Measurement & Verification

The Facility Energy Solutions team is comprised of:

• Facility Energy Solutions (FES), led by Lia Webster, PE, CMVP
• SBW Consulting, led by Santiago Rodriguez-Anderson
• Stillwater Energy, led by Anne Joiner, CMVP.

BPA’s Todd Amundson, PE and PMVA, was project manager for the M&V protocol update work.

The Facility Energy Solutions team compiled feedback from BPA, regional stakeholders, and the team’s own review to revise and update the 2024 BPA M&V Protocol Selection Guide and the other M&V Protocol Documents.

BPA is a contributing organizational supporter to the Efficiency Valuation Organization (EVO), a non-profit organization whose products and services help people implement and invest in energy-efficiency projects worldwide. EVO maintains the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP), which includes the IPMVP Core Concepts and several other documents. These documents are available for download here. (EVO’s website requires users to create login credentials to access the reference materials.) 

Please note: BPA provides the M&V documents posted on this site for free download and use. Please consider referencing or citing these documents when using them for your energy-efficiency program M&V offerings.

Measurement & Verification Protocol Selection Guide

• The Measurement & Verification (M&V) Protocol Selection Guide and Example M&V Plan (M&V Selection Guide) aids in selecting the appropriate Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) M&V protocol and designing an M&V plan. Originally developed in 2012, this Protocol Selection Guide is one of ten documents produced by BPA to direct M&V activities. 

• This updated version provides an overview of BPA’s M&V protocols, application and reference guides, and gives direction based on practical considerations and recent direction from the Regional Technical Forum  on verification of energy savings.

• The M&V Selection Guide presents an overview of BPA’s M&V Protocols and Guides and provides a framework for selecting the appropriate protocol or guide to use for a given project. Section 3 presents an example M&V plan. Section 4 provides full citations (and web locations, where applicable) of documents referenced in this guide.

• The M&V Selection Guide is designed to assist the M&V practitioner charged with estimating site-specific energy savings for custom projects to select the appropriate BPA M&V protocol. However, unique project characteristics or concerns identified by BPA, utility staff, or those conducting the M&V activities, may result in selection of a different protocol than suggested by the criteria given in this guide. 

• Intended for measures that change load or operating hours, or load and hours. 
• Uses measurements of energy at equipment or end-use and of driving independent variable(s)
• Appropriate for non-interactive measures and can address interactive measures in limited circumstances. It is adherent with IPMVP’s Options A and B. These options are featured in the IPMVP Core Concepts.
• Integrates the former End-Use Metering Absent Baseline Measurement Application Guide into this protocol. The ‘Absent Baseline Measurement Approach’ is appropriate for energy-efficient equipment without a directly measurable baseline, including:
  • Newly constructed facilities
  • Major additions to an existing facility
  • Replacement of failed equipment

Verification by Energy Modeling Protocol 

• Intended for measures involving equipment whose energy use is impacted by the measure(s) and multiple independent variables not affected by the measure.  

• Updated protocol name to include “Meter-Based” to clarify methods included.
• Uses mathematical model(s) of meter-based energy data & weather or other independent variable(s). Involves development and projection of a baseline energy model, subtracting post-installation use, per avoided energy consumption methods. Energy modeling may also apply normalized savings methods which create a common set of conditions for baseline and post-project energy models.
• Appropriate for projects with interactions between measures, but the ability to distinguish between savings for each measure is dependent upon the level of sub-metering and the types of measures. It is adherent with International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol Options B and C. These options are in the IPMVP Core Concepts. 
• Integrates the former Verification by Energy Use Indexing Protocol into this protocol. The ‘Energy Indexing Approach’ is for linear models that can be normalized to a single independent variable, such as production rate.

• Uses baseline and post-installation site data and energy calculations to estimate energy savings and does not require pre- or post-installation energy measurements. Simulation models may also be used (e.g., new construction).
• Appropriate for custom projects with expected savings less than 400,000 kWh annually, and when other criteria dictate that comprehensive M&V adherent to IPMVP is not possible or not appropriate, as described in the M&V Protocol Selection Guide. This protocol provides verification requirements to corroborate the energy-efficiency measure installation, operation, and the engineering calculations underpinning the pre-installation savings estimate but does not adhere to IPMVP methods.
• Appropriate for qualified changes in existing buildings or new construction projects, using either engineering calculations or simulations, including calculation review and verification of the measures’ potential to perform as intended.
• BPA Energy Efficiency engineering staff retains discretion as to whether a project with annual energy savings with more than 400,000 kWh may use this protocol and remain consistent with BPA’s Custom Project Protocols requirements.

Each of these application guides is unique in their design, intentions and compliment the above protocols. 

Existing Building Commissioning Application Guide

• Intended for existing buildings with commissioning projects resulting in multiple measures with interactive effects between measures.
• This is a specific application of Verification by Meter-Based Energy Modeling and is adherent with International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP’s) Options B and C. These options are featured in the IPMVP Core Concepts.

Estimating Peak Demand Impacts Application Guide

• Provides guidance on the estimation of peak demand impacts. Energy-efficiency projects that save energy during the periods when the electrical system is most constrained also deliver peak demand (kW) or capacity savings.
• This application guide can be used in addition to one of the M&V protocols.
• Peak-demand savings analysis is largely an exercise in time differentiation. Instead of quantifying how much energy is saved, which is the focus of the other BPA M&V protocols, peak-demand savings analysis asks the question, “When is the energy saved?” for those specifically interested in the average savings during a very narrow portion of the year.

• Sampling for M&V provides a simple explanation of sampling terms, principles and methods. Useful for projects comprised of many identical measures, such as lighting.
• Regression for M&V provides a simple explanation of regression modeling terms, principles and methods. A companion to the Energy Modeling guide.
• Glossary for M&V provides definitions of technical terms used in the guides.
• Commercial & Industrial SEM M&V Reference Guide provides consistent site-specific M&V guidance in implementing Commercial and Industrial (C&I) SEM Programs. Intended users include SEM program administrators, program implementers, BPA Engineers, and program evaluators.

• Potential Analytics for Non-Routine Adjustments (NRA), available here. Prepared by SBW Consulting and published in 2018, provides a framework for assessing and treatment of Non-Routine Events, including analytics for associated NRA and several examples using different approaches.
• BPA Strategic Energy Management (SEM) C&I M&V Reference Guide Development Market Research Findings Summary Report, available here. Prepared by Facility Energy Solutions and contributions from Energy 350 and Stillwater Energy, and published in December 2021. The report presents findings from market research conducted to inform updates and development of a combined commercial and industrial Strategic Energy Management guideline.
• BPA C&I SEM M&V Reference Guide Webinar Training Materials (June 1 and 2, 2022)
• M&V for Industrial and Commercial Programs Webinar Training Video (2022)
• BPA Webinar: ACEEE Industrial Heat Pump Overview Video (2022)
• BPA Webinar: M&V Protocol Updates Video (May 2, 2024)