Based upon a 2009 study by Lawrence Berkley National Laboratories (LBNL), commissioning of buildings is the single best investment that North America can make to reduce emissions and cut operating costs.
Retro-Commissioning is a Win for the Planet & for the Pocket Book
If the entire stock of existing non-residential buildings in the U.S. were retro-commissioned, and the median savings from the study were achieved, as much as $30 billion of energy savings and 340 million tons of CO2 could be avoided annually. It is a win-win.
There is a benefit for the planet, and it will keep the accountants, economists and chief financial officers smiling, as they will be realizing paybacks for a “tune-up” of an existing building of less than 2 years.keep the accountants, economists and chief financial officers smiling, as they will be realizing paybacks for a “tune-up” of an existing building of less than 2 years.
Presentation: Retro-Cx: Mining for Gold
So what exactly is Retro-Cx?
Retro-Cx is a systematic process to improve an existing building’s performance. Using a whole-building approach, Retro-Cx aims to reduce energy consumption by optimizing building systems control, air balancing, scheduling and sequences of operation to achieve a quality indoor environment while minimizing operating costs and emissions.
How to get started?
Find a building performance agent that has the expertise to diagnose and recommend enhancements that can drastically improve performance without undertaking major surgery. The agent should be knowledgeable about HVAC, controls, commissioning and energy management. You would also like to have someone that is open to training your staff on how to sustain a healthy system.
What level of saving can I expect?
All buildings can benefit from the Retro-Cx process; the level of performance improvement will depend on how far your building is out of tune. The first step in determining the size of the goldmine is benchmarking your facility energy use in MJ/m2 or ekwh/m2 and comparing it to other building of similar vintage, occupancy type and climate zone.
To assist building owners and operators with benchmarking, Integrated Designs Inc. (IDI) has developed an energy-benchmarking tool that converts natural gas and electrical energy use to MJ/m2 and provides energy use averages for the Prairie Provinces.
How do I mine the Gold?
Once the building has been benchmarked the next step is to do a building systems and performance investigation. This includes a survey of performance issues, checking schedules, sequences of operation, measuring and verifying where the energy is being used and incorporating all of the low cost building improvement strategies.
Why stop there?
There could also be energy saving opportunities that could drastically improve the profitability of the building asset that should be identified. A total life cycle cost analysis can be used to identify systems or equipment upgrade projects that would improve the quality of indoor environment, reduce maintenance and energy costs. Often the cost saving will fund a complete building renewal when systems that are near the end of their useful life.
Is there any funding available for Retro-commissioning?
Due to the low capital cost and short paybacks, retro-commissioning usually does not require financial incentives. However, some utility companies in North America have identified retro-commissioning as an excellent demand-side management strategy. For the Manitoba Hydro program, they will fund the investigation phase of the process in exchange for a commitment to pursue all practical energy management opportunities that provide less than a two-year payback.
What if I don’t have capital to fund projects?
If your organization is financially stable and able to lease building equipment, IDI has established a relationship with a leasing company that will provide the capital required at competitive rates as long as the energy savings will enable the lease to be paid off with-in a 6-year period.
Retro-Commissioning can be the strategy that addresses CO2 emmission Targets
Governments, utility companies, and many financial officers have already discovered Retro-Cx as the best solution to achieve cost-effective, fast paybacks, while also doing something to address climate issues. Retro-commissioning is a huge financial opportunity that presents a win-win for both the economy and the environment.
Feel free to show our Retro-Cx: Mining for Gold presentation to help stake your claim to one of the best investments in the building industry.
If you need help Mining for Gold, contact us at Integrated Designs (306) 934-6818
If you want to determine the size of the Gold Mine visit our website to download a copy of the benchmarking tool.
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