Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx)
An effective approach
to eliminate energy
waste
What is EBCx?
Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx) is a key process that includes the comprehensive investigation of a building’s operations to identify opportunities for improving building performance.
EBCx focuses on "tuning up" existing equipment and systems and identifying low-cost or no-cost performance improvements to help buildings operate as expected. EBCx helps meet current facility requirements in building types including commercial, institutional, and multi-unit residential buildings.
EBCx is a broad term that includes recommissioning (RCx), retro-commissioning, and ongoing commissioning (OCx).
Key terminology
The following list explains key EBCx terms. For a more thorough list, please see Annex A of Tuning Up: A Framework for Existing Building Commissioning.
Recommissioning (RCx) is a process for commissioning an existing building that has previously been commissioned. It seeks to improve how the building equipment and systems are operating to meet current occupant needs. It does this by investigating integration issues and identifying low-cost or no-cost operational improvements that can deliver increased comfort and energy savings. This process can be undertaken alone or along with a retrofit project.
Retro-commissioning is a process for commissioning an existing building that was not originally commissioned. It aims to improve how building equipment and systems function together and to resolve problems that occurred during building design, construction, or day-to-day running to meet current occupant needs.
Ongoing commissioning (OCx) is a process for continuously testing and/or tuning building systems that seeks to maintain building performance as expected and as previously commissioned. Typically, this process includes implementing technology and/or software solutions within the building’s automated heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) control system, which monitor and help optimize operations on a continuous basis.
Current Facility Requirements (CFR) is a document that describes the current facility functional requirements and expectations about how it should be used and operated. The CFR can include information such as goals, success criteria, benchmarks, measurable performance criteria, cost considerations, and supporting information for meeting the requirements of owners, occupants and users of the facility.
Why choose an EBCx project?
Often requires a lower investment than capital investment projects
Typically generates a payback in 3 years or less
Generally produces energy savings in the range of 5% to 20%
Additional benefits of EBCx can include
Enhanced building performance
Increased asset value
Better indoor air quality
Reduced GHG emissions
Improved occupant comfort
Extended equipment life
Learn about EBCx
Watch this short video or download this brochure for more details on EBCx and how it can help eliminate energy waste.
Watch the EBCx Video
Transcript
Today’s buildings have become increasingly complex. They employ interdependent systems with sophisticated controls, which makes them difficult to operate at their optimal efficiency.
How well a building performs not only affects utility bills and operating costs. It can also influence the productivity and comfort of occupants, as well as the property value and the business bottom line.
There are many ways to improve a building’s energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So, what’s an effective approach to reach these goals? – Existing Building Commissioning. It’s among the industry’s best practices for eliminating energy waste.
Also known as EBCx, Existing Building Commissioning is a broad concept that includes other terms you might have heard such as recommissioning, retro-commissioning and ongoing commissioning.
It represents a cost-effective investment to ensure that a building operates optimally and as intended based on its current use. Here’s how.
EBCx is a quality-focused process that aims to improve the operation of existing building equipment and systems, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and lighting.
Following an in-depth investigation, systems are optimized to meet current needs by implementing low-cost or no-cost operational improvements, such as:
- Aligning operation schedules with actual building use
- Optimizing fresh air intake
- Readjusting or optimizing setpoints
- Eliminating simultaneous heating and cooling
- Optimizing the sequence of operation for building systems
In contrast to capital investment projects, EBCx requires a lower investment and generates payback in typically 3 years or less. Associated energy and cost savings are usually in the range of 5 to 20%.
Other benefits include enhanced building performance, improved occupant comfort, better indoor air quality, extended equipment life, increased asset value, and reduced GHG emissions.
With EBCx, procedures are also put in place to ensure the persistence of these improvements over time.
In other words, Existing Building Commissioning offers a key path to unlock value in your building assets.
It also provides a low-cost approach to seize a wide range of benefits, all while supporting climate change mitigation.
So why wait? Take action today and discover what EBCx can do for you!
Join the effort to improve the performance of Canadian buildings for a better, greener future.
Explore EBCx
EBCx tools and resources
Explore tools and resources to help you advance EBCx projects.
EBCx case studies
Explore this library of case studies that highlight cost savings, benefits, and lessons learned from completed EBCx projects.
Tuning Up: A Framework for Existing Building Commissioning
Tuning Up is a model blueprint for increasing the uptake of Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx) in Canada.
Looking to commission a new building rather than an existing building?
Check out our Commissioning Guide for New Buildings page.
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