Energy audits for retail parks

MEC Metro-ECE Centermanagement GmbH & Co. KG is currently responsible for the management, including operation, leasing, and marketing, of 43 retail parks in Germany. Since mid-April, the company has offered energy audits for retail parks and shopping malls. With its product Easy (short for: Energy Audit SYstem), MEC is reacting to corresponding demand from investors and owners. Easy examines the energy consumption of a commercial property, gives concrete recommendations on permanent savings potential, and compares performance before and after implementation of the recommended measures.

Easy’s three-stage model

1. Energy efficiency assessment: First, all energy-relevant systems are recorded and measured. This is followed by a rough assessment and evaluation of the state of the building and its systems. The report points to irregularities and gives recommendations for optimizing operations and for investments. It is also possible to install a data measurement system, usually cost-neutral, that provides full transparency on energy consumption.

2. Energy audit: The result of the energy efficiency assessment (stage 1) serves as the basis for the actual audit. All the property’s systems and data are recorded and analyzed with regard to energy consumption. The report highlights clearly and in detail the savings clients can achieve by implementing the necessary measures.

3. Project/execution: On request, MEC can coordinate the implementation of the necessary investment measures. After implementing the energy saving measures, the report demonstrates clear and comprehensible usage reductions using a before/after comparison.

Legally mandated energy audits are coming in Germany

The legislature has also recognized the need for energy audits to achieve climate goals and stipulates their implementation by all companies (except small and medium-sized ones) in Germany by December 2015. The energy-efficiency directive requires the companies concerned to record energy use and savings in the future. The audits must be performed by qualified professionals and repeated every four years. MEC’s Easy audits meet these statutory requirements and are specially tailored to retail enterprises.