AEE Certified Energy Auditor study guide
AEE Certified Energy Auditor · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Certified Energy Auditor (CEA) is a professional credential awarded by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), positioned by AEE as "The Leading Global Certification for Energy Auditing." It is aimed at practitioners who evaluate and analyze energy use in a facility, identify energy conservation opportunities, and recommend where consumption can be reduced or optimized - practicing energy auditors who want to validate their experience, consultants specializing in efficiency upgrades to buildings and building systems, and auditors working in government buildings who must follow the U.S. Department of Energy's Guide to Energy Audits. The AEE Certified Energy Auditor study guide has 12 sections and about 3,781 words.
01Developing an Energy Audit Strategy & Plan
A defensible audit begins with scope, boundary, and objective - not with a walkthrough. ASHRAE defines three levels: Level I (preliminary screening, low/no-cost measures, rough savings), Level II (energy survey and engineering analysis with end-use breakdown, measured data, and costed measures), and Level III (detailed, investment-grade analysis using calibrated simulation or rigorous modeling).
346 words, about 2 min02Energy Use Analysis
Energy use analysis answers two questions: where does the energy go, and what drives it? Start with 12–36 months of utility data, build a monthly profile, and separate base load (schedule- and occupancy-driven) from weather-dependent load (heating and cooling).
338 words, about 2 min03Data Collection & Analysis
The data hierarchy runs from utility bills (12–36 months, low resolution, essential for baseline) to interval data (15-minute, ideal for load shapes and demand analysis) to sub-metering and temporary logging (end-use specific) to trending from the BAS (free but often uncalibrated). Spot measurements describe one instant; trending and logging describe duty cycles.
308 words, about 2 min04Economic Analysis
Candidates must be fluent in simple payback (capital ÷ annual savings - fast, ignores life and escalation), discounted payback , net present value (NPV, using a present-worth factor on annual cash flows), internal rate of return (IRR, the discount rate at which NPV = 0), and life-cycle cost (LCC, which correctly compares options with unequal lives). Be precise about conventions.
329 words, about 2 min05Lighting Systems
Lighting analysis rests on four numbers: efficacy (lumens per watt), illuminance (footcandles or lux; 1 fc ≈ 10.76 lux), lighting power density (LPD, W/ft²), and the lumen method. Delivered lumens per luminaire = lamp lumens × ballast/luminaire efficiency (ballast factor) × coefficient of utilization (CU) × light loss factor (LLF, combining lamp lumen depreciation, dirt, and ambient temperature effects).
298 words, about 1 min06Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning Systems
Convert fluently: COP = EER ÷ 3.412 ; kW/ton = 12 ÷ EER ; so 0.60 kW/ton equals 20 EER and about 5.9 COP. Know SEER/IPLV for part-load, AFUE and combustion efficiency for boilers, and HSPF for heat pumps.
295 words, about 1 min07Domestic Hot Water Systems
DHW energy has three components: the useful load (gallons × 8.34 lb/gal × temperature rise), standby/storage loss from the tank, and distribution loss from piping and recirculation. In recirculating commercial systems, distribution and standby can easily be 20–40% of total water-heating energy - which is why pipe insulation, recirculation control (timed or demand-based), and tank insulation often beat equipment replacement on payback.
319 words, about 2 min08Motors & Drives & Compressed Air Systems
Motor work starts with load factor: measured current against full-load amps, plus efficiency (NEMA Premium / IE3) and the decision between rewinding and replacing. Oversized motors run at poor load factor and low power factor.
317 words, about 2 min09Building Envelope
Envelope analysis uses four properties. R-value (ft²·°F·h/Btu) measures thermal resistance; U-factor = 1/R and describes the whole assembly including thermal bridging, so a framed wall's U is worse than its cavity insulation suggests (framing typically occupies 15–25% of the area).
322 words, about 2 min10BAS, PAS, and EMCS
A BAS (building automation system) supervises HVAC and plant through DDC controllers and a points list; an EMCS (energy management and control system) is the energy-focused layer - scheduling, trending, demand limiting, and reporting; a PAS (process automation system) covers industrial process control, where the same discipline applies but loads follow production, not occupancy. Candidates must know the sequences that produce savings: optimal start/stop, night setback and setup, occupancy scheduling with holiday calendars, economizer changeover with a functioning high limit, supply air and static pressure reset, chiller/boiler sequencing and lead-lag, condenser water reset, demand limiting and load shedding, and verified setpoints.
286 words, about 1 min11Alternative Generation & Storage
Distinguish kW (capacity) from kWh (energy) at every step. PV yield is expressed as kWh per kW per year (roughly 1,200–1,600 in most U.S.
305 words, about 2 min12Transport
Fleet analysis converts activity into energy: annual fuel = miles ÷ MPG (or hours × idle rate). Baseline the fleet by vehicle class, duty cycle, and route profile, because city stop-and-go favors hybridization and regenerative braking while highway miles favor aerodynamics and gearing.
318 words, about 2 min