Module: Energy Auditing & Management

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Energy Auditing & Management
Module Code	MEC1038 (ITS: MM420)
Faculty	Mechanical & Manufacturing Eng	School	Engineering & Computing
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	7.5

Description

The increasing economic and environmental cost associated with energy use and generation, coupled with inefficient operation of energy intensive systems have led to an increase in demand for skilled, experienced energy auditors and system engineers equipped with backgrounds in energy management. This module aims to provide the energy-specific technical, economic, and managerial skills required to conduct energy audits, compile reports, and provide recommendations for energy efficiency best practice for a range of industrial systems.

Learning Outcomes

1. Using engineering principles (thermodynamics, heat transfer, thermofluids, electrical engineering fundamentals), examine and quantify all of the energy streams in a process and/or system.
2. Understand the scope and principles of energy auditing. Identify and assess on-site instrumentation for energy measurement and benchmarking.
3. Assess various auditing approaches and apply benchmarking principles for energy audits (BER, ISO standards, SEAI guidelines)
4. Apply economic/financial methodologies to evaluate and improve energy efficiency improvement efforts. Provide recommendations for improved energy management.
5. Calculate system efficiencies and assess opportunities for efficiency improvements.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	2 hours per week
Tutorial	12	One hour per week
Independent Study	89	Study and assignment preparation
Fieldwork	62.5	Group and individual project work.
Total Workload: 187.5

Section Breakdown
CRN	10240	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Lorna Fitzsimons	Module Teacher	Ronan McCann

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Group project	Conduct a building energy audit, calculate relevant metrics and report on findings and recommendations. There will be some individual assessment elements, for example: report introduction and literature review, worth 25%.	50%	Week 12
Formal Examination	Formal end of semester exam	50%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Energy context, management and efficiency drivers
Review and compare the current energy context, and examine the key legislative drivers in Europe and Ireland. Examine and evaluate the environmental impact of energy consumption - carbon emissions, climate change, Montreal protocol etc.

ISO standards
Review key standards and approaches such as ISO 50001, ISO 50002.

Energy auditing
Introduction to auditing; auditing methodologies; scope; process analysis; auditing instrumentation; reporting and evaluation.

Energy in buildings and processes
Assessment of building energy performance (DEAP and NEAP); Assessment of key process significant energy users (SEUs), for example, electrical power fundamentals, heating and cooling; motors and VFDs, pumps and piping networks.

Economic and financial methods for energy assessment
CAPEX and OPEX, Break-even point, NPV, IRR, simple payback.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Albert Thumann,D. Paul Mehta: 2020, Handbook of Energy Engineering, Seventh Edition, CRC Press, 486, 9788770223027
Thumann, A., & Younger, W. J.: 2008, Handbook of energy audits, The Fairmont Press US, Latest,
Hughes and Drury: 2019, Electric Motors and Drives, Newnes,
Cengel and Boles: 2018, Thermodynamics: an engineering approach, McGraw-Hill,
Hughes: 2016, Electrical and Electronic Technology, Pearson,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None