Cx Associates collaborated with Mount Mansfield Company to meet Stowe Mountain’s goal of stabilizing and automating the Spruce Camp plant operation. During this project, we investigated the 10,600 MBH boiler and its associated equipment, including primary and secondary loops, loop pumps, and heat exchangers. We compiled data from field visits and trend data analysis to demonstrate the boiler's inefficiencies and generate solutions, and we identified and supported the implementation of changes that successfully met the project goals. 

Cx Associates performed an RCx study for Jay Peak Resort’s two-story Clubhouse which includes functional space types such as a kitchen, bar and dining area, pro shop, golf cart storage, and overnight suites. This is a year-round building with varying levels of occupancy. Our review included the mechanical, domestic hot water, controls, and lighting systems and resulted in recommendations that would focus on the building automation system and fan coil units.

Cx Associates completed construction and occupancy phase commissioning of a full renovation for the three-story, 60-plus-room Bread Loaf Inn. The renovation included winterizing the building with new mechanical equipment, an improved shell, and a commercial-grade kitchen. Our work uncovered a number of issues while the contractors were still onsite, resulting in minimized corrective costs and impact on the people and building systems.

Cx Associates provided commissioning services for the construction of the Spruce Peak Adventure Center at Stowe Mountain Resort. We completed an in-depth review of the HVAC controls design and contractor’s scope work to identify and close existing gaps, resulting in a final, clear, agreed-to path forward for implementation of a complex controls package. As a result of our successful work on this project, we have been retained for several problem-solving projects with Stowe Mountain Resort.

Cx Associates provided commissioning services for this new waterfront boutique hotel which holds 126 guest rooms. Our early involvement in the project allowed us to identify design improvements that resulted in improved building performance and energy cost savings such as $10,000 first cost savings from a lower cost roof top air handling unit, 63,000 kWh and $8,000/year from variable speed pump installations, and 1,750 CCF and $2,500/year from separating the domestic hot water from the heat pump loop heating.

Cx Associates continued working with Hotel Vermont after occupancy to develop and test a new sequence of operations for the existing energy recovery unit (ERU) to reduce energy use and improve occupant comfort; this work was a direct result of observations made during the commissioning process.

Cx Associates provided Construction and Occupancy Phase Commissioning services for the Rutland Housing Authority (RHA) and Housing Vermont’s multifamily building in Rutland, VT. Working as the independent commissioning agent, we delivered a quality assurance process to help ensure the project meets the High Performance Track of the Efficiency Vermont Multifamily Energy Standards for New Construction. In order to meet this goal, our services for the project included construction verification, functional performance testing, maintaining a commissioning issues log to work through identified issues with the project team, training support for O&M staff, and a review of the systems manual. Ten months after building occupancy, we performed a follow-up visit to ensure that the systems were continuing to operate as designed and installed. 

Cx Associates is an Evaluation Administrator^[1] for the C&I Programs (gas and electric) delivered in the State of Connecticut.  We undertake study planning, write evaluation RFPs, review proposals and select contractors, and oversee the implementation of C&I program evaluations ranging from large program impact and process evaluations to smaller demand management pilot studies.  This work gives us a view into M&V practices, enabling Cx Associates to collaborate with others in our market to push for continuous improvement of EM&V practices.

Working under contract with Optimal Energy, Cx Associates’ Principal Emeritus Jennifer Chiodo continues to play a significant role as a consultant to the MA EEAC on evaluation and program development and delivery across several utilities serving Massachusetts’ commercial, industrial, institutional and multifamily customers. Jennifer led a collaborative effort to identify retrocommissioning program features that qualify as best practices, with the goal of achieving higher levels of participation and savings through such programs in Massachusetts. Recently Jennifer’s efforts resulted in market research on the potential for a new systems-based energy efficiency program design.

Cx Associates served as project manager, evaluation study designer, primary researcher, and M&V provider for the C&I New Construction Program for NYSERDA. During this $3.7M project, we contributed actionable findings that helped the study evolve in innovated ways. We developed a detailed matrix to identify baselines for a variety of control strategies, comparison strategies to identify overall performance metrics, detailed reporting to address control programming issues, and pre-modeling reviews.

Cx Associates has led the measurement and verification of energy efficiency demand management projects for Consolidated Edison Company of New York (ConEd) since 2016. ConEd powers New York City and Westchester County, and our work on this project ensures that the energy savings needed for grid reliability are being achieved and maintained. These projects include HVAC technologies and upgrades, battery storage, fuel cells, lighting controls and retrofits, and Building Automation System demand response enablement and optimization. We provide recommendations on program methodology and content, review M&V guidelines intended for customer consumption, and perform desk reviews, among other responsibilities.

Cx Associates was brought in to assist with identifying opportunities to improve thermal and humidity control in key manufacturing areas and to help VPT reduce energy use. Cx undertook testing, including measurement and verification, of existing systems and conditions, identified design solutions and oversaw their implementation.

After providing commissioning services for ECHO, Vermont’s first LEED certified building, in 2003, Cx Associates provided retrocommissioning (RCx) services for ECHO in 2014.  We provided services to help ECHO achieve their goals to improve the performance of their pumping and air systems. In addition  to reducing the operations staff-time required to maintain the building, the measures we identified included savings of 64,150 kWh annually across a couple of upgrades and improvements.

Cx Associates provided construction phase commissioning services for a Systems Building Renovation for Green Mountain Power (GMP), which included the HVAC and power systems. This project included relocation of the existing data center to the main office facility with extensive commissioning of the installation. In addition, we provided in-depth assistance with the rooftop controls unit and BAS integration. Our focused support helped GMP resolve building performance issues.

Cx Associates managed and conducted a full commissioning quality assurance and validation process for the new Vermont Hard Cider bottling facility. During our rigorous validation process, we uncovered several significant construction issues that, had they not been corrected, may have resulted in significant equipment failure and waste. Cx Associates identified dozens of opportunities to both increase operational effectiveness of the facility as well as energy efficiency.

Cx Associates completed retrocommissioning studies at Browns River Middle, Jericho Elementary, Mount Mansfield High, and Smilie Elementary schools.  For these schools, we used historical energy data to benchmark each building in Energy Star Portfolio Manager and develop the sites’ Energy Usage Index (EUI). The implemented energy saving measures included adjustments to ventilation to match occupancy, modification of piping to segregate boilers and reduce losses through the standby boiler, hot water piping modifications to allow variable speed pump operation, and numerous mechanical modifications to ensure optimized operation and decreased maintenance costs.

Cx Associates calculated the EUI and Energy Star scores for this four-story building and identified that it is operating slightly better than the national average. Even so, we identified a number of opportunities to improve the building’s energy efficiency even further. While retrocommissioning was not an option due to operability issues, we were able to provide a report that provided guidance and direction concerning strategies to optimize control sequences to reduce energy use and improve comfort.

Cx Associates identified and quantified over 200 measures and identified annual energy savings opportunities of over $237,000 during the retrocommissioning study we performed for Vermont State College. The goal of the study was to identify low cost opportunities to reduce building HVAC energy use and identify measures that could be applicable across multiple buildings not included in the study. The savings we identified resulted in a payback period of only 1.2 years.

Cx Associates provided commissioning for the renovation of the historic building that is used as Middlebury College’s president’s residence. The building has been recognized for its energy efficiency, winning Efficiency Vermont’s top award for a major renovation of a commercial building. As a result of our early involvement in the project, we were able to identify an opportunity for the engineer to modify sequences and piping to ensure the heating boiler was not damaged by missing logic. Our follow up on the issue resolved a lack of communication that could have resulted in a voided boiler warranty.

Cx Associates was retained by Champlain College to commission the college’s renovation of Roger H. Perry Hall. Built in 1859 by lawyer and diplomat Edward Phelps, it is one of only 11 houses in the South Willard Street Historic District that predates the Civil War and is an Italianate-style brick home with elements of Greek revival. The college’s plan for the building included energy-efficient climate control systems, including a geothermal pump from Perry Hall's deep wells. The building was renovated to LEED standards which recognize performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Cx Associates provided commissioning services for the renovation of this three-story historic mansion. The systems included in our commissioning were HVAC, domestic hot water, lighting and lighting controls. We identified a number of issues during the commissioning process, including variable refrigerant flow controls that didn’t meet specified sequences of operation, an isolation damper that was not opening properly to allow outside air into the heat recover unit, and water pooling around the roof top units. The identified issues were resolved, removing the potential for future issues.