What is Retro- or Re-Commissioning?

Retro-commissioning is a procedure that can be applied to existing buildings to verify whether the main building systems are operating efficiently and as intended. The purpose of retro-commissioning may be to resolve problems that have developed during the building’s life, or to address building operating issues that may have never operated as intended. The value of continuous commissioning is to improve comfort, optimize energy use, identify potential retrofits for energy savings, and improve overall system control and operations for the building. Rather than a set of prescriptive measures, re-commissioning adapts to meet the specific needs of each building owner.  The re-commissioning process involves a comprehensive engineering evaluation that focuses on low-cost solutions to comfort and high energy use concerns. For continuous maintenance and assurance that a building’s equipment is running as efficiently as possible, it is recommended that buildings that have been newly commissioned or retro-commissioned go through a re-commissioning process every 3-5 years.

 

As part of our continuous maintenance program, Provident Energy’s Building Automation System clients enjoy continuous building system commissioning. For buildings that do not yet have a building automation system monitored by Provident Energy, a commissioning study may be something that could be considered. As part of its electricity demand reduction mandate, the Ontario government is now offering incentives for re-commissioning of existing building chiller plants. For more information and eligibility requirements please visit: www.saveonenergy.com. If you are interested in re-commissioning or building automation systems, please contact Provident Energy at 416-736-0630, ext 5.