Building Energy Resilience

Following are some examples from the field of things that didn't go so right originally – some worse than others. While we all know none of us is perfect and the unexpected happens, a number of these mistakes in the field point to coordination efforts and installation techniques that, well, maybe weren't given due attention. In field verification, these are the sort of things we are charged with finding before a major problem develops.

Many apps for smartphones and tablets have become available for business use as these devices have become increasingly ubiquitous. The range of mobile applications is large and rapidly growing—and apps created for use in the HVAC, building energy performance and energy efficiency fields are no exception.

There are a number of ways to procure design and construction services for a commercial building project. The predominant approaches are design-bid-build (DBB) and design-build (DB). The former is the practice of hiring a design team (architects and engineers) to develop a set of documents upon which multiple construction teams bid for the work. The latter, the focus of this discussion, involves the owner selecting a prime contractor or construction manager who takes responsibility for the design and construction. In some cases the contractors and their subcontractors (such as the mechanical subs) directly employ licensed personnel who provide design services; in other cases the prime and/or subcontractor hires design consultants to provide design services.

Retrocommissioning (RCx) is rapidly growing in popularity as a tool to cost effectively reduce energy use in existing buildings. A recent study by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab showed that commissioning existing buildings yields significant energy savings and can provide a substantial return on investment. Utility programs are embracing the concept and taking a variety of approaches to helping their customers find providers and engage in an RCx process.

As an HVAC design engineer and an energy analyst, I was intrigued by the building commissioning process when I first came to work for Cx Associates. The building commissioning process is where the theoretical design world meets the reality of “how does my building actually work”? Designers typically don’t get this feedback; they must move on to their next job as soon as the design is complete. In addition, design engineers almost never get on the job site during construction to see design issues first hand, nor do they typically receive feedback on how the building operates after occupancy. This lack of feedback is recognized as a lost opportunity for continuous improvement, but it’s a reality.

Understanding Commissioning

I recently received an RFP for building commissioning services that included the following statements:

Renewable energy – wind and solar in particular – are all the rage these days. Companies are clamoring to be to be seen as “green” to feel good about their power sources and to market this image to the world. But what many don’t do first is the less glamorous and less visible step of reducing their need for energy by retrocommissioning and investing in energy efficiency. Why put in a large array of solar panels when a quarter of this load represents wasted building energy?