The International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) is a framework used globally to quantify the results of energy efficiency, water efficiency, and renewable energy projects. It provides standardized guidelines that ensure the savings reported from such projects are accurate and reliable. The IPMVP was developed by the Efficiency Valuation Organization (EVO), a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the performance and resource efficiency of equipment, systems, and buildings worldwide.
IPMVP is particularly important in the field of energy management and sustainability projects for several reasons:
- Consistency: It offers a consistent methodology for calculating and reporting savings, making it easier to compare results across different projects and locations.
- Credibility: By following a recognized international standard, projects can demonstrate their savings claims credibly to stakeholders, financiers, and regulatory bodies.
- Risk Management: It helps in identifying and managing the risks associated with savings estimates, thereby providing more confidence to investors and project developers.
- Verification: IPMVP lays out clear processes for verifying savings, which is crucial for performance contracts and agreements where financial payments are based on achieved energy savings.
The protocol outlines several options (A, B, C, and D) for how to measure and verify savings, ranging from retrofit isolation to whole facility measurements, each suited to different types of projects:
- Option A (Retrofit Isolation: Key Parameter Measurement) involves measuring the key performance parameter(s) that define the energy use of the energy conservation measure’s (ECM’s) affected system, isolation from external factors.
- Option B (Retrofit Isolation: All Parameter Measurement) involves measuring the energy use of the entire system to verify the performance of the ECM.
- Option C (Whole Facility) uses utility bills or whole building metering to assess the savings from several ECMs at once.
- Option D (Calibrated Simulation) employs computer simulation that is calibrated using actual utility data to estimate savings.
IPMVP’s flexible approach allows it to be applicable to a wide range of projects, ensuring that the methodology can be tailored to fit the specific needs and constraints of each individual project.