How to Conduct an Energy Audit for Multisite Facilities: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Conduct an Energy Audit for Multisite Facilities

Energy costs are one of the largest controllable expenses for commercial and industrial facilities. As the US faces aging electrical infrastructure, large investments are needed to ensure grid reliability. Coupled with the electrification of our energy systems, the demand for electrical system capacity continues to grow. For this reason, multisite organizations with inefficiencies within their energy system can see those inefficiencies multiply across locations — leading to significant energy waste and lost savings while being faced with increasing energy costs.

The solution? A well-executed energy audit paired with long-term (at least 3 months) energy monitoring. We highly suggest energy monitoring as a must-have for successful energy audits because audits are typically performed over a series of a few days or weeks. The labor investment in the energy audit process can be significant as much time has to be spent on collecting equipment data and interviewing the facilities team. Due to the short duration, audits are typically snapshots in time where the auditor might see a system and end up carrying estimates on run hours, sequencing, and energy loading.

At Emergent Energy Solutions, we specialize in helping multisite companies identify, prioritize, and implement energy-saving opportunities.

What Is an Energy Audit?

An energy audit is a systematic review of energy usage within a facility to identify opportunities for improvement. It helps companies reduce utility costs, increase operational efficiency, and meet sustainability goals.

Step-by-Step Energy Audit Process

Step 1: Define the Scope

Decide whether you're auditing a single site or performing a portfolio-wide audit. For multisite companies, it's often best to start with a pilot site and use the results to scale across other locations. With multi-site facilities, the best approach is to develop a template based on the initial pilot site for standardization.

Key questions to consider:

Which sites use the most energy?
Are you focusing on electricity, gas, water, or all utilities?
Do you want a basic walkthrough audit or a detailed investment-grade audit (ASHRAE I or ASHRAE II)?

Step 2: Collect Utility Data

Gather at least 12–24 months of utility bills for each site. Look for:

Energy usage trends (kWh, therms, gallons)
Peak demand charges
Seasonal variations
Billing errors or anomalies

Use benchmarking tools like ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager or your own internal analytics platform to compare performance across facilities.

Step 3: Conduct a Site Walkthrough

Visit the facility (virtually or physically) to inspect:

HVAC systems and Building Automation Systems
Lighting (indoor/outdoor)
Motors, compressors, boilers, refrigeration equipment
Insulation and building envelope
Occupant behavior and schedules
Process loads

Take photos, interview staff, and document all relevant equipment specs and operational patterns.

Step 4: Analyze Data and Identify Opportunities

Use your collected data to:

Calculate Energy Use Intensity (EUI)
Determine where energy is being wasted
Identify quick wins (like lighting upgrades)
Highlight capital improvement opportunities (e.g., HVAC replacement, building automation)

Categorize recommendations by cost, ROI, and implementation timeline.

Step 5: Generate an Audit Report

Your audit report should include:

Energy usage summary
Identified issues and inefficiencies
Recommended improvements with savings estimates
ROI/payback periods
Photos, charts, and benchmarking comparisons

Step 6: Create an Action Plan

Turn recommendations into an implementation roadmap:

Assign responsibilities (operations, facilities, finance)
Set timelines and milestones
Budget for low-cost and capital projects
Track progress using dashboards or monthly reports

Pro tip: Start with low-hanging fruit like scheduling changes or LED retrofits before tackling big-ticket upgrades.

What Happens After the Audit?

An energy audit is just the beginning. The key to long-term success is:

Ongoing monitoring of energy usage
Employee engagement and training
Periodic reassessments to track improvements and uncover new opportunities

Why Multisite Energy Audits Are Unique

Multisite organizations face added complexity:

Standardizing data across locations
Managing different equipment types or ages
Coordinating with multiple facility managers

That's why we recommend using an experienced energy partner like Emergent Energy Solutions to streamline the process, centralize reporting, and prioritize projects with the biggest impact.