Monitoring Based Commissioning - A Must in The World of High Energy Efficiency

Monitoring Based Commissioning –A Must in The World of High Energy Efficiency

Mark Gallagher, MBAGlobal Manager – Building ServicesArmstrong Fluid Technologymgallagher@armstrongfluidtechnology.com647-795-0243

Learning Objectives

Understand what is Monitoring Based Commissioning MBx

How it differs from other forms of commissioning

The underlying need for MBx and its advantages

Explore things to consider in selecting performance monitoring and

diagnostic tools

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This program is registered with the AIA/ASHRAE for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by

the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services

will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

Outline

• Definition of MBx

• Key Findings from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory studies

• Supplementary Observations and Findings of Chilled Water Plants

• Things to Consider in Remote Performance Based Monitoring and

Diagnostics

• Options for MBX

MBX – Definition

So, what is MBx? For consistency it includes* ….

1) Performance Monitoring/Building Diagnostics

2) Retro-commissioning

3) Ongoing commissioning and measurement of savings using

metered/monitored data

* The California Commissioning Collaborative [Haas and Heinemeir 2008]

MBx- How is it Different?

Historically commissioning is a one-time or periodic but infrequent

project.

Whereas..

MBx is a continuous exercise with the discipline

to keep buildings performing as designed.

Establishes and tracks expectations based

on relevant benchmark and forecasted

consumption.

Delivering Results…

Sustained results require more than just excellent design and

construction….

There are many examples of high profile buildings that underachieve in

performance relative to their expectations even after initial

commissioning.

Extract Key Findings from Research -

Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory

1) Monitoring-Based Commissioning - Benchmarking Analysis of 24

UC/CSU/IOU Projects, June 2009

Evan Mills, Ph.D. & Paul Matthew, Ph. D.

2) Building Commissioning – A Golden Opportunity for Reducing Energy Costs

and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, June 2009

Evan Mills, Ph.D.

Both Reports prepared for the:

California Energy Commission, Public Interest Energy Research

Program

Background and Methodology

Two separate but related pieces of research and reporting:

1. The first analyzed the results from 24 projects (university campus)

with a detailed MBx evaluation

2. The second was a meta-analysis of commissioning experience in

332 commissioning projects in existing buildings and 77 in new

construction totalling 643 buildings

Deficiencies by End Use

The vast majority of

buildings had

deficiencies in their

heating and cooling

systems.

Measures Used

The most common

measures to remedy

the deficiencies were

concentrated in

operations, control

and maintenance.

Savings by Measure

Many measures have paybacks

of less than one year.

Operational changes and control

measures consistently pay for

themselves in months.

In the study of one time

commissioning the median

payback (including

Commissioning) was 1.1 years

In payback with MBx was 2.5

years – but the savings were

expected to persist

Payback Times - Existing Buildings

The majority of

commissioning

efforts had paybacks

of less than 1 year.

The median savings

from MBx was 9% of

energy use.

Why MBx?

Because Drift Happens!

Degradation with Periodic Correction

Supporting Observations……

Texas Hospital

“cost of site operator adjustments to the chilled water

setpoint.”At this facility,

every 1 degree

below 43 F in

chilled water

supply

=

~15% in extra

energy

consumption

for chilled

water

MBx – Savings Uncovered in Chilled Water Plant

Impact in 2013

Original impact

detected.

Return to design

setpoint

Additional

kWhs

consumed

~1,113,800

Texas Hospital

A Tale of Two Centers – 2007

Greater LA Medical Centers

Facility 1

• Greater Los Angeles

• Ambulatory Care Medical Center

• New central plant

Commissioned in 2007

• 55,000 ft2

• 160 tons of cooling

• All other aspects the same as

Facility B(Chillers, pumps, towers, configuration and

controls)

Facility 2

• Greater Los Angeles

• Ambulatory Care Medical Center

• New central plant

Commissioned in 2007

• 55,000 ft2

• 120 tons of cooling

• All other aspects the same as

Facility A(Chillers, pumps, towers, configuration and

controls)

A Tale of Two Centers - 2013

A Tale of Two Centers

The load profile

does not

explain the

difference in

performance.

A Tale of Two Centers

Explaining the difference… Facility #1

Low refrigerant in chiller #2

Isolation valve in tower #1 not working

Obstruction in tower #2

(17 psi vs 2 in tower #1)

Isolation valve for chilled water pump

in manual open position

(unwanted backflow)

Run feedback communication issue with condenser water

pump (providing false alarms)

Basin heater (wired on)

A Tale of Two Centers

Explaining the difference… Facility #2

Run feedback communication issue with condenser

water pump (providing false alarms)

Control touchscreen, freezing losing interface

No major mechanical issues

Installed ongoing performance based monitoring and

diagnostic system

early in 2013

MBx - Things To Do…

On-site review & checklist

Talk to the applicable people:

(design team, contractors, facility management, building operators and occupants)

Review available data

Additional monitoring and metering as required

Establish performance expectation (benchmark)

Present continuously (daily) in simple to understand formats

Things to Consider

• Technical sophistication of user(s)

• Resources to review information

• Size of building

• Complexity of building(s)

• Total energy spend

• Relative importance to end user

Possible Application by Segmentation?B

rea

dth

of

Eq

uip

ment

Sin

gle

co

mp

onen

t

A

ll syste

ms

Simple Complex

Depth of Analysis

Apartment buildingSingle boiler, no A/C

University

campusComplex systems with in-

house energy team

Fast food chainCompare across

locations by customers

served

Data center Cooling is critical

MBX –Keep the Findings and Presentation Simple

Because research*

has shown that …

* Note: There is no research to support this, this is a fabrication to support the overall theme of the presentation.

Daily Updates (email)

Our finding is that a daily email pushed to key staff at the client is more

effective than the screens or apps where users must elect to visit. Not

universally true but common.

Simple email such as:

You used x kWhs yesterday (today) whereas your building/system should

have used y

This cost you an extra $$$

Keeps the topic current, flags anomalies in a timely fashion.

Examples

Examples

Examples

Examples

Overall Conclusions

1. Performance based monitoring and commissioning is essential to

deliver expected efficiency and operating conditions. Ongoing

savings of 5 - 15% are a reasonable expectation.

2. The increase in complexity of building systems (HVAC in

particular) has rendered it nearly impossible for building staff to

stay abreast of the performance of their building.

3. Presentation of frequent but simple and meaningful findings lets

the user(s) understand and apply the information.

Bibliography

Mills, Evan PH.D. & Matthew, Paul PH.D.: June 2009 Monitoring-Based Commissioning -

Benchmarking Analysis of 24 University of California/California State University

/IOU Projects

Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory

http://evanmills.lbl.gov/pubs/pdf/MBCx-LBNL.pdf

Slides in this presentation (9 and 10)

Mills, Evan Ph.D. June 2009 Building Commissioning – A Golden Opportunity for Reducing Energy

Costs and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory

http://cx.lbl.gov/2009/-assessment.html

Slides in this presentation (11, 12, 14 & 15)

Graphics:

Johnson Control Inc., (slide 29)

Honeywell Inc., (slide 30)

Building IQ (slide 31)

Pacific Controls (slide 32)

Questions?

Mark Gallagher

mgallagher@armstrongfluidtechnology.com