Buildings are dynamic systems, with energy use driven by a significant number of variables that change with time, from the
weather, to usage patterns, to the attributes of the structure itself and the installed equipment. This issue of e-News details the measurement and verification (M&V) process for analyzing energy savings created through the design and operation of efficient buildings, applications of M&V in Energy Management Programs for existing buildings, and discusses measurement and verification via Building Automation Systems.

The building industry has come to appreciate the value of commissioning as a part of the construction process, helping to ensure the proper installation and operation of building components. The value of commissioning is not always apparent to building owners since it is a fair assumption that equipment should be properly specified and installed as part of the standard construction process. Commissioning has proved its worth because that assumption is often false, costing builders and owners money, and wasting energy.

Centrifugal pumps perform many important functions to control the built environment. The physics and basic mechanics of pumps have not changed substantially in the last century.

Commissioning Assistant™ is a web-based tool designed to provide project-specific building commissioning information to design teams. The tool enables the user to evaluate probable commissioning cost, to identify an appropriate commissioning scope, and to access sample commissioning specifications related to their construction project.

Acceptance Testing is one of the core components of the Standards' ongoing effort to optimize energy use in modern construction. It's intent is to address the importance of proper system installation, as realized energy savings from advanced systems depend on them being installed and operating properly.

Commissioning, retro-commissioning, re-commissioning, and automated monitoring and fault detection are all systematic methods of ensuring that a building and its hardware perform to the level intended by the owner and design team.

Building commissioning can ensure that a new building begins its life cycle at optimal productivity, and improves the likelihood that the building will maintain this level of performance.

On average, energy management systems save about 10 percent of overall annual building energy consumption. An energy management system (EMS) is a computer that controls the operation of all major building systems, in order to run the building efficiently and effectively. An EMS can reduce a building's overall energy use by about 10 percent.

The commissioning of new and existing commercial buildings is increasingly common, yet it's still not standard practice. A new study by Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory on the cost effectiveness of building commissioning may go a long way toward convincing skeptical decision makers that commissioning is key to significant ongoing savings.

Integrating smart-building design features into a new construction project can significantly increase the energy efficiency of the building while also providing enhanced occupant comfort.

In projects all over the country, building-industry professionals are finding that commissioned buildings are more energy efficient, more comfortable, and easier to maintain.

Through design review, owners can maximize a building's energy efficiency and save both capitaland operating costs. Energy-efficient design can be improved by design review. A process of review both enhances design and fosters communication between designers, owners, and builders

Annually, California commercial buildings use roughly 35 percent of the electricity and 16 percent of the gas consumed in the state. Space conditioning in these buildings accounts for about 18 percent of their electricity consumption and 34 percent of their natural gas consumption.

Despite significant advances in building technology and tighter building standards, the Department of Energy estimates that buildings still consume one third of all U.S. energy, at a cost of $200 billion per year, with $85 billion used in commercial buildings. A large portion of this energy is probably wasted, and with the current situation in Califo rnia where a few megawatts of demand can push the electricity grid into rolling blackouts, our commercial building stock can't afford to waste any electricity.

Building commissioning helps ensure that building systems operate efficiently, meet the needs of the end user, function as designed, and maintain occupant comfort. The initial costs of commissioning are recovered many times over through increased operating savings, improved staff performance, and avoidance of costly construction problems.