Getting the Most Out of Your Buildings Through Commissioning & Retro-Commissioning

Commissioning is far more than a checkbox on USGBC’s LEED building certification form or a task that the contractor was supposed to-do according to project specifications.  In fact, Commissioning (Cx) and Retro-Commissioning (RCx) are some of the most cost-effective means of ensuring your buildings are performing optimally and efficiently.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) released a report in 2009, the largest study to-date on the results of Cx and RCx, that found Cx and RCx saved building owners 13% and 16% energy usage, respectively.  Qualitatively speaking and more importantly, Cx and RCx improved the overall functionality of building systems, reduced contractor call-backs, and increased occupant comfort; which ties directly back to the Rule of 100/10/1.

In my experience, I have seen energy savings for Cx and RCx of at least 15% with many exceeding 25% with paybacks of 18 months to less than one year – in energy savings alone, not to mention the larger implication such efforts has on system performance, life expectancy, and worker productivity.  Are Cx and RCx worth it?  I have to answer with an emphatic “Yes!”

Now, with all of the seeming promise, I am not going to lie to you, there have been plenty of bad experiences out there that I have heard from disgruntled colleagues.  I believe the primary culprit for the bitter taste and less than satisfactory results is lack of knowledge – people don’t know what they don’t know, especially when it comes to something as relatively new as Cx/RCx – this applies to both the practitioner and the customer.  However, with some insight and tips for selecting agents and managing the process, you can realize the benefits LBNL found in their study and those that I have seen first-hand.

To learn more about Cx and RCx, I encourage you to join FM360 for our next On-Going Training program, “OGT” online training session.  In this webinar, Getting the Most of Your Buildings Through Commissioning & Retro-Commissioning, we will discuss:

• What is Cx and RCx?
• What are the benefits of Cx/RCx?
• What does the Cx/RCx process look like?
• How to select a Cx Agent (CxA)?
• Tips for including in construction specs and overall projects 

Register now for only $39!  If you cannot make the scheduled live session, we will provide a link to the recording so you can view it at your convenience.

“OGT” is a monthly, online training series geared toward educating & equipping building operators and facility managers.  Individual “live” sessions can be purchased for $39 or get a 12-month subscription to all live and recorded sessions for only $399.  Scheduled topics include (all times are U.S. Mountain):

• July 16th @ 8AM – Get the Most Out of Your Buildings Through Commissioning/Retro-Commissioning
• July 16^th @ 3PM – Improving the Bottom Line through a Robust Maintenance Program
• August 12^th @ 11AM – Implementing a Robust Maintenance Program
• September 24^th @ 11AM – Leveraging a CMMS to Drive More Efficient Operations & Management
• October 15^th @ 11AM – The Rule of 100/10/1 – Learning How to Speak the Language of Business
• November 12^th @ 11AM – Smart Building Operations Using Smart Systems – Leveraging building technology to promote efficient operations
• December 16^th @ Noon – The Impact of Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) on the Triple Bottom Line
• More to come in 2016…