Concepts and Principles Flashcards
7 cards from real CEM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Concepts and Principles flashcards as text
What does a 'load factor' of 50% on an electrical account indicate?
Answer: Average demand is 50% of peak demand over the billing period
Load factor is the ratio of average demand to peak demand; 50% means the facility used half of its peak capacity on average, indicating significant demand variability.
Which of the following best describes 'energy benchmarking'?
Answer: Comparing a facility's energy performance against similar buildings or historical data
Benchmarking compares a facility's energy use intensity against peers or its own historical baseline to identify performance gaps and prioritize improvement efforts.
In an energy balance, what does the term 'unaccounted-for energy' represent?
Answer: The difference between metered input energy and the sum of measured end uses
Unaccounted-for energy is the gap between total metered input and the sum of all identified uses, often revealing losses due to leaks, theft, or metering errors.
What is the primary advantage of using 'interval meter data' (15-minute intervals) over monthly utility bills for energy analysis?
Answer: It reveals load profiles and demand patterns not visible in monthly totals
Interval data shows granular time-of-use patterns—peaks, valleys, and anomalies—enabling targeted demand management and operational optimization impossible with monthly data.
The 'coefficient of performance' (COP) of a heat pump describes:
Answer: The ratio of useful heat delivered to the energy input required
COP is the ratio of useful thermal energy output to the electrical energy input; a COP of 3 means 3 units of heat are delivered for every 1 unit of electricity consumed.
In energy project financing, what does an 'energy performance contract' (EPC) guarantee?
Answer: That the energy savings will be sufficient to repay the project financing costs
Under an EPC, the energy service company (ESCO) guarantees that realized energy savings will cover all project and financing costs, transferring performance risk to the ESCO.
Which organizational standard provides a framework for establishing, implementing, and maintaining an Energy Management System (EnMS)?
Answer: ISO 50001
ISO 50001 is the international standard that specifies requirements for an EnMS, enabling organizations to systematically improve energy performance using a Plan-Do-Check-Act approach.