Monitoring, Targeting & Reporting¹
The practice of energy monitoring, targeting and reporting (MT&R) provides a systematic approach to gaining and maintaining control over energy consumption (or production) through measurement and analysis, followed by well-directed actions.
The key steps to effective MT&R are:
Perhaps the most important step is the final one: initiation of actions. Without this, the entire effort will not succeed.
Energy cost savings (or energy production revenue) are the primary objective of MT&R systems. Other benefits include:
The MT&R Feedback Loop diagram illustrates the process applied in MT&R, which moves from data to information and ultimately to results. Instead of just taking measurements, the analysis from MT&R drives the actions that save energy and costs.
To implement monitoring, targeting and reporting for a facility three distinct tasks must be undertaken: data collection, analysis and reporting. Each component is dependent on the others. For example, without analysis there is nothing to report and without data there is nothing to analyse. Clearly, if no action is taken on the reported information, then the entire exercise can be a waste of effort.2
The data, analytics and reporting functions of the RETScreen Performance Analysis Module are described in the following sections.
Search for:
Data
Analytics
Reporting
The key steps to effective MT&R are:
- 1. measurement of energy consumption (or production) over time
2. measurement of influencing factors (weather, production level, occupancy) over corresponding time intervals
3. development of a relationship (a model) between energy and the influencing factors
4. establishment of energy reduction (or production) targets
5. frequent comparison of actual consumption (or production) with targets
6. reporting of consumption (or production) and target variances
7. initiation of actions to ensure targets are met
Perhaps the most important step is the final one: initiation of actions. Without this, the entire effort will not succeed.
Energy cost savings (or energy production revenue) are the primary objective of MT&R systems. Other benefits include:
- improved budgeting and forecasting
- improved product/service costing
- tracking and verification of energy efficiency retrofits and energy production projects (e.g. photovoltaic electricity production)
- opportunity for improved operation and maintenance practices
- greenhouse gas (GHG) monitoring and verification
- waste avoidance
The MT&R Feedback Loop diagram illustrates the process applied in MT&R, which moves from data to information and ultimately to results. Instead of just taking measurements, the analysis from MT&R drives the actions that save energy and costs.
To implement monitoring, targeting and reporting for a facility three distinct tasks must be undertaken: data collection, analysis and reporting. Each component is dependent on the others. For example, without analysis there is nothing to report and without data there is nothing to analyse. Clearly, if no action is taken on the reported information, then the entire exercise can be a waste of effort.2
The data, analytics and reporting functions of the RETScreen Performance Analysis Module are described in the following sections.
Search for:
Data
Analytics
Reporting
1. Some of the text in this section comes from the following Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) supported resources: Energy Monitoring – An Introduction to Monitoring and Targeting, NRCan’s Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE), 2006, and http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/publications/commercial/m144-144-2007e.cfm. The RETScreen user is encouraged to explore further information and training workshops offered by OEE.
2. Monitoring and Targeting in Large Companies, Good Practice Guide 112, U.K. Department of Environment, Transport and the Region, 1998.
