Key Elements to Develop a Successful Plan
Today’s automation systems and emerging technology have made retro-commissioning of yesterday’s buildings a more manageable proposition, and one that can yield a significant return on investment.
Retro-commissioning helps to return a building back into its original design parameters while taking into account its current-day utilization. Retro-commissioning becomes necessary over time as building systems age and changes in occupancy and use bring new demands. A patchwork of tweaks and tune-ups can only suffice in the short term. A sure-fire process requires many of the same strategies and attention to detail that the commissioning of a brand-new build would require.
Such an undertaking allows professionals to optimize system performance and reduce costs and energy expenditure for both building owners and tenants. It can also improve indoor air quality (IAQ), productivity, and equipment lifespan. But successful retro-commissioning takes deep expertise, thoughtful planning, and access to leading-edge tools.
As a longtime expert in retro-commissioning who has led or taken part in dozens of complex projects, I have identified several key principles of a successful retro-commissioning effort.
Things to consider in a retro-commissioning initiative:
- Must include a well thought out plan with agreed-upon responsibilities. This means a working schedule of coordination meetings and check-ins, with each responsible party signing off on objectives as they are completed.
- Involves specified, agreed-upon goals, from overarching goals like improving comfort levels in the building and reducing operating costs to highly specific objectives like balancing within 3% or 5% of design.
- Demands the leadership and hands-on participation of certified professionals. These experts have not only undergone a myriad of trainings and certifications, they also have access to the proper tools and gauges that are certified and precisely calibrated.
- Includes detailed checklists that specify each of the people participating and their individual responsibilities, necessary tools including on-site support like ladders and lattice staging, engineering diagrams, and a schedule for the work.
Working Partnerships are Essential for Success
When it comes to the complicated work of retro-commissioning, a system of collaboration is essential to a successful operation. This includes a working partnership between system operators and the contractors responsible for installing new equipment. The arrangement must include a detailed collaborative strategy for isolating the systems involved while minimizing tenant impact, along with a plan to alert impacted tenants well before the work is scheduled and remind occupants on a regular basis until the work is complete.
The relationship-based approach must also prioritize cooperation between the facility service providers and the facility’s tenants and occupants, down to the finer details like covering work surfaces with plastic to shield them from debris and ensuring you don’t leave footprints behind on a desk or table. Not only is cleanliness necessary, but also returning the comfortability of the space back by returning thermostat back to its initial setpoint. The work schedule should include a final cleanup before tenants are invited to return to the workspace, and once the work is done, all impacted parties should receive communications notifying them that the work is completed and thanking them for their patience and cooperation.
Of course, the right service provider will also establish a strong working relationship with the facility owners and managers. This relationship begins long before the launch of the retro-commissioning. Transparency will help you succeed and if a provider is willing to take responsibility for schedule changes and get ahead of process breakdowns with clear and ongoing communication.
If you are considering the benefits of retro-commissioning for your facility, a high-level review of your available options can arm you with the knowledge to identify the goals, the professionals, and the approach that will have a lasting, successful outcome.