TM22
Energy Assessment and Reporting Methodology:
Office Assessment Method (CIBSE 2006)

TM22 describes a method for assessing an office building's energy and building services performance that can be tackled by a spreadsheet approach. The method has been extended to cover Bank and Agency Branches, Hotels and mixed use Factory-Office and Industrial Buildings. The approach can also be used for Schools and Residential Homes etc with appropriate bench mark data.

While primarily directed at finding out about and improving energy performance, the results have a wide range of uses by building management and design professionals, contributing to the virtuous circle of good management and satisfied occupants. The method can be used:

• to identify poorly performing buildings and systems
• to indicate the cause(s) of poor performance
• to benchmark operating procedures including hours of use, and levels of service provision including lighting levels and system efficiencies.

The procedure has proved highly effective in use, forming a key part of work for the PROBE investigations and the DETR's Energy Consumption Guide 19 Energy use in offices.

The Energy Assessment and Reporting Methodology Office Assessment Method assesses a building's actual energy consumption per unit floor area, and other aspects of performance, against established benchmarks from Energy Consumption Guide 19, in three stages as shown below.

 

• Stage 1: This stage provides a quick assessment in terms of energy use per unit floor area, which can be carried out by in-house resources.
• Stage 2: If the building has special energy uses or occupancy, the second stage is likely to be required, which can also in most cases be carried out in-house.
• Stage 3: For a full understanding of the performance of the building and its systems, a Stage 3 assessment will require specialist capabilities, but the results are of direct interest to building owners and managers.

The approach improves the level of understanding of building and system performance and reduces the time taken to complete an assessment. It provides a highly effective way of introducing feedback into the design/construct/evaluate process as recommended in the CIBSE Guide F: Energy efficiency in buildings.

Well-run buildings: the virtuous circle

A high standard of energy efficiency is a good indication of high management standards. Efficiently run buildings tend to have design and operational arrangements which produce good staff relations and satisfied occupants

The assessment process can help improve not just energy management but building design and management: the investigations and actions required to improve energy efficiency also tend to improve building design, management and occupant satisfaction.

TJL Associates carries out energy assessments to TM22 using qualified and experienced engineers to your requirements suitable for ESOS