EFCOG Best Practice #42

(04/21/06)

EFCOG Best Practice Submission Guidance for Retro-Commissioning - 4/21/06

Retro-Commissioning Guide

Title: Guidance for Retro-Commissioning

Facility: Idaho National Laboratory (INL)

Point of Contact: Ernest L. Fossum, Phone (208) 526-2513 E-mail: Ernest.Fossum@inl.gov

Brief Description of Best Practice:

Commissioning is the term applied to the systematic process of ensuring that a building is designed, constructed, and operated according the owner’s defined design and operational requirements.

Retro-commissioning (RCx), sometimes called “Existing Building Commissioning”, is the term applied to the evaluation of an existing building for correct operations, tenant comfort, energy efficiency, and for compliance to the building owners original design and operational requirements.  RCx is often further applied to determine additional adjustments, modifications, or improvements that will increase the building’s reliability, tenant comfort and productivity, and overall energy efficiency. 

The Federal government is adopting commissioning in the Federal sector as a quality method of ensuring that buildings work as designed and needed.  As many Federal buildings have never had any form of Commissioning applied during or after construction, the Federal government is seeking to apply retro-commissioning as a method to ensure that these existing buildings are operated as efficiently as possible and in a manner conducive to high tenant comfort and productivity.

Why the Best Practice was used:

The Guidance for Retro-commissioning provides suggestions for successful development and incorporation of commissioning activities in existing Federal facilities.  These guidelines have been recommended through research on commissioning practices and through their implementation at various DOE sites. The purpose of this guidance is to provide high level, adaptable recommendations that will enhance retro-commissioning processes used at DOE sites. 

The Guidance for Retro-commissioning can be viewed as a checklist and contains numerous recommendations that should become normal practice.  However, DOE sites are welcome to adapt all or portions of the entries into site-specific operational standards with the goal of a sustainable commissioning program for existing buildings that will provide DOE with the best facilities possible.

What are the benefits of the Best Practice:

The benefit and value of retro-commissioning is clearly discussed in the recent publication, The Cost-Effectiveness of Commercial-Buildings Commissioning, A Meta-Analysis of Energy and Non-Energy Impacts in Existing Buildings and New Construction in the United States, sponsored by the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and published in December 2004. 

 Note:  An electronic copy of this document and data input forms are available at:

http://eetd.lbl.gov/emills/PUBS/Cx-Costs-Benefits.html

The proposing site, the INL, has senior management support for sharing the Guidance as a Best Practice as evidenced by approval for external release and submission to EFCOG.  INL will also provide mentoring for adopters should such a support structure be needed.

What problems/issues were associated with the Best Practice:

The primary problem of assembling best practices for retro-commissioning is the variability of the definitions and implementation strategy for commissioning in general and more specifically retro-commissioning.  Efforts were made to define retro-commissioning for this EFCOG Best Practice using  the best of the available concepts and strategies to facilitate retro-commissioning in a manner that can be implemented without excessive costs at most DOE sites.

The preparation of this document was facilities through a team approach among DOE Laboratories that have experience implementing RCx.  Like other EFCOG Best Practices, this document is intended to be a living document and should be subject to periodic recommendations and updates when it is used or as the concepts evolve.

How the success of the Best Practice was measured: See Best Practice Submission Guidance Document

Description of process experience using the Best Practice: See Best Practice Submission Guidance Document

Relationship to Integrated Safety Management Core Function and Guiding Principles

The Guidance for Retro-commissioning relates closely to Integrated Safety Management Guiding Principles 3, 4, and 7:  Competence Commensurate with Responsibilities, Balanced Priorities, and Operations Authorization. 

As retro-commissioning is a quality driven process requiring trained personnel to head an implementation team, and all personnel participating on the team to be educated on the process and be leaders in their respective areas of expertise, the guidance document helps to ensure that the best and most knowledgeable personnel participate in a process that results in more efficient, healthy, and productive facilities affecting many personnel from varying disciplines.

As stated, retro-commissioning is a quality driven process, which helps sites to balance the priorities of operational costs, employee health and safety, and environmental stewardship.  Many of the results of retro-commissioning lead to improved employee comfort and health, which implies improved research productivity and lower costs.  Other results of retro-commissioning lead to increased energy and water conservation, which implies less impact on the local and global environment and lower operating costs.

Finally, retro-commissioning primarily leads to correct operations in Federal facilities, which results in clear and concise operating instructions and responsibilities.