Retrocommissioning versus Energy Audits – They are NOT the same!

Et ignotas animum dimittit in artes: "And he sent forth his spirit among the unknown arts." A beautiful quote from Ovid.
                                

Socrates
The philosopher Socrates remains, as he was in his lifetime (469–399 B.C.E.) an enigma, an inscrutable individual who, despite having written nothing, is considered one of the handful of philosophers who forever changed how philosophy itself was to be conceived.


Caveat emptor, which literally translated from Latin means “buyer beware”.
The point here is that Owners need to do their own due-diligence, lest they risk being unhappy in the end because they did not get what they expected. As the saying goes, "you get what you pay for".

It is no wonder owners and many in the industry are confused. There are people trying to sell these services (retrocommissioning and energy audits) and are misrepresenting what these services are, what is entailed, and what the expected outcome/deliverable should be. Fore-armed is knowing the definition and process of energy audits and retrocommissioning, respectively.
So, let’s be clear; Retrocommissioning and Energy Audits are NOT the same process and DO NOT deliver the same results. Although they are a fabulous compliment to one another, we must understand the definitions of both in conjunction with the process as defined by industry professionals, as opposed to salespeople trying to make a quick buck.
Retrocommissioning is a process that is designed to achieve an existing facility that operates in accordance with the original contract documents under which the building was constructed. Energy Audits, on the other hand, are a process wherein the objective is to justify the efficacy of making certain corrections at the Owner’s discretion based on cost (ROI). Do you see the difference? One is focused on function whereas the other is focused on justifying the dollars to move forward.
Now you can see why the two processes are a terrific compliment to one another. But, it is important to also note there is a cost associated with each. (Existing Building Commissioning, however, is more comprehensive process that achieves both objectives by effectively incorporates the two processes into one larger, more comprehensive process.)


Retro-commissioning is the process of commissioning existing building systems that were not commissioned when originally constructed. It is a process that applies a systematic investigation for improving building systems such that they perform interactively according to the OPR (Owner’s Project Requirements).


The Retrocommissioning Process consists of the following phases:

1. Planning

2. Investigation

3. Implementation

4. Hand-Off

An energy audit first identifies how energy is used in a facility, and then recommends ways to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs. In practice, there is wide variance among the different levels of energy audits available. Or, as Albert Thumann writes in the Handbook of Energy Audits, "There is a direct relationship to the cost of the audit (amount of data collected and analyzed) and the number of energy conservation opportunities to be found."
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) identifies three levels of energy audits:

• LEVEL I - Walk-through Assessment: energy bills are analyzed and, possibly, a brief visual survey of the facility is conducted. The subsequent report identifies no-cost and low-cost opportunities. This is the least costly of the three levels.

• LEVEL II - Energy Survey and Analysis: a more detailed analysis is conducted, including a breakdown of how energy is used within the building. Recommendations consider an owner's operations and maintenance, constraints, and economic criteria. Potential capital-intensive opportunities are identified in the final report for further research and analysis. This is the typical level of audit.

• LEVEL III - Detailed Analysis of Capital-Intensive Modifications (Investment-grade Audit): this analysis focuses on capital-intensive opportunities and provides a higher degree of monitoring, data collection, and engineering analysis. The report includes detailed cost and savings information with a high-level of confidence sufficient for major capital investment decisions, and may include a reasonable timeline for implementation of each recommendation.

In conclusion, by knowing the differences, individuals are more prepared to dispel erroneous comments regarding this subject matter. In addition, ask offerors what their plan is in relation to these services. If they cannot readily and fluidly provide the information as outlined above, I would caution about using them to execute the scope, as they are clearly not versed on the topics.


Citius altius fortius: "Faster, higher, stronger" – the motto of the modern Olympics…and DCSi.

Plato


(427-347 BCE)
The most famous of Socrates's pupils was an aristocratic young man named Plato. After the death of Socrates, Plato carried on much of his former teacher's work and eventually founded his own school, the Academy, in 385.




Dynamic Commissioning Solutions, inc. (DCSi)

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