Click for book cover

The MEASURES
of the Energy Efficiency Manual

The Measures are the first and largest part of the Energy Efficiency Manual. The  Measure (short for “energy conservation measure”) is the unit of information in the Manual.  Each Measure is a self-contained, hands-on guide to one specific method of saving energy and reducing utility costs.

The Energy Efficiency Manual has 400 Measures that cover virtually every aspect of energy and water use in buildings and industrial plants.

Scroll down toward the bottom of this page to select typical Measures for viewing.

The Measures are grouped into Sections and Subsections, which correspond to types of energy systems (e.g., lighting, cooling equipment, hot water systems) or to energy waste in specific components (e.g., air leakage through doors, solar heat gain through windows). This helps you to quickly identify whole groups of Measures apply to your application, and to bypass those that do not.  Click Table of Contents to see how the Sections and Subsections are organized.

The Energy Efficiency Manual uses an innovative format for the Measures that includes powerful features to help you judge the merits of each Measure for your application. Click Key to the Measures to see these features explained. This large graphic is printed right inside the covers of the book for easy reference.

Now, let's browse typical Measures. 

NOTE: Please wait a short time for each Measure below to load on your computer. They are in PDF format. You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read these files. If do not have Adobe Reader, you can download a free copy by clicking here.

Click Timed-Turnoff Switches to use timed-turnoff switches in appropriate applications.  This is one of many types of lighting controls that are explained in the Energy Efficiency Manual. (2 pages)

Click Power Switching for an inexpensive, foolproof method of avoiding unnecessary equipment operation. (2 pages)

Click Storm Doors to help you decide whether to install storm doors. The Measure tells you how to minimize disappointment if you do. (2 pages)

Click Keep Air Off the Walls and Windows  to avoid a common, unexpected cause of energy waste.  The solutions are usually simple and inexpensive.  (3 pages)

Click Deadband Thermostats about installing thermostats that avoid unnecessary heating and cooling during mild weather. (3 pages)

Click Raise the Cooled Air Discharge Temperature for a simple operating practice that saves a large amount of energy in many types of air handling systems.  It costs nothing and requires virtually no effort.  (3 pages)

Click Raise the Chilled Water Temperature  for an easy, inexpensive procedure that greatly increased the efficiency of your cooling equipment.  (3 pages)

Click Shower Heads to learn how to save water and water heating energy by selecting efficient shower heads. You won’t be able to please everybody. (4 pages)

Click Truck Dock Seals to avoid the enormous loss of heat that occurs at loading dock doors. (4 pages)

Click Tree Shading to learn the right way to exploit this powerful method of reducing your cooling costs. It’s not as easy as it looks. (4 pages)

Click Your Own Water Tower for the most efficient way of providing water pressure to tall buildings. (4 pages)

Click Interior Daylighting Controls for simple control techniques that save a lot of lighting energy in the daylighted portions of buildings. (5 pages)

Click Refrigerant Charge to learn how to keep just the right amount of refrigerant in your cooling equipment. Too much or too little makes your cooling equipment inefficient, and may do damage. (5 pages)

Click Cooling Tower Recirculation to find out whether you have a common problem that reduces the efficiency of your cooling towers and air cooled condensing units. The Measure gives you an easy way to estimate the energy waste, and it shows you the best ways to correct problems.  (5 pages)

Click Screw-In Fluorescent Lamps to eliminate inefficient incandescent lighting by substituting screw-in fluorescent lamps. This is trickier than it seems. The Measure tells you how to avoid the pitfalls. (6 pages)

Click Light Shelves about the advantages and limitations of this interesting new method of exploiting daylighting, and to learn how to install light shelves effectively. (6 pages)

Click Boiler & Furnace Efficiency Testing to learn how to do one of the most important activities for keeping boilers and furnaces efficient. The Measure tells you the best methods and equipment to use. (10 pages)

Click Steam Traps to select the most efficient types of traps for your steam system. The Measure explains all the modern types, and why it is critical to select the proper type. (11 pages)

Click Exterior Window Shading to reduce the large cooling load of windows. The Measure shows you the best types of shading for every application, from houses to highrise office buildings. You may also improve the view.  (11 pages)

Click Skylights & Light Pipes to learn where to use skylights, what your options are, how to size and arrange them, and how to avoid the serious problems that are common with skylights. You will also learn about light pipes, an evolving alternative to skylights. (13 pages)

Click Thermal Storage for the issues you should consider before you install a cooling thermal storage system. The Measure explains the reasons to install one, and the risks you face when you do. It leads you through the steps of installing a system, and it compares all the current types. (31 pages)