Integrated Framework toward a Closed Loop Measurement and Verification Approach

This study reviews a sample set of measurement and verification (M&V) plans from federal ESPC projects to understand and assess the overall status of M&V practices. The review identifies some of the key issues that need to be addressed to improve the rigor and transparency of M&V practices. To mitigate some of the identified M&V issues, this work also reviews existing M&V protocols, guidelines and other pertinent literature to identify strategies that can augment traditional M&V approaches. The authors provide a framework to identify ways to integrate M&V and commissioning activities into the ESPC process, combining M&V activities and advanced meter data into a monitoring-based commissioning approach that reduces the uncertainty of savings while ensuring their persistence.