’ll be perceived as a poor provider
What Doesn’t Work►Failing to identify customers’ self interests
►Losing objectivity, patronizing, being judgmental
►Inappropriate tone, tempo, volume, lingo
►Not balancing receiving with giving information
►Thinking there is not enough time for clear communication - rushing
►Focusing on your stuff rather than their stuff
►Taking information at face value when there are other signs
►Focusing on SELLING rather than Customer’s Buying
►Greenwashing
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