Energy Studies and Services

An energy audit is an on-site review of a customer’s facility which provides an overview to start prioritizing energy efficiency efforts and develop an energy management plan with minimal cost. Michaels presents the audit findings in person to ensure customers understand the measures and can move to the next step – implementing measures or a further detailed study.

Michaels Energy offers a virtual energy audit for customers seeking an alternative to in-person energy audits. Customers benefit from:

1. Less time spent coordinating and participating in a virtual audit than a traditional audit
2. A streamlined process that identifies equipment with the highest potential for energy savings
3. A benchmarking analysis to see how the building compares to similar buildings
4. An audit report that prioritizes opportunities for saving energy and provides high-level costs and energy savings estimates

Agricultural energy services at Michaels Energy are run by a ‘farm kid’ that grew up to get an advanced degree in engineering. We have a ton of experience in many industries (over 2,500 facilities and counting) that allows us to make ag operations more efficient. And we’ve worked with USDA Rural Energy for America (REAP) projects since 2005. REAP provides financial support in the form of grants and loans to agricultural producers and rural small businesses. These funds can be used for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements.

Feasibility studies typically follow an energy audit and offer an in-depth look at a particular technology or system to determine what the most efficient course of action is moving forward. We will answer questions such as:

1. Does it make financial sense to update this system?
2. Which of the options makes most sense for us financially and operationally?

Feasibility studies offer definitive decision making metrics, including detailed cost and savings estimates, and additional benefits quantified, by subject matter experts who can help guide you further through the process if and when necessary.

Retro-commissioning is a process that can improve comfort and maintenance issues, as well as identify energy waste and energy savings. It’s an investigation into a facility to understand the needs of the facility and best fit the operation of the facility to those needs. As a result, we often find substantial energy savings and maintenance savings. As part of the process, building owners learn more about their systems, and learn how to continue to operate them efficiently well into the future.

Michaels has extensive experience providing retro-commissioning studies in both commercial and industrial facilities. We’ve helped uncover hidden operational savings and correct comfort issues, while maximizing the life of equipment and lowering overhead costs for our customers.

If employee comfort issues and poor system performance are plaguing you daily in your building, it might be time for a building issues assessment.

We begin with client interviews to identify known issues and symptoms. The site assessment begins with a walk-through of the facility to determine preliminary needs. It involves a combination of troubleshooting, systems engineering, and correcting the cause of problems. Our engineers have over 30 years of experience finding problems and designing solutions. The ultimate goal is comfort and performance improvement – happy, productive occupants and employees lead to happy customers and enhanced productivity.