Service · Energy Efficiency

Measure first, invest second, save third.

The cheapest kilowatt-hour is the one you never use. Before recommending solar, storage, or a new electrical service, we help clients understand where their energy is actually going — and how much of it doesn't need to be spent at all.

Audit Types
ASHRAE Levels 1, 2 & 3
Sectors
Commercial, industrial & institutional
Service Area
Puerto Rico & USVI
Deliverables
Report, ROI model & retrofit design
Why Efficiency · Why JDR

Efficiency work that actually pencils out.

Puerto Rico's electricity rates are among the highest in the United States. That reality creates two opposite temptations: over-invest in generation (solar and storage) hoping to offset consumption, or under-invest in efficiency because the retrofit costs seem daunting. Both are usually wrong.

Our approach is disciplined. We audit before we recommend, quantify savings with measured data (not manufacturer literature), and prioritize retrofits by simple-payback period. Then, if generation still makes sense on the reduced load, we scope solar or storage to the actual need — not the pre-audit assumption.

  • ASHRAE Level 1 walk-through audits (screening)
  • ASHRAE Level 2 detailed energy analysis (recommended default)
  • ASHRAE Level 3 investment-grade audits for capital projects
  • Utility bill analysis and rate-structure optimization
  • Lighting retrofit engineering (LED, controls, daylight harvesting)
  • HVAC efficiency assessment and retrofit design
  • Motor, drive, and power quality analysis
  • Building envelope evaluation for tropical climates
  • Retrofit design with PE-stamped construction documents

Every study delivers a quantified opportunity list — ranked by payback, engineered with real numbers — plus the construction documents to implement whichever items you decide to pursue.

Three Audit Levels

Choose the right depth for your decision.

01

Level 1 — Walk-Through

Screening-level assessment to identify obvious opportunities. Best for facilities exploring whether a deeper audit is worthwhile. Delivers a high-level opportunity summary within days of the site visit.

02

Level 2 — Energy Survey

Our recommended default. Detailed analysis with utility bill review, on-site measurements, and engineered savings estimates for each identified opportunity. Suitable for most retrofit decisions.

03

Level 3 — Investment Grade

Full engineering study with metered data, calibrated energy models, and financial analysis suitable for capital-project approval or performance contracts. Required for larger investment decisions.

How We Work

From audit to signed contract.

Phase 01

Data Gathering

12+ months of utility bills, existing drawings where available, equipment inventory, and interval data if the utility can provide it. This is where good studies are made or broken.

Phase 02

On-Site Survey

Facility walk-through with instrumentation as required — light meters, power loggers, thermal imaging. Interviews with facility staff to understand operational patterns.

Phase 03

Analysis & Report

Engineered savings calculations for each opportunity, simple-payback ranking, and capital-cost estimates. Report delivered as a decision-support document, not a sales pitch.

Phase 04

Retrofit Engineering

For opportunities the client chooses to pursue, we develop PE-stamped construction documents, permit applications, and specifications ready for contractor bidding or in-house implementation.

Typical Opportunities

Where the savings usually live.

Every facility is different, but Puerto Rico's climate and electricity rates make certain retrofits reliably cost-effective.

Lighting

LED & Controls Retrofits

LED retrofits with occupancy sensors and daylight harvesting are among the fastest-payback opportunities in most facilities. Reduced cooling load is a common secondary benefit that shifts the ROI further in favor.

1–3 yr
Typical payback
50–70%
kWh reduction
HVAC

Cooling System Optimization

Chiller upgrades, VFD retrofits on pumps and fans, economizer verification, and controls tuning. Tropical climates mean HVAC is often 40–60% of building load — small percentage gains compound quickly.

3–7 yr
Typical payback
15–30%
HVAC savings
Power Quality

Power Factor & Motor Efficiency

Power factor correction, motor replacement or right-sizing, and variable-frequency drive additions. Often overlooked but consistently pencils out where operating hours are high.

2–5 yr
Typical payback
5–20%
Load reduction
Technical Standards

The frameworks & standards we work to.

Audit Framework
ASHRAE Standard 211 (Standard for Commercial Building Energy Audits) — the current industry framework for defining Level 1, 2, and 3 audits with consistent scope and deliverables.
Measurement & Verification
IPMVP (International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol) for quantifying savings post-retrofit, especially where performance contracts or utility incentives require verified results.
Building Standards
ASHRAE 90.1 for commercial energy efficiency baselines, ASHRAE 62.1 for ventilation, and Puerto Rico-specific code amendments where they apply.
Lighting
IES (Illuminating Engineering Society) illuminance recommendations, ASHRAE 90.1 lighting power density limits, and daylighting best practices for tropical latitudes.
Electrical
NEC current edition for any retrofit work involving service changes, panel modifications, or new circuits. NFPA 70E considered for arc-flash implications of major changes.
PE Oversight
Investment-grade audits and all retrofit construction documents reviewed and stamped by Jose J. Durand Rodriguez, PE.
Common Questions

FAQ · Energy Efficiency

In most cases, yes. Every kWh you can eliminate through efficiency is one you don't have to generate with solar — and efficiency retrofits typically have shorter paybacks than PV. On the reduced load, the solar system is smaller, cheaper, and offsets a higher percentage of consumption. Auditing first almost always improves the overall economics of the combined project.

The main exception: if solar is being driven primarily by resilience goals (backup during outages) rather than cost savings, efficiency work matters less and can happen in parallel.

Level 2 is our default recommendation for most facilities. It's detailed enough to make informed retrofit decisions without the cost of investment-grade rigor. Level 1 is worth considering only for small facilities or as a screening step. Level 3 is appropriate when the retrofit budget is large enough that the financing partner or board requires investment-grade documentation.

Depends on the level and the facility. A Level 1 walk-through can deliver findings within 1–2 weeks. A Level 2 for a mid-size commercial facility typically takes 4–6 weeks including data logging. Level 3 investment-grade studies with calibrated energy models can run 8–12 weeks.

Both. For electrical retrofits (lighting, controls, panel work, VFD additions), we typically handle both the engineering and installation under PE oversight. For HVAC, envelope, and specialty retrofits, we develop the construction documents and can manage contractor bidding and construction observation while the specialty trades execute the install.

Where available, yes. Puerto Rico's incentive landscape has shifted over time, so we'll research what's currently available for your specific measures and help with application documentation. We don't promise incentives that may not materialize — we quote projects with realistic economics whether the incentives come through or not.

Start Your Study

Ready to audit before you invest?

Send us the basics about your facility — location, size, monthly consumption range — and we'll respond within one business day with a recommended audit level and a fixed-fee proposal.

  • ASHRAE-standard audit framework
  • Engineered savings, not marketing estimates
  • PE-stamped retrofit engineering when you're ready
  • Solar & storage scoped to real (reduced) load if applicable

Energy efficiency inquiry

One business day response.