News
Building Owners Are Under Pressure To Maintain Proper PressureView
The signs that a building is not operating as desired can be subtle, but we recently heard from a building owner with a very clear indicator that something was wrong: his tenants were wearing winter coats and gloves at their desks because the ambient temperature was...
Ready to LEED?View
Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Updates to Commissioning Obtaining LEED certification for your building isn’t just a feel-good decision: if done properly and thoroughly, it’s also a great way to improve your long term operating costs and provide a strong...
“It’s like a doctor’s physical, for your buildings”View
Leveraging Facilities Condition Assessments for Property Management While they’re typically made of metal, wood, glass and/or stone, buildings are a lot like people: periodic checkups are the best way to keep tabs on their condition and take steps to stay in optimal...
Need to save on building energy costs? Get your building commissioned first.View
As building owners contemplate ways to save money and comply with federal regulations, Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) offer a proven avenue to reduced costs and enhanced efficiency, especially when those ESPCs are fine-tuned with the Building...
COMMISSIONING BETTER ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENTSView
A lot of parents worry about something called the “summer slide” or the loss of learning that can happen to kids on summer break. It hits math skills especially hard. Those parents will be happy to learn that there is a construction industry discipline that is making...
Imagine buildings that open on time, on budget and on missionView
There is an old saying that there are three unavoidable things in life: death, taxes and construction delays. While we can’t help you with the first two things, I can assure you that enhanced commissioning methods give building owners the best chance at an on-time,...
MY BCxA-BUILT TRAINING DEPARTMENTView
As president of a mid-size firm specializing in building commissioning, I am constantly working to hone our competitive edge. After all, we are pursuing a finite number of potential clients in a state with several reputable firms, so we must maintain a distinct point...
Embracing the Design Deliverables ChecklistView
It has taken me a long time to realize that embracing a Design Deliverable Checklist – the earlier the better – is probably the wisest move we [building designers] can make. Sure, subjecting ourselves to accountability at this level may make us feel vulnerable and the...
User-Centric: A New Definition of Building ExcellenceView
There has been a shift in the definiton of building excellence from opulence – Taj Mahal, Empire State, the Biltmore – to an excellence in driving performance – Net Zero, Zero Impact, LEED Gold. This shift in values is interesting, but in my opinion still displaces...
Six Key Considerations for Performing a Controls Submittal ReviewView
The evolution of Building Automation Systems has done more to improve the day-to-day operation and ongoing commissioning of building systems than any other technology in the past ten years. From my desk I can view and diagnose faulty equipment, analyze energy...