Measurement and Verification Services

TEAM provides a comprehensive Measurement and Verification (M&V) Service for energy efficiency and renewable energy schemes.

Designed in accordance with the International Performance Measurement and Verfication Protocol (IPMVP), this service is ideal for ESCos and Energy Performance Contractors (EPCs), Facilities Management providers, system operators and building owners requiring independent verification of system performance. TEAM can verify savings and report against contractual targets, monitor against predicted savings and rates of return, present asset performance as well as alert engineers when maintenance or replacement of equipment is required.

IPMVP certified

TEAM’s specialist staff have achieved CMVP (Certified Measurement and Verification Professional) certification enabling TEAM to offer services compliant with the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP).

The CMVP is a certification awarded by Efficiency Valuation Organisation (EVO) and the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) to qualified professionals in the field of Measurement and Verification within the energy industry. Its aim is to acknowledge good practice and raise overall professional standards within the M&V field. TEAM is one of only a small number of organisations in the UK to hold this certification.

Why choose TEAM?

TEAM’s M&V services are flexible and can be adapted to your requirements. We can offer a full end-to-end service from technical feasibility checks through to on-going performance analysis.

• Long and proven track record in energy data collection and analysis
• Strong expertise in renewable energy systems
• IPMVP compliant service
• Can provide an end-to-end service from technical feasibility and contract checks through to on-going detailed performance analysis
• Provision of advice on remedial actions and costs

Key Benefits of Measurement & Verification Services

Who can benefit from M&V?

An M&V service is typically used by a building owner/occupier, Energy Services Company or Energy Performance Contractor, or an Facilities Management contractor. A building owner/occupier may require an Energy Services Company or Energy Performance Contractor to incorporate an independent M&V specialist as part of a contract. The M&V supplier would then be paid from the Energy Performance contract. Alternatively, the client may want to directly contract the M&V provider. TEAM’s service is fully flexible and can accommodate any of these requirements.

Key Benefits of the Servide include:

• Independent verification of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects for Energy Performance Contractors and Energy Services Companies
• Quality assured through IPMVP certification
• Helps ensure optimum system performance for maximum rate of return
• Helps identify where Energy Perfomance contracts are not performing as planned
• Ensures that declining system performance and sudden failure is identified and can be rectified quickly

M&V can be applied to both energy demand reduction schemes, and renewable energy generation.

Measurement and Verification can be applied to both energy demand reduction schemes, and renewable energy generation. Both are subject to variations in performance, and can deteriorate over time or suffer sudden unexpected failures – both of which can go un-noticed in the general variability and ‘noise’ of energy use, or due to the ‘fit-and-forget’ nature of renewables and other plant. These are expensive investments, and optimum performance is essential if the predicted returns are to be realised.

Energy Performance Contracts offer either guaranteed or shared savings models. In either case it is essential that the actual level of savings are properly demonstrated. In a guaranteed savings project the contractor is paid an agreed amount, equivalent to some volume of energy savings. If these savings are not realised the client is reimbursed any shortfall by the contractor; if savings are exceeded then the customer benefits. It is in the interest of both parties that the M&V is fully and transparently designed and operated, which requires independence on the part of the verifier. Clients may also want to verify that the contractual terms (before implementation) are achievable or ambitious enough - i.e. have a technical check of the project before they sign the contract. Under-ambitious savings will be easily reached which, in a shared savings model, will lend an advantage to the contractor. It is therefore in the interest of both parties to have high quality M&V in place.

Renewable energy technologies require careful monitoring to ensure optimum performance. Where these attract subsidy payments like Feed in Tariffs (FiTs) or Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments, it is essential to ensure that they perform as predicted, especially as the subsidy rates will reduce over time. If the outputs degrade gradually (e.g. Photovoltaic systems requiring cleaning), or suddenly (e.g. a solar thermal pump fails), then the projected rate of return will not be realised. Reduced output or downtime must be dealt with rapidly. The difference between renewables and other plant is that they are often not business critical in their operation – stand-by fossil fuel plant or the electricity grid ensure continuity of supply – which means failure often goes unnoticed or can even be ignored.M&V can be applied to both energy demand reduction schemes, and renewable energy generation.

The Service

TEAM’s M&V services are flexible and can be adapted to your requirements. We can offer a full end-to-end service from technical feasibility checks through to on-going performance analysis.

The service typically comprises:

1. A technical evaluation of the proposed savings (carbon, energy, cost) of an energy savings measure, or project, or Renewable Energy Technology installation
2. The development of a full M&V plan including targets, M&V methodology, baseline calculations, variables and other factors, and acceptable levels of accuracy
3. A survey and specification for the required level of metering (depending on required level of accuracy)
4. Project manage meter and data acquisition hardware installations to ensure reliable data collection is established.
5. Identify software requirements, and design a system of KPIs, reporting and exceptions to ensure outputs are fully defined
6. Install and configure software
7. Train client in use of the software and the meaning of reports and exceptions
8. On-going monthly (or other frequency) reporting and analysis with advice on performance against targets, required remedial actions or providing instructions to facilities management contractors

TEAM Sigma software

TEAM uses its market leading Sigma software to support its M&V services. TEAM Sigma provides a complete data management, analysis and reporting solution. It can be set up to monitor and report on any type of energy system. TEAM have developed renewable energy analysis tools that are tailored to specific energy technologies.

CUSUM graph (Sigma Software		Regression Analysis for PV installation