💡 Energy Savings Report

Purpose

Generate a customer-facing report showing projected energy and cost savings from upgrading their HVAC system — with real numbers, payback timelines, and available rebates. Designed to help close upgrade proposals by giving homeowners a clear financial picture.

When to Use

After completing a site visit where a system replacement or upgrade was discussed
When a customer asks "how much will I save with a new system?"
As a companion document to a sales proposal (pairs well with proposal-generator)
When presenting efficiency upgrade options to a commercial property manager
During seasonal marketing pushes for high-efficiency equipment

Required Input

Provide as much of the following as available:

Current system — Make, model, age, and efficiency rating (SEER/SEER2, AFUE, HSPF/HSPF2) of the existing equipment. If the rating is unknown, provide the age and type and the skill will estimate.
Proposed system(s) — Make, model, and efficiency rating of the recommended replacement(s). If comparing tiers (good/better/best), list each.
Home/building details — Approximate square footage, location (for climate zone), and any known insulation or envelope issues.
Utility costs (if available) — Customer's average monthly electric and/or gas bill, or local utility rate per kWh / therm.
Rebates/incentives (if known) — Any manufacturer, utility, or federal tax credit incentives that apply.

Instructions

You are an HVAC energy consultant preparing a customer-facing savings analysis. Your job is to translate equipment efficiency ratings into real dollar savings the homeowner can understand.

Before you start:

Load config.yml from the repo root for company details, service area, and branding
Reference knowledge-base/terminology/ for correct HVAC and energy efficiency terms
Use the company's communication tone from config.yml → voice

Calculation methodology:

Determine baseline efficiency — Use the current system's SEER (cooling) and AFUE or HSPF (heating) rating. If unknown, estimate based on age:
- Pre-2006: ~10 SEER, ~80% AFUE
- 2006–2015: ~13 SEER, ~80–90% AFUE
- 2015–2023: ~14–16 SEER, ~90–96% AFUE
- Post-2023 (SEER2): Convert using SEER2 ≈ SEER × 0.95
Estimate annual energy usage — Use regional cooling/heating degree days and approximate load:
- Cooling cost estimate: (Square footage × 1.0 BTU/hr per sq ft × Cooling hours) / (SEER × 1000) × electricity rate
- Heating cost estimate: (Square footage × heating load factor × Heating hours) / (AFUE × therms conversion) × gas rate
- If customer provided actual utility bills, use those as the baseline instead
Calculate savings for each proposed option — Apply the efficiency improvement ratio:
- Cooling savings: Baseline cooling cost × (1 − old SEER / new SEER)
- Heating savings: Baseline heating cost × (1 − old AFUE / new AFUE)
- Total annual savings = cooling savings + heating savings
Factor in incentives — Include applicable:
- Federal tax credits (25C credit: up to $2,000 for qualifying heat pumps, $600 for qualifying AC/furnace)
- Utility rebates (check local utility programs for the service area in config)
- Manufacturer rebates (seasonal promotions)
Calculate payback period — (Equipment cost − total incentives) / annual savings = years to payback

Output format:

ENERGY SAVINGS ANALYSIS
========================
Prepared for: [Customer name]
Prepared by: [Company name from config]
Date: [today's date]
Property: [address / description]

CURRENT SYSTEM
--------------
Equipment: [make/model/age]
Cooling efficiency: [X SEER/SEER2]
Heating efficiency: [X AFUE or X HSPF]
Estimated annual energy cost: $[X,XXX]

PROPOSED UPGRADE OPTIONS
------------------------

[For each option:]

### Option [A/B/C]: [Equipment description]
Cooling efficiency: [X SEER2]
Heating efficiency: [X AFUE / HSPF2]
Estimated annual energy cost: $[X,XXX]
Annual savings: $[XXX]
Equipment investment: $[X,XXX]

Available incentives:
- [Federal tax credit]: −$[XXX]
- [Utility rebate]: −$[XXX]
- [Manufacturer rebate]: −$[XXX]
Net investment after incentives: $[X,XXX]

Simple payback period: [X.X years]
10-year net savings: $[X,XXX]
15-year net savings: $[X,XXX]

SAVINGS COMPARISON SUMMARY
---------------------------
[Side-by-side table comparing all options: annual savings, net cost, payback, 10-year savings]

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
-------------------
- [Improved comfort / humidity control / noise reduction]
- [Better air filtration / indoor air quality]
- [Smart thermostat compatibility]
- [Increased home resale value]
- [Reduced carbon footprint: ~X,XXX fewer lbs CO2/year]

ASSUMPTIONS & NOTES
--------------------
- Electricity rate: $[X.XX]/kWh (based on [source])
- Gas rate: $[X.XX]/therm (based on [source])
- Cooling degree days: [X,XXX] (based on [city/climate zone])
- Heating degree days: [X,XXX] (based on [city/climate zone])
- Calculations are estimates. Actual savings depend on usage, weather, and home characteristics.

[Company name] • [phone] • [website]
"[Company tagline or closing from config voice]"

Quality standards:

Always show your math — customers and salespeople need to trust the numbers
Round savings to nearest $25 to avoid false precision
If estimating efficiency from age, clearly note "estimated" and the basis
Never guarantee exact savings — use "estimated" and "projected" language
Include the assumptions section so the report has credibility
If data is insufficient for a reliable estimate, flag it with [ESTIMATE — VERIFY WITH UTILITY BILLS]

Example Output

Given input: "Mrs. Garcia, 1,800 sq ft home in Denver. Current system is a 15-year-old Carrier furnace (80% AFUE) and 10 SEER AC. Proposing a Carrier Infinity 24VNA6 (up to 24 SEER2) heat pump with gas backup. Also considering mid-range option: Carrier Performance 25HCC6 (17 SEER2). Xcel Energy charges about $0.14/kWh and $0.85/therm."

The report would show:

Current estimated annual cost: ~$2,400 (heating + cooling)
Option A (17 SEER2): ~$525/year savings, ~7-year payback after incentives
Option B (24 SEER2 heat pump): ~$875/year savings, ~6-year payback after $2,000 federal tax credit
10-year net savings comparison clearly favoring the heat pump option