Energy Auditing of HVAC Systems for the Enhancement of Efficiency and Sustainability

Energy audits are crucial for identifying opportunities to enhance efficiency and promote sustainability in the energy sector. In Oman, air conditioning systems account for about 50% of the nation's electricity use, reaching up to 70% in summer due to temperatures as high as 50°C. This study aimed to analyze energy consumption, focusing on air conditioning and refrigeration systems, using an academic building as a case study to improve energy efficiency and sustainability. A series of energy audits identified opportunities for energy conservation in the building's systems. The audit revealed that implementing various low-cost, high-cost, and zero-cost strategies could enhance energy efficiency and sustainability, resulting in an annual energy savings of 37.6%. Zero-cost initiatives, such as turning off HVAC systems when unoccupied, closing main doors, and setting thermostat temperatures to 24ºC, reduced energy consumption by 10%. Low-cost measures, including installing occupancy sensors for lighting and ensuring proper HVAC maintenance, led to a 20.8% reduction. High-cost measures, such as installing windows with lower Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) values, resulted in approximately 6.8% energy savings.