Abstract
′Energy management′ is a challenging task for individual departments within universities, especially when several departments occupy the same facility. To assist individual departments in dealing with the complex energy management topics, this study aims to establish the Benchmarking Energy Efficiency by Space Type (BEEST) method. The BEEST is developed around the core concept of ′space type′. It is proposed that the spaces within a department be categorized into several ′space types′; and for each space type, its ′standard operation settings′ be defined to further estimate the ′standard energy consumption′ for the department, with energy prediction module such as eQuest, as its energy consumption benchmark. The energy efficiency index of a department and its facility can then be assessed by comparing its ′actual energy consumption′ against the estimated ′standard energy consumption. The problem areas can be identified and energy saving action plans recommended by conducting further analyses, such as energy analyses by space types, floors, and equipment types as well as sensitivity analyses of the energy reduction effects of various ′standard settings′. The Department of Architecture of the national university NTUST in Taiwan is used as a case to demonstrate how the BEEST functions as an effective energy management tool.
