Conference News
News from NCBC: Conference Review and Update
After 19 years in existence and earning the title of the industry’s original commissioning conference, the National Conference on Building Commissioning (NCBC) showed no signs of slowing down, even despite the heat and humidity of a Cincinnati summer. Inside the cool confines of the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati, attendees from across the world gathered to glean the latest information, tools and technologies in the commissioning industry from some very well-known industry professionals. NCBC prides itself on the number of attendees that return year after year and this year was no exception. There were several first-time attendees as well, with 35% indicating that this was their first NCBC.
Along with new faces, this year’s conference was full of new partnerships and fresh perspectives. For the first time, NCBC co-located with GovEnergy, a conference for government representatives and those who do business with them. This partnership allowed NCBC attendees to take advantage of government rates for hotel rooms, access to the 1700-booth GovEnergy exhibit hall and attendance at the GovEnergy closing ceremony.
Additionally, NCBC co-produced the conference for the first time with the BCA. The relationship between the two entities has always been strong, but co-production of the event added a fresh perspective as BCA volunteers worked hand-in-hand with the NCBC team to review the submitted abstracts and plan the conference agenda.
Wednesday afternoon kicked off with two great breakouts. Those interested in working with the government benefitted from Dr. Tim Unruh’s presentation on Commissioning in the Federal Sector. Unruh, Program Manager for FEMP, spoke with Mary Snodderly of the GSA and others on the Federal Government’s aging building population, their energy goals, and how best to work so that everyone on the team is satisfied.
The second Wednesday breakout, facilitated by Jerry Kettler of Facility Performance Associates, dealt with ratings systems and offered a review of upcoming changes in the LEED Program and the IGCC Construction Code. H.J. Enck of Commissioning & Green Building Solutions, Inc. also discussed the use of commissioning for more efficient delivery of LEED products and reviewed both successful and less- successful case studies. The latter half of the session was dedicated to a panel discussion on rating systems and how they affect each member of the building team.
Thursday started bright and early with a breakfast session on commissioning in Japan. Attendees enjoyed the international perspective and Ryuji Yanagihara from the University of Tokyo described the increasing need for energy efficiency in Japan after the devastating earthquake and tsunami. Motoi Yamaha, Director of the Building Commissioning Services Association (BCSA), outlined training qualifications for commissioning in Japan and the BCSA’s recent work to promote commissioning. Immediately following, the BCA unveiled its Best Practices on New Construction document to a standing room only crowd. Bruce Pitts of Wood Harbinger and Co-Chair of the Best Practices Sub-Committee led this interactive discussion, which received some of the best reviews of the conference. Now in public review, the Best Practices will be finalized this fall.
Other notables on Thursday included sessions on monitoring-based commissioning, perspectives from both utilities and owners and a session on commissioning fire protection systems. In fact, many attendees lamented that they weren’t sure which session to attend. They were happy to know that all presentations would be available for download.
The final morning of the conference was just as action-packed as the day before with a return to core commissioning topics like measurement and verification and OPR/systems manual as well as a nod to the near future with an exploration of cool new commissioning tools. Dan Harris of the New Buildings Institute and Philip Price of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab addressed the concept of whole building performance through utility bill analysis and the use of smart meters. Attendees walked away with, among other things, a greater understanding of the strengths and limitations of remote analysis and metered data. Attendees left the conference Friday afternoon ready to apply new ideas to their work and evaluations delivered high marks for content and speakers. One attendee said “My head hurts from so much information, but in a good way!” We’re happy to hear that!
NCBC’s focus is always on education, but there was ample time for networking too. Attendees were able to beat the heat outdoors and have some fun on a river cruise along the Ohio River, generously sponsored by the BCA and McKinstry. The breeze along the river coupled with excellent views of the city made this networking event one to remember.
The most common question to NCBC staff was “When is NCBC in 2012?” Well, we’re working on that. Check the NCBC website for updates and expect the Call for Abstracts for 2012 to be released in October.
- Published
- 8 September 2011
With so many great sessions at NCBC, it was tough to decide which ones to attend. For your reference, these presentations are now available. Each presentation is formatted as a PDF and saving a copy is easy. Just locate the session you are interested in and click “download presentation”.
- Published
- 17 August 2011
Thanks to all Conference Attendees and Sponsors!
We couldn’t have done it without you! A conference is only as good as its participants and this year’s NCBC was full of thought-provoking discussions and engaging dialogue on the future of the industry.
NCBC would like to send a special thank you to our sponsors, whose generous support makes this conference possible. Click on the sponsor logos to the right to learn more about each one of these companies.
- Published
- 17 August 2011
Continuing Education Certifications Emailed Shortly
If you filled out a CEU form, your certificate will be emailed to the address on your registration record within the next ten (10) business days. If you need a CEU form or have questions regarding how to record your hours, please contact .
- Published
- 17 August 2011
Only two weeks left until NCBC 2011 begins…
Don’t miss out on these and other great sessions the NCBC is known for…register now!
Utilities and Owners Talk EBCx at NCBC
On Thursday afternoon, join utilities and owners to discuss commissioning from their unique perspectives. Pacific Gas and Electric and ComEd will talk about their successful programs and detail their savings to date. They’ll also share insights on program scalability and design as well as challenges and lesson learned.
You’ll also learn about Target Corporation’s dynamic strategy to commission at scale with a portfolio of more than 1700 stores, savings successes from Caterpillar Financial and how the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission keeps its more than nine billion dollar investment in schools construction going strong.
M&V is more than just Measurement and Verification
It’s all about the approach, which is critical when your commissioning project outcomes can boil down to just a few statistics. The most appropriate M&V approach is a balance between time, budget, available data, project complexity, and owner or program requirements. Learn about how to achieve this balance as well as new methods detailed in the Guidelines for Verifying Existing Building Commissioning Project Savings, funded through the California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research program.
Learn more about NCBC Sessions
- Published
- 1 August 2011
Still looking for a hotel room? Try Hotels.com or Travelocity
We know hotel rooms in the downtown Cincinnati are are at a premium for both GovEnergy and NCBC. Although the Hyatt (our host hotel) is sold out, we have checked booking sites such as Hotels.com and Travelocity. As of this posting, rooms were still available at some downtown Cincinnati hotels. We cannot guarantee rates or availability, but if you haven’t booked a room in the downtown area and want to, check out the links above.
- Published
- 1 August 2011
Participate in a Focus Group During NCBC
Three focus groups will be held at NCBC to discuss training needs in the commissioning profession. This is a great opportunity to shape training in the industry!
Each group is limited to 8-10 people and will last 60 minutes. For your participation, those selected will receive a $75 discount off of their NCBC registration. It’s a no-lose proposition, but time is running out so sign-up to participate now!
- Published
- 1 August 2011
On Thursday, August 11 Platinum and Gold Sponsors will be exhibiting in the foyer of the Hyatt Regency Ballroom adjacent to registration. They’ll be available all day to answer any questions & let you know more about who they are.
We know you appreciate their generous support of NCBC, so stop by and say hello.
- Published
- 1 August 2011
Early Registration Cut-off is July 22!
Registration will increase by $75 after July 22, that's this Friday! Don't miss out on the savings. Register today!
- Published
- 19 July 2011
The Hyatt Cincinnati has agreed to extend the cut-off date a few more days. So if you haven't made reservations yet, please reserve your room now.
- Published
- 13 July 2011
FEMP Program Manager Dr. Tim Unruh will join other commissioning and energy efficiency experts for an enlightening panel discussion on defining the partnership between the Federal government and the Cx industry.
This Wednesday afternoon session, open to GovEnergy attendees, will address mandates and initiatives requiring commissioning in new and existing buildings, the most common problems found in government buildings, how to integrate the CxA into the team and much more!
Get the details on all of the NCBC sessions.
- Published
- 13 July 2011
Set sail on the Ohio River with NCBC
Who said the only fun at NCBC was at the sessions?
Join NCBC participants for a cruise on the Ohio River on Thursday August 11. Network with colleagues and enjoy views of the Cincinnati skyline, compliments of the Building Commissioning Association and McKinstry.
Space on the boat is limited, so reserve your spot by registering for NCBC now. Be sure to indicate that you'll be attending the Networking River Cruise.
- Published
- 13 July 2011
GovEnergy attendees are invited to join NCBC participants in these two engaging Wednesday afternoon sessions:
Defining the Partnership between the Federal Government and the Commissioning (Cx) Industry
Federal representatives will have the opportunity to meet commissioning and energy efficiency experts in this interactive session. Topics include: an overview of commissioning and energy efficiency in federal buildings; contracting with the federal government; writing a scope of work; team work and deliverables and how to use that all-important GSA number
Rating Systems for Sustainable Buildings and Commissioning Application
This session provides an overview of current sustainability rating systems along with some under development. Commissioning application under these systems will be emphasized. You’ll learn how these various systems can enhance the performance of your building portfolio. An example case study of a building commissioned and certified under the LEED system will be presented.
Immediately preceding these sessions, NCBC participants are invited to join GovEnergy attendees at their closing ceremony beginning at 12:00 pm. The closing speakers include Doug McKenzie Mohr, a behavior economist, founder of community-based social marketing, and the author of “Fostering Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing” as well as Dr. Dorothy Robyn, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment, U.S. Department of Defense. Lunch is provided.
- Published
- 3 June 2011
NCBC attendees receive complimentary access to this sold out popular exhibit show all day on Tuesday, August 9.
- Published
- 3 June 2011
Registration is now open for the 19th Annual NCBC!
We've set an information-packed agenda featuring top talent from the commissioning industry as well as government representatives, building owners and utility representatives.
Check back regularly for sneak peeks on the details of select NCBC sessions.
- Published
- 20 May 2011
BCA and NCBC have teamed up to stretch your marketing dollars. Select from sponsorship packages that include options for both the Building Commissioning Association and the 2011 NCBC.
- Published
- 24 March 2011
Learn more about our host hotel and reserve your room.
Registration for the 2011 National Conference on Building Commissioning will open in May.
- Published
- 24 March 2011
The Call for Abstracts has closed.
PECI and the Building Commissioning Association (BCA) are excited to announce the NCBC 2011 Call for Abstracts.
We are looking for advanced technical topics, case studies and presentations that address emerging industry trends. We are not looking for presentations that have a commercial focus or endorse one product over another.
Want to check out the presentations from past NCBC conferences?
All abstracts will be peer reviewed and those who are chosen to participate will be notified the week of April 11, 2011.
- Published
- 24 February 2011
2011 NCBC to be Co-Located with GovEnergy in Cincinnati, Ohio
Mark your calendars:
- August 7-10 GovEnergy
- August 10-12 NCBC
Great news! The 2011 National Conference on Building Commissioning (NCBC) will be co-located with GovEnergy, a training workshop and tradeshow for Federal Agencies. You will gain increased exposure and access to large building owners and managers, while receiving the exciting training opportunities you've come to expect from the nation's top commissioning conference.
Why the Shift?
For the past 18 years, PECI has hosted the NCBC as a vehicle for generating and refining best practices and promoting the benefits of building commissioning. Together, we've accomplished so much! Best practices have been established, guidelines are plentiful, and the ASHRAE commissioning standard is right around the corner. The market shift to make commissioning "business as usual" is almost complete.
New legislation requires increased sustainability and energy efficiency practices in Federal buildings. Collaboration with GovEnergy will bring greater visibility to the role building commissioning will play in meeting these mandates. Benefits of this alliance include:
- Access to a large and relevant audience. The Federal government is the largest building owner in the US.
- Great networking and business development opportunities. GovEnergy hosts over 4,000 attendees and 700 exhibitors.
- In addition to the robust training opportunities at the NCBC conference, you can tap into training workshops on building commissioning through GovEnergy.
PECI is also excited to be partnering with the Building Commissioning Association (BCA) to produce the conference this year. The BCA is the commissioning industry's professional association. Together PECI and the BCA will bring more experts to the table to deliver an engaging and thought-provoking conference agenda.
The call for abstracts will be released on or before February 28th. Check back for updates and we look forward to seeing your ideas!
- Published
- 10 February 2011
