In spring 2011, the IFMA Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation that works for the advancement of facility management, debuted a free, how-to guide for commissioning existing buildings. The guide is the result of a partnership between the IFMA Foundation and the Sustainability Committee of the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA). Commissioning and Green Building Solutions Inc. (CxGBS) was a proud sponsor of this guide, and I was honored to be its writer.

Maintaining existing buildings so they continue to meet their performance objectives and satisfy the needs of occupants is one of the best ways to reduce building energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions as well as attain sustainability goals. Yet, it is one of the most difficult tasks that facility owners and operators face.

Commissioning — "the process of verifying and documenting that a facility and all of the systems within a facility are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated and maintained to meet the own­er’s project requirements" (ASHRAE 2005) — is a proven means of surmounting this challenge. Yet, existing building commissioning — and the associated tasks of hiring and working with a commissioning authority — are concepts with which many facility owners and operators are unfamiliar.

Those that do understand commissioning frequently view it as a practice that is important for new buildings to ensure they perform as designed after construction is complete. They are unaware of how much value commissioning can contribute to optimizing the performance of existing facilities.

IFMA and CxGBS recognized the need for a guide that would give facility operators foundational knowledge about commissioning existing buildings and let them know what they, their building owners and corporate executives could expect from the process. IFMA approached me to write the guide and, during the process, CxGBS also became a major sponsor.

“The IFMA Foundation’s goal with this publication is to provide facility professionals a comprehensive resource offering practical guidance on how to initiate and implement sustainable practices within existing facilities,” says Marina Badoian Kriticos, IFMA Director of Strategic Initiatives – Sustainability. “Commissioning and retro-commissioning in the built environment are great strategies for pursuing energy conservation and improved facility performance, as the benefits include not only the potential for bottom-line savings, but also a more sustainable building.”

Practical Knowledge
The 55-page guide explains what commissioning is and what it can accomplish, both generally and specifically. It demystifies every aspect of commissioning from creating the RFQ (request for qualifications), scope of work, and project plan through selecting and working with a commissioning authority. It details how commissioning improves building performance, reduces operating costs and resolves occupant complaints — the two primary goals cited by firms that commission buildings.

Readers discover how to make a business case for commissioning, where to budget time, money and resources for the project, and what to expect in the way of deliverables (a current facility requirements document, final commissioning report and systems manual). The guide also explores why monitoring-based commissioning (an ongoing process for continual improvement) can be beneficial, as well.

Specific resources included in the guide are:

--Research that quantifies the benefits of commissioning;
--Sample timelines for commissioning projects;
--Charts that detail the typical cost of commissioning for various building types and sizes;
--Illustrated examples of both poorly and properly designed construction documents, systems diagrams and other important documentation;

This information, and much more, is presented in clear, concise terms with pertinent graphics. At the end of the guide, real-world case studies demonstrate commissioning in action. As a whole, the guide will not only help facility operators understand commissioning, but it will also assist them in demonstrating to building owners and other executives the tangible benefits of these projects.

In the guide's Foreword, IFMA President and CEO Tony Keane, CAE notes, "While there is a dramatic need for each of us — and our organizations — to care for the environment, it is just as important that we convey to executives and stakeholders how these initiatives can benefit our company’s financial success." I could not agree more.

Commissioning so successfully supports the sought-after "triple bottom line" — social, environmental and financial benefits — that it is usually easy for facility owners and operators to grasp its inherent benefits once they are fully informed about the process. I believe this guide will become a key component in the effort to provide that education.

To download a free copy of "Commissioning Existing Buildings," visit www.ifmafoundation.org or www.CxGBS.com.