CA CEG study guide
CA CEG · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Certified Energy Manager (CEM) is a professional credential for people who plan, justify, and run energy-management programs in buildings and industrial plants. Candidates typically come from facilities engineering, energy services, consulting, utility programs, and sustainability roles, and many hold engineering or technical backgrounds. The CA CEG study guide has 9 sections and about 3,552 words.
01Energy Management Fundamentals and Program Development
Energy management is a continuous cycle, not a one-time project. Understand the distinction between energy (kWh, therms) and demand (kW), and how load factor (average load divided by peak load) reveals whether a facility's cost is driven by peaks or by total consumption.
315 words, about 2 min02Energy Audits
Know the three audit levels defined by ASHRAE: Level 1 (walk-through) identifies low-cost opportunities and rough costs; Level 2 (energy survey and analysis) provides detailed energy-use breakdown, financial analysis, and a prioritized list of measures; Level 3 (detailed analysis) adds rigorous engineering modeling, often for major capital projects. Candidates should understand data collection: utility bill analysis (12+ months), interval data, nameplate and run-hour inventories, spot measurements, and benchmarking against peers.
271 words, about 1 min03Measurement and Verification
Measurement and Verification (M&V) establishes that claimed savings actually occurred. The foundational framework is the IPMVP (International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol), which defines options: Option A (retrofit isolation, key parameters measured), Option B (retrofit isolation, all parameters measured), Option C (whole facility, utility meter), and Option D (calibrated simulation).
278 words, about 1 min04Economics, Financing and Project Justification
Candidates must be fluent in simple payback , net present value (NPV) , internal rate of return (IRR) , savings-to-investment ratio (SIR) , and lifecycle cost analysis . Understand discounting: future cash flows are worth less today, so NPV uses a discount rate to bring them back.
315 words, about 2 min05Electrical Energy Systems and Power Quality
Understand the power triangle: real power (kW) , reactive power (kVAR) , and apparent power (kVA) , with power factor (PF) = kW/kVA . Utilities often bill for poor power factor or for kVA demand.
313 words, about 2 min06Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Systems
Understand the refrigeration cycle : compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator. Know coefficient of performance (COP) , energy efficiency ratio (EER) , and seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) , plus the relationship EER ≈ COP × 3.412.
292 words, about 1 min07Boilers, Steam Systems and Thermal Distribution
Understand combustion efficiency , thermal efficiency , and fuel-to-steam efficiency , and the role of excess air and stack temperature . Know the three heat losses: dry flue gas , moisture/ latent , and radiation/convection .
289 words, about 1 min08Building Envelope
Understand heat transfer mechanisms: conduction , convection , and radiation . Know R-value (thermal resistance) and U-factor (thermal transmittance), where U = 1/R.
271 words, about 1 min09Lighting and Motors/Drives
For lighting, understand lumens per watt (efficacy) , color rendering index (CRI) , correlated color temperature (CCT) , and lighting power density (LPD) in W/ft². Know LED versus fluorescent and HID sources, ballast types, occupancy and daylight sensors , and lighting controls .
1,208 words, about 6 min