ASHRAE Level 2 Energy Audit: What to Expect and How Long It Takes

For most Oregon building owners navigating the Building Performance Standard, an ASHRAE Level 2 energy audit is a required step toward compliance. However, many property managers and owners have never experienced a comprehensive building audit before. Understanding what the audit involves, what auditors will examine, how long the process takes, how to prepare your building, and what to expect after completion can reduce uncertainty and help ensure a smooth, valuable audit process.

This guide covers the complete Level 2 audit journey: from initial scheduling through final report delivery, with practical details about what auditors will do on-site, what data you’ll need to provide, realistic timelines, and how audit costs factor into your compliance budget. We’ll also explain how audit findings translate into compliance and improvement decisions.

What Is an ASHRAE Level 2 Energy Audit?

The ASHRAE Level 2 energy audit is defined by ASHRAE Standard 211-2018 (Energy Audits of Commercial Buildings), adapted with Oregon-specific amendments for the Building Performance Standard under ORS 330.135. Unlike a Level 1 audit (a basic walkthrough document review typically taking 1-2 days) or a Level 3 audit (a detailed engineering analysis with invasive testing taking weeks or months), a Level 2 audit strikes a balance between comprehensive assessment and practical cost-effectiveness.

The primary purpose of a Level 2 audit is to identify cost-effective energy efficiency improvements and opportunities for better building performance. The audit culminates in a detailed written report with energy savings estimates, implementation costs, and payback periods for each recommended improvement.

For Oregon BPS compliance specifically, the audit serves the additional critical purpose of documenting your building’s current energy performance status and identifying what improvements are needed to meet the applicable energy performance standard by the regulatory deadline. The audit also generates the data needed to complete Form Q—the official documentation submitted to the Oregon Department of Energy certifying BPS compliance status.

Typical ASHRAE Level 2 audits in Oregon take 4-6 weeks from initial scheduling to final report delivery, cost $8,000-$18,000 depending on building size and complexity, and require 2-5 days of on-site work. The analysis includes 12-24 months of utility bill analysis, calibrated energy modeling, and life-cycle cost assessment on every recommended measure.

What Does an Auditor Actually Examine?

A Level 2 audit involves comprehensive examination of your building’s major systems and operational practices. Here’s the specific breakdown of what qualified energy auditors typically assess, and why each area matters for compliance and energy performance.

HVAC Systems (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) Auditors evaluate your building’s primary heating and cooling systems in detail. They examine equipment age and condition, refrigerant types and charge levels, ductwork for leaks (measured with duct blaster testing in some cases), thermostat programming and operation, outdoor air damper function, equipment efficiency ratings against current standards, and system operation throughout different seasons. Many buildings operate HVAC systems that are significantly oversized for current occupancy levels or have settings that could be optimized without sacrificing comfort. Rooftop units from the 2000s or earlier are often prime candidates for replacement or recomissioning, with typical savings of 20-35% on heating/cooling costs.

Lighting Systems The lighting audit assesses both fixture types and operational practices. Auditors identify opportunities to upgrade to LED lighting (which uses 60-75% less energy than older fluorescent or incandescent fixtures), evaluate lighting controls and scheduling, assess whether lighting levels exceed actual needs, and examine whether occupancy sensors or daylight harvesting could reduce consumption. For many buildings, lighting represents one of the largest energy consumption categories (typically 15-25% of total) and often has excellent improvement opportunities with payback periods of 2-5 years.

Insulation and Building Envelope Auditors review insulation levels in walls, ceilings, basements, and attic spaces. They assess window and door conditions, check for air leakage (sometimes using blower door testing), and evaluate the overall tightness of the building envelope. Buildings with poor envelope performance lose conditioned air to the outdoors, forcing HVAC systems to work harder and consume more energy. In Oregon’s climate, envelope improvements often pay for themselves in 5-10 years through reduced heating costs.

Water Heating Systems The hot water systems are evaluated for efficiency, insulation, temperature settings, and opportunities for demand reduction. Buildings with excessive hot water consumption due to leaky fixtures or oversized systems often have significant savings potential through relatively simple fixes—insulating hot water pipes, upgrading to low-flow fixtures, or installing point-of-use water heaters in remote areas. Annual hot water costs for a typical mid-size commercial building run $8,000-$15,000, so even 20-30% reductions add up quickly.

Building Controls and Automation Auditors assess your building management system, programmable thermostats, and automated building controls. Many buildings have control systems that could be better calibrated or programmed to operate more efficiently. Sometimes simple recalibration of setpoints, schedules, or reset logic can significantly improve building performance without capital investment. The auditor will pull trend data from your BAS if one exists (a high-value data source that often reveals operating inefficiencies not visible otherwise).

Operational and Maintenance Practices Beyond physical systems, auditors assess how your building is actually operated and maintained. They review maintenance logs, interview building staff about operational challenges, identify opportunities for operational improvements that require little or no capital investment, and assess whether maintenance protocols are contributing to or preventing efficiency. Buildings with well-maintained HVAC systems typically operate 10-15% more efficiently than buildings with deferred maintenance.

Plug Loads and Appliances For office buildings and retail properties, auditors may assess office equipment, refrigeration, cooking equipment, and other plug-connected loads. They’ll identify opportunities to reduce phantom loads (equipment drawing power when not in use), upgrade to ENERGY STAR certified equipment, or modify how equipment is used.

The Physical Audit Process

Most Level 2 audits involve an on-site visit. Depending on your building’s size and complexity, the on-site portion typically takes one to three days. During this time, auditors will:

• Walk through your building systematically, examining visible systems and conditions
• Take photographs and detailed measurements
• Review maintenance records, operating logs, and energy bills
• Interview building operators and maintenance staff about system operation, known issues, and occupancy patterns
• Test controls and equipment operation (thermostats, dampers, equipment cycling)
• Collect data about building occupancy, usage patterns, and operational protocols
• Measure airflow at supply/return registers, lighting levels, surface temperatures, and other key parameters

Your building doesn’t need extensive preparation, but providing access to equipment rooms, mechanical spaces, roof areas, and representative occupied spaces is essential. Providing energy bills covering the past 2-3 years helps auditors understand seasonal consumption patterns and validate baseline energy consumption for modeling.

Data Collection and Analysis

After the on-site visit, auditors spend significant time analyzing data and developing recommendations. They typically use specialized energy modeling software (like eQUEST, OpenStudio, or IES VE) to simulate your building’s energy consumption and to estimate energy savings from proposed improvements. For understanding what ASHRAE Standard comparison analysis is available, consult our comparative guide.

This analysis phase usually takes 2-4 weeks, depending on building complexity and available data. During this time, auditors are developing recommendations and running life-cycle cost scenarios but are not on-site at your building. They’re modeling the impact of recommended measures, calculating payback periods with local utility rates and equipment costs, and preparing the detailed written report.

The Final Report

The Level 2 audit culminates in a comprehensive written report. This report typically includes:

Executive Summary A high-level overview of findings and major recommendations, suitable for building owners and financial decision-makers

Building Description and Systems Overview A detailed description of your building’s physical characteristics, systems, and operational practices

Baseline Energy Analysis Analysis of your building’s current energy consumption by fuel type and end use (HVAC, lighting, plug loads, hot water, refrigeration, etc.), typically benchmarked against Oregon’s building performance standards for your building type

Energy Modeling Methodology Description of the energy modeling software used, calibration process, and assumptions

Detailed Recommendations Itemized energy efficiency improvements, ranked by return on investment (payback period). Each recommendation includes:

• Description of the improvement
• Estimated energy savings (in kWh, therms, or other units)
• Estimated implementation cost
• Simple payback period (how long until energy savings repay the investment)
• Technical details about the improvement and equipment specifications
• Optional financing scenarios showing annual cash flow impacts

Energy Savings Verification For Oregon BPS compliance, the report clearly indicates whether the recommended improvements are sufficient to bring the building into compliance with the energy performance standard. This section documents the specific energy performance target for your building type and size under ORS 330.135, current estimated performance, and projected performance with recommended improvements.

Form Q Documentation Documentation supporting Form Q submission to ODOE, including auditor QEA credentials, ASHRAE Standard 211-2018 compliance statement, and certification that the audit was conducted per Oregon BPS requirements.

Timeline: How Long Is the Full Process?

A typical Level 2 audit timeline looks like this:

Week 1-2: Scheduling, preliminary data collection, initial contact with building team

Week 2-3: On-site building walkthrough and data collection (typically 2-5 days on-site)

Week 4-6: Data analysis, energy modeling, and life-cycle cost analysis

Week 6-7: Report drafting and internal review

Week 7-8: Final report delivery and stakeholder review

In total, most Level 2 audits take 6-8 weeks from initial scheduling to final report delivery. However, this timeline can be compressed or extended depending on data availability, building complexity, and auditor workload. During busy periods (typically August through November as compliance deadlines approach), the timeline may extend to 8-10 weeks, and finding available auditors becomes more difficult.

Tier 1 buildings with 2028 deadlines should begin audit scheduling in early 2026 to complete the audit and plan improvements by mid-2027. Tier 2 buildings can proceed somewhat more leisurely but should avoid waiting until 2028 or later when auditor availability becomes severely constrained.

Preparing Your Building for the Audit

To ensure your audit is efficient and valuable:

Gather Historical Energy Data Collect energy bills covering the past 2-3 years, along with any other energy consumption records. If your building uses ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager benchmarking software, provide that data. If you’ve submitted benchmarking data to ODOE, that helps establish baseline performance. Include both electric and natural gas consumption data with usage amounts and costs.

Compile Building Documentation Provide architectural plans if available, equipment specifications for major systems (nameplate data for HVAC equipment, boilers, chillers, etc.), a history of any recent equipment replacements or improvements, and commissioning reports if the building has been recently commissioned or recommissioned.

Ensure System Access Confirm that auditors will have access to mechanical rooms, equipment areas, roof spaces, and other system locations. Coordinate with maintenance staff or building security if access during certain times is easier. Provide contact information for the person who can unlock mechanical spaces or provide BAS access.

Brief Building Staff Let your building operators and maintenance team know an audit is happening and what to expect. They often provide valuable insights about system operation, maintenance challenges, occupancy patterns, and known problems. A 15-minute briefing can yield substantial information about building quirks and operating issues.

Document Unusual Conditions Note any recent equipment problems, maintenance issues, or operational changes that might affect energy consumption during the audit period. If a major piece of equipment has been operating at partial capacity due to failure, note that.

What Happens After the Audit?

The audit report provides a roadmap for improvements, but it’s not an implementation requirement. You now have detailed information about energy efficiency opportunities and the expected payback of each. The next step is deciding which recommendations to pursue.

For Oregon BPS compliance, you’ll focus on improvements necessary to meet the energy performance standard by your deadline. However, the audit also identifies other improvements that might make financial sense for long-term building value and operational cost reduction, even if they’re not strictly necessary for compliance.

Energy Trust of Oregon incentives (up to $0.85 per square foot) can help fund improvements identified in your audit. Utility-specific rebate programs from PGE, Pacific Power, EWEB, and other providers often add additional funding on top. The incentive stack frequently makes improvement implementation much more financially feasible.

Getting a Quality Audit

The quality of your energy audit depends significantly on the qualifications and experience of the auditor. See our guide on how to find a qualified energy auditor to understand what credentials and experience matter. Ensure that your auditor is a Qualified Energy Auditor (QEA) with proper certifications (BEAP, CEA, CEM, or PE with energy focus) and experience with buildings similar to yours. An audit by an inexperienced or inadequately qualified person will yield less valuable recommendations, may not meet Oregon BPS compliance requirements, and won’t qualify for Energy Trust incentive programs.

Verify that the auditor can clearly explain their methodology, provide references from recent similar projects, and can address specific questions about energy modeling, life-cycle cost analysis, and Oregon BPS requirements. If an auditor seems unclear about Form Q or ASHRAE Standard 211-2018, that’s a red flag.

Start Your Audit Journey

An ASHRAE Level 2 audit is an investment in understanding your building’s energy performance and planning improvements. The process is not complicated or disruptive, and the benefits—compliance with Oregon’s BPS, identification of cost-saving opportunities, and improved building performance—justify the effort and cost. For buildings pursuing Energy Trust incentives, the audit cost is often substantially offset or fully covered by incentive rebates.

The audit also provides ongoing value beyond the initial compliance deadline. The recommendations and operational improvements identified will continue to drive energy savings and cost reductions for years after the audit is completed.

About the Author

Mike VanVickle is a commercial building energy compliance specialist based in Oregon. He has guided dozens of property owners through Oregon’s Building Performance Standards process, from initial audit scoping through ASHRAE Level 2 completion and ODOE submission. He holds expertise in ORS 330-300 compliance timelines and has worked with Energy Trust of Oregon incentive programs to reduce compliance costs for building owners.

Sources & References

• Oregon Department of Energy — Building Performance Standards
• ORS 330.135 — Oregon Building Performance Standards Requirements
• ASHRAE Standard 211-2018 — Standard for Commercial Building Energy Audits
• Energy Trust of Oregon — Commercial Energy Incentives
• ODOE BPS Compliance Guidance Document (2023)