Energy Assessment

An energy audit can be simply defined as a process to evaluate where a building or plant uses energy and identify opportunities to reduce consumption. (Albert Thumann, 2008)

In 2014, Standards Australia released the new standard for energy auditing: AS/NZS 3598:2014, which sets out minimum requirements for commissioning and conducting three prescribed types of audits that identify opportunities for cost-effective investments to improve energy performance.

Unlike the previous standard, the new standard is a series of standards focused on particular economic sectors:

1. 3598.1 Energy audits – Commercial buildings

2. 3598.2 Energy audits – Industrial and related activities

3. 3598.3 Energy audits – Transport related activities

The new series of standards is a significant revision to the previous standard, AS/NZS 3598:2000. They are more rigorous, are outcomes-based and are focused on providing audit customers actionable energy conservation measures.