Whether your building automation system is a new-build or decades old, it can still benefit from commissioning. Going back through the details of a system to check each component ensures equipment, including heating, ventilation, temperature control, and more, are all calibrated and functioning together the way they’re supposed to.
Conexus offers building automation commissioning, recommissioning, and retro-commissioning services for a wide range of clients. Using Army Corps of Engineers procedures, we work through a system, step-by-step, to verify optimal performance and maximum energy efficiency.
Building Automation Commissioning Basics
When a professional controls contractor commissions your building automation system (BAS), they make sure the equipment and controls work together properly. Turning the thermostat down by two degrees, for example, should send the correct signals to drop the temperature by exactly two degrees.
Commissioning also identifies defective or outdated components that limit system functionality and drive up energy costs.
Basic commissioning tasks include:
Point-to-point checking – Physically verifying every in-point and out-point on all your BAS controllers. A systematic approach confirms each point is checked, with nothing overlooked.
Functional testing – Giving the system a command and then testing to see if all the logic and functional loops involved are working properly. This includes heating, cooling, pressure, safeties, etc.
Endurance testing – Putting software (historical) trends on the building. Using the trends verifies that the building maintains its temperature, humidity and that everything is stable and operational.
Point-to-point and functional testing can take as little as one day, or as much as one week, depending on the size of the building. Endurance testing, however, takes approximately 14 days to account for normal building operation. This timeframe is important for facilities that have fluctuating tenant needs, such as buildings unoccupied during weekends.
Recommissioning
If a BAS has already been commissioned (likely when it was installed), it’s often beneficial to have it recommissioned after several years of operation, especially if the building itself has changed.
Renovations, adding new equipment or systems, and facility expansions affect BAS operation and effectiveness. Recommissioning brings a system back to its intended design functionality, confirming that the logic and controls account for system or structure modifications.
Recommissioning also helps if energy bills have increased and you’re not sure why. By verifying your system piece by piece, a controls contractor can find the root cause of excessive energy use and address it right away.
Retro-commissioning
Retro-commissioning is similar to recommissioning. It is done on buildings that have been operating for years but were never commissioned in the first place.
Retro-commissioning is beneficial for facilities with systems that aren’t working at maximum performance yet still have life left in them. If equipment isn’t working perfectly and shouldn’t need replacing for another 10-15 years, consider retro-commissioning.
Facilities that have changed or expanded due to new construction or functional objectives (for example, an elementary school expanding to take on more students) are typically good candidates for retro-commissioning.
At Conexus, We’re Commissioning Experts
Conexus commissions, recommissions, and retro-commissions building automation systems whether a facility is new or old. We base our procedures on the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure we systematically check every component, identify efficiency improvements, and fine-tune building controls.
A rigorous dedication to detail sets our commissioning services apart—we’re committed to helping you get the maximum value from your building automation system.