Articles by Rebecca T. Ellis, P.E.

One of the easiest-to-create commissioning process deliverables is also one of the most valuable to the building owner/operator. I am talking about a master equipment list (MEL).

In these days of COVID-19 uncertainty, everyone in the industry is scrambling to make our buildings as safe as possible for their occupants. 

The biggest beneficiary of new construction commissioning is the building owner/operator.

Continuing with the theme of testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) from my recent columns, this month I would like to suggest that some projects should undertake TAB work first in an existing building renovation and/or addition.

Last month, I described how the air and water testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) contractor is brought into a typical construction project. 

I was reminded recently of the value of testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) coordination for enhancing the efficiency and success of HVAC commissioning. 

I have always enjoyed building systems retro-commissioning because it’s like a super-sized lab experiment. 

One of the most valuable deliverables from a design and construction project are the as-built drawings (often referred to interchangeably as record drawings).

This is my third column presenting a real-life example of how trend analysis, if done thoughtfully, can uncover wasted energy even when the system appears to be functioning well.

Continuing with the theme from last month, this column presents another real-life example of how trend analysis, if done thoughtfully, can uncover wasted energy that no one even suspected.