RE/RETRO-COMMISSIONING: THE BEST KEPT SECRET YOU CAN NO LONGER AFFORD NOT TO KNOW

摘要

Re- or Retro-Commissioning (RCx), or the process of ensuring that an existing building's performance continues to meet or exceed its design over time, is increasingly the target of government policy and the beneficiary of market forces. New Federal, State and Local mandates, in conjunction with voluntary, market-based standards, are poised to transform the RCx marketplace. What began as a tool to ensure that commercial building owners get their money's worth from design and construction professionals, commissioning (Cx) is now known to be the most cost-effective measure available for reducing energy use, lowering costs and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in buildings. A recent meta-analysis by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that Re/Retro-commissioning yields a median 16% energy savings with a payback time of 1.1 years for a cash-on-cash return of 91% [1]. One prominent example is the emergence of voluntary, market-driven programs such as LEED?, Building EQ and ENERGY STAR, which encompass the process of existing building commissioning to varying degrees. Their rapidly growing popularity widens awareness and implementation of RCx. Further, these standards are increasingly incorporated into state and local policy. Most recently, local governments in New York City and San Francisco have taken a step beyond leadership-by-example and incentives and mandated re-or retro-commissioning in commercial building codes. These initiatives are the latest evidence of a trend towards making RCx a business-as-usual activity in the maintenance and operation of buildings. RCx has the potential to save building owners and operators more than $30 billion a year in energy costs by 2030. As a result of recent market trends as well as government policy aimed at capturing such benefits, the secret of re/retro-commissioning is out. Continuing to overlook this cost-effective quality assurance tool could not only be unlawful, but bad business.