Course comes with 4 Hours | 4 PDHs | 4 AIA/CES LU/HSW.
Course Overview:
Commissioning (Cx) and Re- or retro-commissioning (RCx), or the process of ensuring that a new or 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 Cx/RCx marketplace.
What began as a tool to ensure that commercial building owners get their money’s worth from design and construction professionals, commissioning is now known to be the most cost-effective measure available for reducing energy use, lowering operating 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%.
The public sector, in an effort to both promote and secure the environmental, social and economic benefits of energy efficiency, are incorporating Cx/RCx into new policies. Increasingly, Cx/RCx is the direct focus of government policy aimed at boosting energy efficiency in the built environment. Over the past decade, a series of Federal laws, executive orders and other regulations have resulted in requirements for commissioning and retro-commissioning in all Federal buildings. The results of these policies have been to improve Federal energy management, while providing an instance of leadership-by-example that has increased the profile of Cx/RCx elsewhere. As a result, Cx/RCx is now the beneficiary of government or utility financial incentives or even the force of law. Ultimately, Cx/RCx has the potential to save building owners and operators more than $30 billion a year in energy costs by 2030.Continuing to underutilize this cost-effective quality assurance tool could not only be unlawful, but bad business.
This course shall describe the Total Building Commissioning Process. Case studies that followed LEED Fundamental and Enhanced Commissioning guidelines for newly built and renovated facilities for the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security shall be presented and analyzed. Perceptions and expectations of the Cx process from the perspective of all stake-holders; owners, designers, contractors, and commissioning specialists shall be presented and discussed. The purpose is to illustrate that there are varying levels of agreement on “What Commissioning Is and Is Not.” Through the use of audience interaction, the instructor will illustrate that LEED Commissioning does not establish the final boundaries and benefits for the overall Total Building Commissioning process. The overall potential energy conservation and utility cost-saving benefits that could be captured go beyond LEED and enhance our country’s ability to achieve the goal of energy independence.
Through lecture, written material, class discussion and interactive activities, students will learn the following material:
- Definitions of Commissioning (Cx) and Retro-Commissioning (RCx)
- The Cx & RCx Process – Similarities and Differences
- Objectives & Benefits
- Requirements & Attributes of a Certified Cx Provider
- Cx Standards, Regulations & References
- LEED and Cx
- Myths, Reality & Managing Expectations (Case Studies)
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1: At the end of this course, participants will be familiar with the Commissioning and Retro-Commissioning process, applicable codes and standards, and be able to differentiate between the two in terms of similarity and differences.
Learning Objective 2: At the end of this course, participants will understand the overall objectives, benefits, and potential results of the Commissioning process and how this relates to improved building operational efficiencies.
Learning Objective 3: At the end of this course, participants will be able to distinguish through case study examination the myths from the reality of this process to include examining stakeholder expectations, contract language and issue resolution techniques.
Learning Objective 4: At the end of this course, participants will become familiar with sustainability and energy conservation requirements as it relates to commissioning by examination of applicable legislative directives, Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC), Standards and Guidelines, and Building Rating Systems (Such as LEED, Green Globes).
