Energy & Sustainability worked example

Compressed Air Leak Cost at 68% operating exposure captured: a worked example

This worked example runs the compressed air leak cost numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 68% operating exposure captured instead of the typical 95%. Estimate annual compressed-air leak cost from leak airflow, electricity cost per CFM, operating exposure, and repair cost.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Estimated leak flow: 85 CFM (held at the documented default)
  • Annual energy cost per leaked CFM: 120 $ / CFM-yr (held at the documented default)
  • Operating exposure captured: 68 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 95)
  • Repair labor and materials cost: 900 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Avoidable leak energy cost = estimated leak flow × annual energy cost per leaked CFM × operating exposure captured.
  • Total leak cost and repair budget works out to 7,836 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Cost per leaked CFM works out to 92.19 $ / CFM at these inputs.
  • Avoidable annual leak energy cost works out to 6,936 $ at these inputs.
  • Repair labor and materials cost works out to 900 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where operating exposure captured sits at 95% and the headline result is 10,590 $, this scenario comes in 26.01% below the baseline at 7,836 $.
  • Use it after an ultrasonic leak survey to size the energy waste and prioritize repairs, or before approving a leak-management program to project savings. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Total leak cost and repair budget: 7,836 $ (headline result)
  • Cost per leaked CFM: 92.19 $ / CFM
  • Avoidable annual leak energy cost: 6,936 $
  • Repair labor and materials cost: 900 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Compressed Air Leak Cost calculator, set operating exposure captured to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.