Racee Rural Energy Audits

Energy in rural Alaska is complex due to remoteness, harsh climates, and the high cost of transportation and operations. Working alongside stakeholders, Coffman helped rural communities understand where they could make improvements to achieve greater energy conservation and efficiency. Coffman conducted ASHRAE Level 2 energy audits at Akutan, False Pass, and Kiana on behalf of the Alaska Energy Authority. Audits were performed at schools, clinics, public safety buildings, warehouses, and water treatment facilities. Mechanical and electrical systems were inspected, along with lighting and building envelopes. Baseline energy consumption and building use patterns were collected from building owners and maintainers. Energy Conservation Measures (ECM) identified during the site visit were subsequently analyzed to determine estimated electricity and fuel oil savings. With these savings and capital cost estimates, the simple pay back was calculated for each ECM.

Audit findings were presented to the client as well as recommendations for potential future projects. Recommendations were developed hand-in-hand with each village to make sure they fit their needs for practical, reliable, and maintainable real-world solutions.