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On Sunday, June 26th, Jerry Burin and Chris Philbrick presented “Monitoring Based Commissioning Success”  at the International Conference of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) in Washington, D.C. Their presentation explored the monitoring-based commissioning (MBCx) process, an innovative, data-driven approach to achieving improved energy efficiency. SEA’s MBCx assignment at 311 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago, served as a case study for the presentation.  311 S. Wacker is one of the city’s most recognizable skyscrapers. The presentation provided attendees an overview of the new technologies driving MBCx and the benefits of tracking and acting on building performance data. MBCx uses web-based data tracking that enables SEA to identify energy saving opportunities. Jerry and Chris demonstrated how MBCx generates information that enables building owners to optimize HVAC performance while maintaining occupant comfort. Data-driven energy management is nothing new to SEA. MBCx is an emerging tre ...

 The USGBC Illinois Chapter is hosting a Commissioning Panel Discussion on Thursday, April 7th and SEA will be well represented. Mike Kuk, SEA’s Director of Technical Services and Commissioning, is one of four panelists speaking at the event. The firm is also sponsoring the event, and additional staff members (myself and Bart Lazarczyk) will be there for the discussion and to answer questions and meet attendees at the SEA table. The event promises to be an interesting and informative discussion of the value of Commissioning, Retro-Commissioning, and how the process is integrated into LEED. For more event info, visit the USGBC website.  

The USGBC is hard at work on its latest Building Design and Construction LEED Rating System, simply referred to as LEED 2012. Among the sea of changes that have been proposed, I will briefly discuss the vastly expanded scope of commissioning services under both Fundamental and Enhanced commissioning. Under the previous LEED guidelines, commissioning services typically focused on heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning equipment, as well as the building automation systems that drive the sequence of operations for HVAC systems and lighting controls. LEED 2012 proposes that the process go beyond HVAC to include the following under the Fundamental Commissioning guidelines: Building envelope, which includes roofing assemblies and systems; and thermal, air, and vapor transmission properties of walls, roofs, windows and doors Any monitoring and measuring devices for potable or reclaimed water entering the buildingAutomatic sensing devices in plumbing Irrigation systems Cooling tower chemica ...

My colleague Chris Philbrick recently posted a blog entry regarding the MEEA Midwest Energy Solutions conference.  Chris highlighted ComEd receiving the Impact award for its retro-commissioning program.  Sieben Energy Associates has been a service provider for this program since its inception, and I have had the opportunity to work with multiple buildings participating in the program and would like to share some of my experiences. The ComEd program subsidizes the consulting fees associated with retro-commissioning, leaving the building responsible only for implementation costs. With an aggregate simple payback target of 1.5 years and no obligation to pay consulting fees, participation seems to be a no brainer. There is, of course, a time commitment required from building personnel to assist during site visits, collect information such as drawings and utility bills, and manage implementation. I have found that this commitment results in more than just facilitating the retro-commissioning program. B ...

The energy (reduction) potential in America’s building stock is a tremendous resource, equivalent to tapping a second Saudi Arabia. The energy appetite of America’s buildings is enormous, but we can begin to cut back on the excess without sacrificing comfort or performance. Craig Sieben spoke to this theme last week before the Realty Club of Chicago in a speech entitled “America’s Building Stock – The Second Saudi Arabia.” Craig referenced the excellent work of Art Rosenfeld, an award-winning scientist, one of the earliest promoters of energy efficiency in the U.S.—and one of Craig’s personal mentors. In his speech, Craig emphasized smart and simple examples of what building owners and managers can do to cut back on their energy consumption. Reducing the energy appetite of our buildings is one small step towards a goal of U.S. energy independence. How can this be? Let’s do the math. In 2008, the U.S. imported 1.5 million barrels of oil per day from Saudi Arabia. We consumed about 19.5 million barrels per d ...

Every business needs to optimize its energy use, particularly in a tough economy. A recent McKinsey study, “Unlocking Energy Efficiency in the U.S. Economy,” concluded that energy use in all of our 100 million buildings can be reduced by 23% through an investment of $520 billion in efficiency measures by 2020. These investments would save a combined $1.2 trillion (net present value) and prevent 1.1 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions each year.   While this is a fascinating macro analysis, Sieben has recently completed a set of five studies for clients looking for low cost energy efficiency savings that they could immediately implement. Our engineers identified an average of 7% savings, requiring an $80,000 investment, returning $200,000 per year. On a simple return basis, these clients will earn over 200% on their investment!   Efficiency Street is a new Wall Street, with earnings that just can't be beat. Kudos to our friends at McKinsey for writing an excellent document that shows ...