Introduction to the DOE Continuous Commissioning Guidebook-Maximizing Building Energy Performance and Efficiency

Continuous Commissioning (CC) is an ongoing process to resolve operating problems, improve comfort, optimize energy use and identify retrofits for existing commercial and institutional buildings and central plant facilities. CC focuses on optimizing/improving overall system control and operations for the building as it is currently utilized and on meeting existing facility needs. The innovative optimal engineering solutions are developed using engineering based model analysis integrated with the scientific field measurement or experiments. Integrated approaches are used to implement these optimal solutions to ensure local and global system optimization and to ensure persistence of the improved operational schedules. The implementation of CC process can typically decrease building energy consumption by 20%. Authors have completed the CC guidebook with financial support from DOE. This paper introduces the CC guidebook, which includes the CC process, the primary CC techniques and measures, and a case study.