Session BF1: Commissioning Basics for Owners

This session will discuss the results and deliverables you can expect, how to develop a scope for the project, and the level of involvement required by each member of the design team.

• Frank A. Mauro, P.E., LEED AP, Heapy Engineering LLC

Session BF2: Tokyo RCx Case Study

The Shinjuku Park Tower is a 52-floor, 2.6 million ft² office building, hotel and shopping center in Tokyo. Because the owner obtained ISO 14001 certification, the building is required to execute a continuous energy efficiency program. This session is a case study of the three-year retrocommissioning process implemented at this site and its results.

• Iwao Hasegawa, Building Performance Consulting, Inc.

Session 1: Plenary Session

Welcome and Introduction

• Phil Welker, PECI
• Peter Smith, NYSERDA

Panel Discussion

• Michael C. English, P.E., Horizon Engineering Associates, LLC and
  Scott Stutman, P.E., Forest City Ratner Companies

Session 2: Owners' Strategies for In-House Commissioning

How do you bring commissioning in-house? What are the advantages and challenges? What training and resources does in-house commissioning require? In this panel discussion, three owners discuss their approach and how they got started.

• Tia Heneghan, Sebesta Blomberg & Associates (moderator)
• Steve Rasmusson, Mayo Clinic
• Scott Williams, Target Corporation
• Ralph Wrons, P.E., Sandia National Laboratories
• E. J. Hilts, CFA, CEM, Marriott Western Regional Office

Session 3: The Financial Case for Commissioning

There are many different ways to explain the financial benefits of commissioning. In this panel, owners discuss how they make the financial case.

• Brian Henderson, NYSERDA (moderator)
• Joseph J. McGee, The Business Council of Fairfield County (SACIA)
• Bob Sauchelli, EPA (3.3MB)
• Mark Jewell, RealWinWin

Session 4: Enhancing Operations and Maintenance through Retrocommissioning

This session will discuss the benefits of retrocommissioning for a facility’s O&M staff. The first presenter focuses on how the process can reduce workload for onsite staff by resolving chronic and time-consuming issues. The second presenter discusses the benefits of including O&M staff in the retrocommissioning process.

• James Magee, AABC Commissioning Group
• Alfred E. Turnbull, Boeing

Session 5: Case Studie: Two New High-Rise Buildings

This session features two exciting new projects, ABN-Amro Plaza in Chicago and The New York Times Building in New York City. The Hines Development Corporation completed the ABN-Amro Plaza in 2004. This 1.3 million ft² project presented several challenges, and commissioning played an essential role in bringing the building on-line successfully. The New York Times Building contains 1.6 million ft² of commercial office space and is currently under construction, with occupancy expected in 2007. The building underwent a unique design process and features innovative interior lighting, ventilation and cogen systems, all of which require extensive and demanding commissioning.

• John A. Frank, AIA, NCARB, Hines,
  Marty Olhava, Hines, and
  Edward P. Rafter, P.E., Tier IV Consulting Group
• Glenn Hughes, The New York Times

Session 6: Specifying, Scoping and Procuring Commissioning Services

In this session, a provider and an owner discuss how they specify commissioning and define roles and responsibilities to avoid duplication of services. Other topics include the systems to be commissioned, reporting structure and training responsibilities. Specifications for different methods of contracting commissioning services will be covered.

• Joseph Lorino, P.E., Horizon Engineering Associates, LLP
• Jerry Bauers, Olsson Associates

Session 7: Legal Implications of Building Commissioning

This session will review the relationship between building commissioning and potential legal and financial implications for all parties to the construction process including building owners, contractors, designers and commissioning providers.

• Leah A. Rochwarg, Esq., Gadsby Hannah LLP

Session 8: Commissioning the Willow School: A LEED-NC Gold Project

This elementary school in northern New Jersey teaches environmental sustainability to its students and incorporated the same principles into its construction. Both the owner and commissioning provider will discuss their process in designing, building and commissioning the Willow School to achieve a LEED Gold rating.

• Mark Biedron, Owner of the Willow School and
  Pat Miller, P.E., CEM, Engineered Energy Systems (4.6MB)

Session 9: Grand Hyatt: Onsite Project Using Real-Time Data

Since 2001, energy and water use at the New York Grand Hyatt has been measured and recorded using a Utility Monitoring System. Presenters will demonstrate the functionality, implementation and application of the system, and guide participants in assessing real-time and historic data. (See follow-up in Session 25.)

• John R. McBride, New Horizon Technologies and
  Brian Burke, CEM, CEP, Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Session BF3: ASHRAE Guidelines in Practice

This session will review technical guidelines recently completed by ASHRAE and NIBS related to building assemblies (envelopes) and systems (HVAC&R). The presentation will provide a roadmap to the effective use of these guidelines and demonstrate their value to both owners and commissioning providers.

• Charles E. Dorgan, P.E., Ph.D., CxAP, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Session BF4: Selecting from Your Building Inventory for LEED-EB

Learn how one owner systematically surveyed their building stock and selected the most viable candidates for LEED-EB certification – resulting in saved time and money as they embarked on the LEED certification process. The session will cover costs and benefits of pursuing LEED certification, review the LEED-EB application, and provide tips on managing the submittal process.

• Robin F. Smith, Emory University

Session BF5: Using Common Software Programs to Manage the Commissioning Process

This session demonstrates how three off-the-shelf software packages can be used to manage three key aspects of the commissioning process: Microsoft SharePoint collaboration software to create and manage a web-based issues list; FileMaker 7.0 to track commissioning project data; and Adobe Acrobat to develop and integrate electronic O&M manuals.

• Felix J. Kersting, P.E., QCxP, Educational Service District 112, Vancouver, WA

Session 10: Commissioning to Reduce Peak Demand

Like commissioning, demand response in commercial buildings requires careful analysis and attention to building controls. This session presents the results of a research project that evaluated demand response shedding strategies in 40 buildings, and a technical case study of the equipment and strategies employed at the new Yahoo! Campus in Sunnyvale, California.

• Mary Ann Piette, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• Lisa M. Gartland, Ph.D., Nexant, Inc.

Session 11: Different Approaches to Procuring Commissioning Services

This session will compare and contrast different contract approaches to procuring commissioning services, covering pros and cons, costs, and lessons learned from specific examples. One presentation will provide both the owner and commissioning provider perspective on three different approaches – presenting what worked best for them. Also covered in this session is the procurement and implementation process for commissioning within Energy Performance Contracts.

• Michael A. Ellicott, P.E., Texas Tech University and
  Phillip Rothstein, P.E., Bath Engineering Corporation
• George Malek, P.E., LEED AP, ComEd

Session 12: Commissioning the Building Envelope: Window-related Issues

The building envelope is a critical element of total building performance that must be addressed as part of any commissioning project. This session will discuss common envelope issues that arise during commissioning, focusing on proper window design and selection as a critical component to ensuring proper HVAC performance, lighting, and occupant comfort.

• Paul Tseng, P.E., CxAP, LEED AP, CMVP, CEM, Advanced Building Performance, Inc.
• Arlene Zavocki Stewart, AZS Consulting, Inc. (957KB)

Session 13: Schools Case Studies: Commissioning to the Rescue

This session will provide two strong testimonials on the value of retrocommissioning schools to reduce energy costs and improve comfort for staff and students. The first case study examines a school district that set out to address their budgetary restraints through ongoing commissioning. The district’s goal is to improve its 34 schools’ operations and reduce total energy use by 10-15%. The second case study shares the experience of a middle school that faced horrendous operational problems within a few months after start-up, and turned to retrocommissioning to improve the building’s performance.

• Wayne A. Dunn, P.E., E. W. Dunn Developments, Inc.
• Ron Wilkinson, P.E., Dome-Tech Commissioning Services and
  Cindy Barr-Rague, Marlboro School District
  

Session 14: Ensuring Persistence of Retrocommissioning Benefits

Retrocommissioning optimizes building performance by improving O&M. But do these benefits last? The presenters answer this question by sharing the results of case studies, including high-tech manufacturing buildings and a large office building.

• Janice Peterson, P.E., Green Building Services
• Martin Selch, Nexant, Inc.

Session 15: Pros and Cons of Different Project Management Arrangements

In managing the construction process, owners have a variety of contractual options. Some owners delegate all responsibilities to a program manager. Others ask the construction manager/general contractor to take the lead. In the public sector, the “construction manager at risk” model is increasingly popular. Each arrangement assigns different responsibilities to the commissioning provider and in this session providers review their experiences.

• Greg Cunningham, AIA, Enovity, Inc.
• Carl Lundstrom, P.E., CCP, EMC Engineers, Inc.

Session 16: Building Envelope Commissioning Case Studies

This session will cover a wide range of building envelope commissioning issues through first-hand experiences commissioning schools, office buildings, and hotels. The case studies will prove the value of proper envelope commissioning, including the recent story of the Shades of Green Hotel which survived the 2004 hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jeanne with virtually no water intrusion or moisture damage.

• William A. Turner, MS, P.E., LEED Accredited, Turner Building Science, LLC
• R. Bruce Parzych, U.S. Army CFSC

Session 17: Construction Phase Commissioning: It's not just testing!

What does it really mean to commission a building during the construction phase? What are the tasks involved and what elements make the process a success? Two providers talk about their experiences on specific projects and provide guidance on process, deliverables and findings from start to finish.

• Don D. Little, Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc.
• David Sellers, P.E., PECI (2.2MB)

Session 18: Panel: Retrocommissioning Program Design – Lessons Learned

Across the country, large-scale retrocommissioning programs are emerging. The primary targets are commercial buildings, but also public sector properties and university campuses. This session will explore program design elements and reveal successes, challenges, and lessons learned from each.

• Jennifer Thorne Amann (moderator)
• Derrick Rebello, Ph.D., Quantum Consulting (California Building Tune Up Program)
• Ellen Franconi, Ph.D., Nexant, Inc. (Colorado Front-Range Recommissioning Program)
• R. Anthony Pierce, Southern California Edison (LA County/SCE/SCG Partnership for Energy Efficiency)
• Kimberlie A. Lenihan, NYSERDA (NYSERDA Retrocommissioning Program)
• Phil Welker, PECI (San Diego RCx Program)
• David W. McIntosh, CEM, Northeast Utilities Service Company (Connecticut Retrocommissioning Pilot)

Session 19: Defining the Costs and Benefits of Commissioning

Creating a budget for commissioning is often confusing. This session will examine the various trends that have emerged in the reporting of commissioning costs and benefits. One presentation will analyze the commissioning issues identified for two projects, categorizing the deficiency types and assigning real dollar values. The other presentation will share the results from a recent study of 224 commissioning projects, including the methodology that was used for normalizing the cost and benefit data across projects.

• Michael P. Della Barba, Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc.
• Mary Ann Piette, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Session 20: Commissioning Fire/Life/Safety Systems

This technical session will explore the complexities of commissioning fire/life/safety systems, covering smoke control, duct detectors, fire smoke dampers, zone boundaries, and smoke control initiation and control devices. This discussion is of particular interest to commissioning providers who may need to scope commissioning services for fire/life/safety systems, run pre-functional and functional tests on them, or encounter IBC 909 code requirements for smoke control.

• Shannon Steward, TestMarcx and
  Mark Leafstedt, P.E., CCP, TextMarcx

Session 21: Coordination Problems/Solutions for Commissioning

One of the greatest challenges in a new construction project is maintaining good communication among the many parties. In this session, providers offer strategies and discuss their experiences.

• Gerald J. Kettler, P.E., CCP, AIR Engineering and Testing, Inc.
• James Bochat, Pro Mechanical Services, Inc.
• Karl Stum, P.E., CH2M HILL

Roundtables

Table 1. Commissioning as a Risk Management Strategy

• Kristin Heinemeier, Ph.D., P.E., PECI

Table 2. What's New with LEED-NC?

• Joseph Higgins, P.E., ARAMARK Education - Facility Services

Table 3. What's New with LEED-EB?

• Ed Iczkowski, LEED AP, EFI Commissioning Services, LLC

Table 4. Creating Verification Tests – Steps in the Process

• Steve Rasmusson, Mayo Clinic

Table 5. ASHRAE Guideline 0 - Q+A

• Gerald J. Kettler, P.E., CCP, AIR Engineering and Testing, Inc.

Table 6. Raising the Bar or Total Quality Assurance Commissioning

• Grahame E. Maisey, P.E., LEED AP, Building Services Consultants, Inc.

Session 22: Technical Case Studies

These case studies focus on the technical aspects of commissioning two mission critical facilities: a hospital and a laboratory.

• Michael K. Mantai, P.E., System WorCx, LLC and
  Kevin Stanley, P.E., Lexington Medical Center, West Columbia, SC
• Masayoshi Omori, P.E., Building Techno-Service Co., Ltd.

Session 23: New Commissioning Tools from a Collaborative Research Project

The nationwide STAC project is funding development of several commissioning tools. Here, participants explain their goals and the tools they're creating .

• David Sellers, P.E., PECI
• Peng Xu, Ph.D., P.E., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• David E. Claridge, P.E., Ph.D., Texas A&M University

Technical Matters 1: Underfloor Air Distribution Systems

This session treats the commissioning of underfloor air distribution systems and provides examples of performance metrics, team coordination techniques and testing strategies, and tools.

• Don Beaty, P.E., DLB Associates Consulting Engineers, PC

Technical Matters 2: Geothermal Heat Pumps

This session examines the pros and cons of a geothermal heat pump and its maintenance, safety, installation and commissioning issues.

• Matthew Tunnard, LEED, Horizon Engineering Associates, LLP (6.1MB)

Session 24: Typical Commissioning Findings in LEED Projects

Although every building project is unique, commissioning providers find there are common issues that arise in LEED projects that can be directly addressed by commissioning. Here they discuss the findings and solutions they've encountered while commissioning office buildings and schools.

• Michael Berning, P.E., LEED AP, Heapy Engineering, LLC
• Erik Ring, P.E., CTG Energetics, Inc. [Slides (4.2MB)]

Session 25: Energy Monitoring: Case Study and Hands-On Demo

These two presentations focus on the benefits of continuous data monitoring in the commissioning process. The first is hospital case study which demonstrates how continuously available operational data assists in commissioning buildings, central plants, and shows how one affects the other. In the second, providers will work with the presenters to evaluate real-time data from the conference's own Grand Hyatt hotel (a follow-up to Session 9 on Wednesday).

• Bill Gnerre, Interval Data Systems and
  Greg Cmar, Interval Data Systems (707KB)
• John R. McBride, New Horizon Technologies and
  Brian Burke, CEM, CEP, Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Technical Matters 3: Air Capture Hoods

In this session, the focus is the use of air capture hoods during Cx or RCx for measurement and datalogging purposes.

• Mark Sampica, TSI, Inc.

Technical Matters 4: CITE-AHU – An Automated Commissioning Tool for Air Handlers

This session features a demonstration of a new service tool that enables the testing and analysis of air handling units and can be used to facilitate retrocommissioning. Although the tool is not available for purchase, owners and providers can volunteer to test it in the field.

• Natascha Castro, National Institute of Standards and Technology and
  Hossein Vaezi-Nejad, Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment (943KB)