PA DEP, Cadmus offer free ASHRAE level‑2 energy audits to small and mid‑size manufacturers

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Energy Programs Office and contractor Cadmus Group are offering free ASHRAE level‑2 industrial energy audits to small and mid‑size manufacturing facilities across the state, program staff said during a September webinar.

Michelle Ferguson, North Central Region Energy Program Specialist for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, said the program is funded with federal Department of Energy money administered through the State Energy Program and has capacity for “up to 200 industrial facility audits through 04/30/2028.”

The audits are intended to identify energy‑saving opportunities and support implementation. “We don’t want these audits and reports to just sit on a shelf,” Maritza Perez, senior engineering analyst at the Cadmus Group and the program manager for the assessments, said. Cadmus will perform audits and follow up with surveys to track whether facilities implement recommendations.

Program details and eligibility

The program targets facilities that meet site‑level eligibility criteria: fewer than 500 employees at the Pennsylvania site, annual gross sales below $100,000,000 for the site, and Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes roughly corresponding to the industrial subsectors the program covers (SIC 20–39). Facilities that already have qualified staff who can perform an energy audit are not eligible. Applicants must clear compliance checks with DEP and state contractor‑responsibility checks (for example, obligations to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue or Department of Labor and Industry) before an on‑site audit is scheduled.

Applications opened in February 2025 via the program portal industrialenergyauditspa.com. The portal requires basic company information, the facility’s FEIN (tax ID), and utility bills; the Cadmus team asks for 12 months of utility data where available to capture seasonality, though applicants may submit an estimated annual usage and provide bills later by email.

What the audit includes and partners

Cadmus provides ASHRAE level‑2 audits — a more detailed analysis than a walk‑through level‑1 but not an investment‑grade level‑3 study — typically delivered at no cost to eligible sites and estimated at an average market value of about $12,000 per audit. On‑site visits usually last about three to five hours depending on facility size and scope. Auditors perform a start‑to‑finish walk‑through of operations, collect nameplate data and operating hours, and meet with operations or maintenance staff to identify priority opportunities.

The audit team includes engineers from Cadmus and subcontractors such as the Lehigh University Industrial Assessment Center, Penn State College of Engineering students and faculty, and Energy Infrastructures Partner (EIP) in western Pennsylvania. After site visits, Cadmus develops a report that lists measures, projected energy and cost savings, return‑on‑investment estimates, and potential incentive sources.

Funding and follow‑up

The program uses DOE State Energy Program funds (including Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding) and aims to pair audit recommendations with implementation incentives, including state grants such as the RISE PA small award track, federal programs, and utility rebates. Program staff noted the RISE PA small award track requires an energy assessment to apply and that an audit from this program qualifies.

Application and scheduling notes

Staff advised applicants to have the facility FEIN and, if possible, 12 months of utility bills (supply and delivery components) ready when applying. Applicants may request alternative submission methods — the program can accept emailed bills or arrange phone or fax assistance for those who need help using the online portal. Sites are generally scheduled within weeks to a couple of months depending on demand and facility availability.

Why this matters

Industry is the largest energy‑consuming sector in Pennsylvania; program presenters cited roughly 16,000 industrial facilities statewide and said the sector accounts for about 37 percent of the state’s energy use. Program staff estimate more than 7,000 facilities meet the basic employee and sales eligibility criteria, creating a substantial pool of candidates for energy‑savings measures that can reduce operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Next steps and resources

Program staff encourage interested facilities to apply at industrialenergyauditspa.com and to contact the DEP Energy Programs Office or the Cadmus team with questions. Webinar presenters said recordings and an updated assistance‑finder spreadsheet listing funding opportunities are available on the DEP website.