ERS is a quantitatively motivated firm that provides defensible program impact studies through measurement-driven evaluations that determine not only energy and demand impacts but also non-energy effects such as avoided/reduced operations and maintenance costs. We also provide practical recommendations on how to improve future program cost-effectiveness, delivering practical evaluation findings that can be used to improve future performance and quantify program benefits and costs beyond those measured at the meter. Our impact evaluation services include:

Evaluation Program Design and Planning [top]

ERS has extensive experience in technical planning for evaluation studies, and we typically establish detailed plans to guide our evaluation efforts. Such measurement, verification, and analysis (MVA) plans specify the approach for collecting, assessing the validity of, and analyzing monitored data for each of the major measure types installed under the programs. MVA plans are generally incorporated in the overall work plan for an evaluation project.

Survey Instrument Development [top]

ERS develops survey instruments (in-person, telephone, written, electronic) for data collection and the databases to store and manipulate data and then analyzes the information obtained through these interviews with appropriate quality checks to maintain the integrity of the data. The findings from interviews and code review are used to develop recommendations and/or alternative approaches to achieve the desired goal.

Net-to-Gross Survey Administration [top]

ERS has conducted hundreds of net-to-gross (NTG) surveys as part of our impact evaluations. In the process we have developed survey instruments and supporting tools to facilitate the NTG surveys and keep the interview time to a minimum. The instruments and overall survey techniques follow the Standardized Methods for Free-Ridership and Spillover Evaluation guidelines established by a study conducted for the Massachusetts Joint Utilities.

Engineering Data Collection [top]

ERS deploys monitoring equipment and conducts the highly critical on-site data collection and engineering assessment efforts efficiently and with as little impact upon the participant's time and operation as possible. Our data collection efforts feature extensive use of instrumentation, including data loggers and advanced diagnostic tools such as ultrasonic liquid flow meters and an infrared camera.

Measurement, Verification, and Analysis (MVA) [top]

ERS establishes specific monitoring deployment approaches that assess the requirements of the analyses to be performed for each measure type. We consider type of monitoring equipment, duration of monitoring, data sampling rates, applicability of the data, and approach for using monitoring data in developing savings estimates. The monitored data is subject to review to verify the operation of the intended measure, and ERS develops methodologies for analyzing the monitored data that are specifically targeted for estimating adjusted gross energy and demand savings.

Realization Rate and Attribution Analysis [top]

ERS develops precise estimates of realization rates for gross energy, demand, and MMBtu savings by verifying the installation and the estimation of savings for a representative sample of program participants and comparing it to an established baseline. The gross savings realization rate is then applied to the program population gross savings to derive the final savings estimates. We also develop estimates of all impacts by assessing the ratio of impacts for those that would have taken action without the program (free riders) compared to program savings and the ratio of the savings from actions taken outside the program but still triggered by the program (spillover). The combination of these net-to-gross (NTG) becomes the adjustment factor to derive net impacts.

Reporting [top]

ERS site evaluation reports reflect the needs of the specific evaluation, the complexity of the installed measures, and the requirements of evaluation management. Typical site reports include a site ID header to protect the confidentiality of customers; table summaries of savings and adjustments; descriptions of the facility both pre- and post-retrofit and our analysis method; supporting material including analysis spreadsheets, graphs, and monitoring data; and our final conclusions.

Testimony [top]

ERS provides support to clients required to testify before their public utilities commissions and has successfully testified directly to commissions and legislative committees on behalf of clients.

Benefit-Cost Analysis [top]

ERS has researched and published extensively on measure cost and life. ERS routinely accounts for other non-energy impacts such as changes in lighting O&M costs, decreased water use, and increased sales in both our energy studies and evaluation practices. We can help clients produce program evaluations using metrics such as the societal benefit cost, total resource cost (TRC), ratepayers impact measure (RIM) test, and program administrators cost (PAC), as well as benchmarks such as program $/annual kWh saved.