Policies, Codes & Standards
6-8%of exam
Rates, Tariffs & Supply
5-7%of exam
Audits & Instrumentation
7-11%of exam
Accounting & Economics
6-10%of exam
Electrical Systems & Motors
7-11%of exam
Lighting Systems
5-7%of exam
HVAC & Building Envelope
10-16%of exam
Automation & Controls
6-10%of exam
Energy Storage Systems
3-5%of exam
Boiler & Steam Systems
4-6%of exam
Distributed Generation & Renewables
4-6%of exam
Industrial Systems
6-8%of exam
Operations, Maintenance & Commissioning
7-11%of exam
O&M & Commissioning TermsPreventive vs Predictive MaintenanceCommissioning vs RetrocommissioningPersistence of Savings
ESPC & Measurement & Verification
3-5%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- CEM
- Credential
- Certified Energy Manager
- Questions
- 130 (120 scored, 10 trial)
- Time
- 4 hours
- Format
- Open-book, open-note, calculator required
- Pass
- 700 points (scale unpublished)
- Retake wait
- 60 days between attempts
- Renewal
- 3-year cycle, CE credits
- BoK version
- v1.8 (Jun 19, 2026)
- Handbook version
- v2.15 (Jul 1, 2026)
Codes & Standards
- ASHRAE 90.1
- Baseline commercial building code
- ASHRAE 62.1
- Indoor air ventilation rate
- ASHRAE 55
- Thermal comfort conditions standard
- Guideline 14
- M&V measurement uncertainty guidance
- ISO 50001
- Energy management system standard
- ENERGY STAR
- EPA energy benchmarking rating
Demand Charge vs Energy Charge
Demand charge
- Bills peak kW pulled
- Utility sizes for that peak
Energy charge
- Bills total kWh used
- Scales with consumption, not peak
Peak power vs total energy
Rate & Tariff Terms
- Demand charge
- Bills peak kW pulled
- Energy charge
- Bills total kWh used
- Ratchet clause
- Prior peak sets minimum
- Load factor
- Average demand over peak
- Power factor penalty
- Surcharge below utility threshold
- Time-of-use rate
- Price varies by hour
Btu Unit Conversions
1 kWh = 3412 Btu | 1 therm = 100000 Btu
1 kWh = 3412 Btu1 therm = 100000 BtuEUI uses kBtu per sq ftConvert fuels to one basis
HHV vs LHV
HHV
- Includes water vapor condensation heat
- Always the higher value
LHV
- Excludes water vapor heat
- Equal if no hydrogen, no moisture
Include vs exclude vapor heat
Audit Levels & Metrics
- ASHRAE Level 1
- Walk-through, low-cost recommendations
- ASHRAE Level 2
- Detailed engineering survey calcs
- ASHRAE Level 3
- Investment-grade financing-ready audit
- Energy Use Index
- kBtu per square foot
- Energy Cost Index
- Dollars per square foot
- Infrared camera
- Finds hot spots, leaks
Audit Levels
L1 Walkthrough → L2 Survey → L3 Investment-grade
L1: quick, low-cost reviewL2: engineering survey, calcsL3: financing-ready, detailed dataAll levels feed the ECM list
Simple Payback vs NPV
Simple payback
- Cost over annual savings
- Ignores time value of money
NPV
- Discounts all future cash flows
- Shows value beyond required return
Quick screen vs value method
Economic Method Picker
- Need years to repay→Simple payback
- Compare dollar value created→NPV
- Check return vs hurdle rate→IRR
- Rank different-size projects→NPV, not IRR
- Include future price increases→Escalation rate
- Need present-value ratio screen→SIR
Economic Analysis Terms
- Simple payback
- Cost over annual savings
- NPV
- Discounted cash flows minus cost
- IRR
- Discount rate where NPV zero
- Discount rate
- Time value of money
- Escalation rate
- Annual energy price increase
- SIR
- PV savings over PV cost
Power Factor Correction
kVAR = kW × (tanθ1 − tanθ2)
Example: PF 0.80 → 0.95Example: 500kW needs ≈211 kVARReal power kW stays sameApparent power kVA drops
Power & Motor Terms
- Power factor
- Real power over apparent
- Real power (P)
- Does useful work, kW
- Reactive power (Q)
- Sustains magnetic fields, kVAR
- Apparent power (S)
- Vector sum of P, Q
- Affinity laws
- Flow, head, power vs speed
- Motor loading
- Actual over rated output
- kVAR sizing
- kW × (tanθ1 − tanθ2)
Lighting Metrics
- Lumens
- Total light output
- Footcandle
- Lumens per square foot
- Luminous efficacy
- Lumens per watt
- Color Rendering Index
- Color accuracy vs reference
- Color temperature
- Warm to cool appearance
- Lighting power density
- Watts per square foot
HVAC Efficiency Conversions
EER = 3.412 × COP | kW/ton = 12 ÷ EER
COP: cooling over work inputEER: Btu/h per wattkW/ton: lower is betterCOP 5.0 ≈ EER 17.1
R-value vs U-value
R-value
- Measures thermal resistance
- Higher means better insulation
U-value
- Measures thermal conductance
- Lower means better insulation
Resistance vs conductance, inverse
Efficiency Metric Picker
- Compare chiller cooling ratio→COP
- Need Btu/h output per watt→EER
- Rate whole chiller-plant input→kW/ton
- Estimate seasonal heating load→Degree days
- Check envelope thermal resistance→R-value
- Check envelope thermal conductance→U-value
HVAC Efficiency Metrics
- COP
- Cooling output over work input
- EER
- Btu/h output per watt
- kW/ton
- Electrical input per cooling ton
- R-value
- Thermal resistance, higher is better
- U-value
- Thermal conductance, lower is better
- Degree days
- Heating or cooling load driver
- Psychrometric chart
- Plots moist-air properties graphically
Envelope Loss Formula
Loss (Btu) = U × A × HDD × 24
U = 1 ÷ R-valueHDD = heating degree days× 24 converts days to hoursDivide by heating efficiency for fuel
Setback vs Reset Control
Setback
- Changes setpoint when unoccupied
- Simple schedule-based strategy
Reset
- Adjusts setpoint to conditions
- Tracks outdoor temp or demand
Time-based vs condition-based
Control Strategy Picker
- Lower setpoint when unoccupied→Setback
- Adjust setpoint to conditions→Reset control
- Time HVAC start before occupancy→Optimum start/stop
- Flag abnormal equipment behavior→FDD
- Need zero steady-state offset→PI control
- React fast to disturbances→PID control
Controls & Automation Terms
- P control
- Leaves permanent offset error
- PI control
- Removes offset over time
- PID control
- Adds fast disturbance response
- Optimum start/stop
- Times equipment before occupancy
- Setback
- Lowers setpoint when unoccupied
- FDD
- Flags abnormal equipment behavior
Full Storage vs Partial Storage
Full storage
- Chiller off during on-peak
- Storage covers entire peak load
Partial storage
- Chiller runs during on-peak too
- Load-leveling or demand-limiting mode
Chiller off vs chiller assists
Thermal Storage Picker
- Chiller off all on-peak→Full storage
- Chiller runs steady all day→Load leveling
- Chiller runs reduced on-peak→Demand limiting
- Media freezes water solid→Ice storage
- Media changes phase to store→PCM storage
Energy Storage Terms
- Full storage
- Chiller off during peak
- Load leveling
- Chiller runs constant all day
- Demand limiting
- Chiller runs reduced on-peak
- Round-trip efficiency
- Usable output over energy stored
- Ice storage
- Freezes water for later cooling
- PCM storage
- Uses phase-change storage media
Boiler & Steam Terms
- Boiler blowdown
- Drains water to remove solids
- Steam trap
- Releases condensate, holds back steam
- Failed-open trap
- Wastes live steam continuously
- Failed-closed trap
- Backs up condensate, causes hammer
- Condensate return
- Recovers hot water, fuel savings
- HHV vs LHV
- Includes vs excludes vapor heat
Distributed Generation Terms
- CHP
- Captures waste heat for reuse
- Capacity factor
- Actual output over rated output
- Interconnection
- Utility rules for grid tie-in
- Net metering
- Credits exported solar generation
- Prime mover
- Engine or turbine driving generator
Industrial Systems Terms
- Compressed air
- Inefficient, mostly lost as heat
- Throttling
- Adds resistance, motor stays full-speed
- VFD control
- Slows motor to match demand
- Cooling tower approach
- Cold water minus wet-bulb temp
- Rising approach temp
- Signals fouling or scaling
Preventive vs Predictive Maintenance
Preventive
- Fixed schedule, regardless of condition
- Example: replace filter quarterly
Predictive
- Uses condition data to trigger
- Vibration, temperature, oil analysis
Calendar-based vs condition-based
O&M & Commissioning Terms
- Commissioning
- Verifies new-building systems as-designed
- Retrocommissioning
- Same process, never-commissioned building
- Recommissioning
- Repeats process on drifted building
- Preventive maintenance
- Fixed schedule regardless of condition
- Predictive maintenance
- Condition data triggers service
- Persistence of savings
- Savings continuing in later years
- Functional performance testing
- Forces system through all modes
M&V Option Picker
- Measure one key parameter→IPMVP Option A
- Measure all retrofit parameters→IPMVP Option B
- Use whole-facility utility meters→IPMVP Option C
- Baseline or post data missing→IPMVP Option D
- ESCO carries performance and credit risk→Shared savings ESPC
- Customer arranges its own financing→Guaranteed savings ESPC
ESPC & M&V Terms
- ESCO
- Energy service company, implements ESPC
- Guaranteed savings
- ESCO guarantees level, covers shortfalls
- Shared savings
- ESCO finances; carries credit risk
- IPMVP Option A
- Key parameter measured, rest stipulated
- IPMVP Option B
- All retrofit parameters measured
- IPMVP Option C
- Whole-facility utility meter data
- IPMVP Option D
- Calibrated simulation, missing data
Common Traps
Payback ignores time value
Payback: no discounting ≠ NPV/IRR: proper discounting
Power factor is not load factor
PF: real vs apparent power ≠ Load factor: avg vs peak demand
kWh vs kW
kWh: energy used ≠ kW: power rate, demand
Commissioning vs retrocommissioning
Commissioning: new building verification ≠ Retrocommissioning: existing, never-commissioned building
IRR is not a ranking tool
IRR: ignores project size ≠ NPV: ranks mutually exclusive projects
Trial questions still count for time
10 trial questions unscored ≠ All 130 must be answered
Open book still needs formula fluency
References allowed in binder ≠ Fluency with formulas still required
Last Minute
- 1.130 questions: 120 scored, 10 trial
- 2.4 hours, open-book, open-note, calculator required
- 3.Pass = 700 points, not percent
- 4.Retake wait: 60 days each time
- 5.Renewal: 3 years plus CE credits
- 6.EER = 3.412 × COP
- 7.kW/ton = 12 ÷ EER
- 8.1 kWh = 3412 Btu
- 9.1 therm = 100000 Btu
- 10.Full storage: chiller off on-peak
- 11.Partial storage: chiller runs on-peak too
- 12.All 14 subject areas mandatory
- 13.IPMVP A/B = retrofit isolation
- 14.IPMVP C = whole-facility meters
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