SMART COMMISSIONINGLeveraging Analytics Tools to Deliver Persistent Performance

Jim Meacham, PEThanks to: Matt Berbee and Glenn Friedman

AIA Quality Assurance

The Building Commissioning Association is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES). Credit(s) earned on completion of this program will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of the Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.

This program is registered with AIA/CES 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.

2

Learning Objectives

3

1. Attendees will be able to define what analytics and fault detection and diagnostics platforms are and why they are valuable

2. Attendees will be able to describe how to integrate analytics platforms into the traditional NC Cx process

3. Attendees will be able to identify how to leverage automated testing to support the traditional functional testing processes

4. Attendees will be able to define key challenges and solutions to analytics platform integration for NC Cx projects, spanning specification development, to start-ups, to functional testing, and issue resolution.

Complexity of Smart Buildings

Image Source: USGBC

TRADITIONAL COMMISSIONING

SMART COMMISSIONING

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

Warranty PeriodC

x

OPERATIONS RC

x

Project Handoff

VS.

Warranty Period

Project Transition

CxDESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

Warranty Period

Cx OPERATIONS

RC

x

Goals: Prove the potential for future Cx cost savings

Reduce the issue correction time

Run functional tests simultaneously

Improve data flow and improve Cx quality

Establish baselines and reduce future O/M Costs

Warranty period supported by Smart Cx

Everything gets tested

Traditional vs. Smart Commissioning

Traditional functional testing

Traditional CommissioningOPR Review

BOD Review

Peer Review

Submittal Review

Pre-Functional Tests

Functional Performance Test Scripts

Functional Performance Test

Demonstration Tests

Punch list Back Check and Verification

Systems Manual

Warranty Review

Continuous Alarming

Ongoing Commissioning

Future Retro-Commissioning

Develop Tests

Now repeat over

Meanwhile…• Owner wants to move in• MEP punch items being resolved• Cx & Controls teams is trying to “Make it Work”

RESULT: likely Cx result is sub-optimized

and over and over...

An automated whole building diagnosticstool is a software program that takes a top-down approach to diagnostics to detect excess energy consumption of the whole building and its major systems…-ASHRAE

Key to Smart Commissioning

Automated Diagnostics at Caltech

2006 2010

• Research Project RP 1455: develop best of class control sequences• Guideline Project Committee: GPC 36 working on providing uniform detailed sequences and associated functional tests to verify proper implementation.

In line with ASHRAE’s current efforts

Standardization of Control

Sequences

Standardization of Controls Sequences

SkySpark 2014

Automated Diagnostics at Caltech

Case Study: Caltech Beckman

InstituteRetrofitting 27 labs

from analog to digital controls

data points

111 Data Points in each lab

Occupancy

Pressure Offset Supply Temperature

Fume Hood Flow

General Exhaust Flow

Reheat Control

Exhaust Momentum

Bypass AirSash Position

…and multiply with each branch

Data Points start in building controls

j

2485 Data Points in SkySpark

What’s different about smart commissioningSmart Commissioning

OPR Review

BOD Review

Peer Review

Submittal Review

Pre-Functional Tests

Functional Performance Test Scripts

Functional Performance Test

Demonstration Tests

Punch List Back Check and Verification

Systems Manual

Warranty Review

Continuous Alarming

Ongoing Commissioning

Future Retro-Commissioning?

Traditional CommissioningOPR Review

BOD Review

Peer Review

Submittal Review

Pre-Functional Tests

Functional Performance Test Scripts

Functional Performance Test

Demonstration Tests

Punch list Back Check and Verification

Systems Manual

Warranty Review

Continuous Alarming

Ongoing Commissioning

Future Retro-Commissioning

Smart CommissioningTranslating traditional functional performance tests1Running automated process; no longer self performed by installing contractors2Automated diagnostics sent to controls contractor for correction3Enhancing the traditional model4Making Data Work5

Smart CommissioningOPR Review

BOD Review

Peer Review

Submittal Review

Pre-Functional Tests

Functional Performance Test Scripts

Functional Performance Test

Demonstration Tests

Punch List Back Check and Verification

Systems Manual

Warranty Review

Continuous Alarming

Ongoing Commissioning

Future Retro-Commissioning?

Integrated Workspace Management

TRADITIONAL SCRIPTS WITH STEP BY STEP TESTS

SET OF CONDITIONS

SET OF RULES

1 Translating traditional functional performance tests

FIELD VERIFICATION?

Automated Cx requires all the points to be named consistently or taggedwith a searchable convention

Building-NN-AHU-X-FLOOR-##VAV-Y-DAT(F) Building-NN-AHU-X-FLOOR-##VAV-Z-Supply Air Temp(F)

#ERROR- CANNOT FIND DATA

OR

Translating traditional functional performance tests1

The Rules need to be commissioned

Running automated process2

3 Automated diagnostics sent to controls contractor for correction

In the hand-off to warranty, No complaints does not mean the system is optimized.

This approach will find system inefficiency where others will find the job working…

Through continuous testing during the warranty period.

4 Enhancing the traditional model

Making Data Work5Smart Cx

If it’s “too hot” it is too late!

Traditional Cx

• Define the use of automated Cx in project specifications

• Deep coordination needed with controls vendors

• Automated Cx exposes the “copy/paste” nature of controls programming - just “making it work” is not possible with this model

• The process needs to be commissioned…

What we learned

Project Transition

CxDESIGN & CONSTRUCTION R

Cx

Warranty Period

Cx OPERATIONS

SMART COMMISSIONING

• Demonstrated potential for future cost reduction through automated testing

• Faster identification of issues – issues log available at Cx Kickoff

• Able to test all labs with the “hit of a button” – retesting was made much simpler

• Significantly reduced field hours for all players

How we did on goals…

Project Transition

CxDESIGN & CONSTRUCTION R

Cx

Warranty Period

Cx OPERATIONS

SMART COMMISSIONING

Energy ForumOctober 30, 2014 m

what’s to come…

Apply Smart Commissioning in “New” Construction

Caltech:Thomas Laboratory

Major Renovation

Jim Meacham, PEPrincipal

Altura Associates, Inc.jmeacham@alturaassociates.comwww.alturaassociates.com