Introduction to U.S. Best Practices in Building Retro‐Commissioning
Abstract
Retro-commissioning or existing building commissioning (RCx) is a process of to identify and correct the almost inevitable “drift” from how a building should operate and to ensure the building’s optimal performance. RCx has gained much popularities in the U.S., whose experience has demonstrated that RCx can result in impressive energy use efficiency as well as provide multiple benefits to building owners, including lowering utility costs, protecting and enhancing property value, avoiding future liability, and reducing repair and replacement costs. In China, the concept of RCx is still new and its energy saving potential has not been fully studied and recognized. Therefore, this report intends to provide a comprehensive description of U.S. RCx experience to the Chinese policy makers and professionals working in the building energy efficiency business, with an eye towards increasing their attention to this important and largely ignored energy efficiency opportunity and to promoting subsequent adoption of supportive policies for wider RCx practice.