Hub April 2024 Newsletter

Building Energy Resource Hub April 2024 Newsletter

Upcoming Hub Events

Smart Technology: Driving Efficiency in Chicago's Existing Buildings

May 14 at 9:00 AM CT

Join the Building Energy Resource Hub and Illinois Green Alliance for a hybrid event hosted at Arup's Chicago office to explore how smart building technologies are being implemented at the local level to reduce carbon emissions, improve efficiency, and save building owners and operators money. Register for the event here.

Hub Updates

Smart Technology: Driving Efficiency in Chicago's Existing Buildings

Building Energy Resource Hub staff Katie Kaluzny and Kindy Kruller had the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C. for the Department of Energy's Better Buildings Summit from April 2-4. This was the 10th annual convening of public, private, and industrial sector building professionals to learn about the latest programs, policies, and initiatives in energy and share innovative strategies in energy efficiency, decarbonization, and water and waste reduction. 
 
Hub staff attended two days of sessions and learned about the latest initiatives from the Department of Energy, including the launch of the Better Buildings Commercial Building Heat Pump Accelerator, through which manufacturers will produce higher efficiency and life cycle cost-effective heat pump rooftop units and commercial organizations will evaluate and adopt next-generation heat pump technology. The Better Climate Challenge update was also announced to help reduce portfolio-wide GHG emissions (scope 1 & 2) by at least 50% within 10 years. Lastly, the Better Building 2023 Progress Report was shared and offers an excellent snapshot of the accomplishments of the various Department of Energy programs.

Today's Topic: Retro-Commissioning

Persistence in Energy Savings from Retro-Commissioning Measures

Published by ASHRAE; Authors: Saranya Gunasingh; Scott Hackel; Xiahui Zhou, Ph.D., P.E.

Commissioning and retro-commissioning (RCx) are critical steps to ensure that a building performs at its best. But commissioning and RCx are truly effective only if their impacts last over time, which cannot be taken for granted. We took a deep dive into dozens of RCx projects in Illinois to determine long-term persistence of savings from RCx and what drives that persistence.
 
Retro-commissioning is the process of making low-cost adjustments to an existing building’s operation to improve its energy performance. Most often, these adjustments are changes in sequences of operation in HVAC controls, such as temperature or airflow resets, or scheduling changes. Retro-commissioning is most often implemented over a period of time by a team made up of the RCx consultant, controls technician, and a building operator. Traditionally, once the period of RCx has passed, the consultant departs the team and the controls tech and building operator try to maintain building operation as adjusted by the RCx process. However, building operators and controls techs have objectives other than just energy performance: keeping occupants satisfied, maintaining equipment, and conducting retrofits and replacements. As a result, anything from comfort complaints to simple equipment maintenance can lead to altering or even disabling some RCx adjustments.
 
You can read the full article published in ASHRAE Journal, vol. 6, no. 12, December 2019 here. 

• New to retro-commissioning? Learn more on how to optimize your facility's performance here. 
• Want to dive deeper into retro-commissioning and building decarb? Check out these two-part scoping webinars for multifamily buildings here.
• Check out this ComEd case study on monitoring-based commissioning here. 

Upcoming Events from Friends of the Hub

Energy Efficiency and More: Benefits of Small Building Controls for Retail Buildings

April 25 at 12:00 PM CT

Join this U.S. Department of Energy webinar to hear about the benefits of HVAC controls for retail buildings, from a quick-service restaurant company and a retail skin care brand. Improved controls are proven to reduce energy waste by 10%-20% and improve occupant comfort. Presenters will share their approach to upgrading controls, the benefits they've experienced, and the lessons learned along the way.

HACIA: Phius Contractor Training

May 13 - May 23 from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM CT

HACIA collaborates with Phius Certified Consultants (CPHC®) to offer specialized training for architects, engineers, and design professionals. This online program focuses on applying passive building principles in a cost-effective and climate-specific manner, empowering participants to enhance their expertise in high-performance building design. Phius CPHCs are at the forefront of driving towards net-zero buildings. There are a total of eight sessions split across two weeks. 

Engaging Operations and Maintenance Staff in ESG and Building Performance Standard Compliance
May 30 at 12:00 PM CT

Building operators make decisions and take actions to lower energy use, improve air quality, and increase tenant comfort and satisfaction. With input from training providers and an individual who helped implement ESG initiatives at a local government, this panel will explore challenges and solutions for facility departments tasked with addressing ESG initiatives amongst financial pressures and dynamic market conditions. The discussion will assess applicable standards and their direct impact on the role of building operators. 

Register for Building Operator Certification
June 5 - August 29, Wednesdays & Thursdays from 8:00 - 11:00 AM CT

The 2024 Building Operator Certification (BOC) training calendar includes three unique curriculum and a mix of in-person and online training options. 

Additional Resources from Hub Partners

 Elevate Quick Takes: What are Heat Pumps?

 What are heat pumps, and how do they work? A heat pump is a type of heating system that uses less energy and emits fewer carbon emissions than a traditional heating system, making it a climate-friendly solution to heating and cooling homes. Check out this video from Elevate's Quick Takes series.

Calling Diverse Contractors: Participate in the ComEd Incubator Program

ComEd’s Incubator Program is designed to increase revenue for diverse contractors, create local jobs, and positively impact local economic development. Participants receive free training on each offering in ComEd’s Energy Efficiency Program portfolio and are eligible to join the ComEd Energy Efficiency Service Provider network. 

Grow your business with free training that includes assistance with the certification process, support in business development plans, access to project financing resources, networking opportunities and more. Applicants are due by June 30, 2024.

View Program Flyer | Apply Today