Commissioning

Correct Installation of the Relief Air Plenum Pressure Sensor

Wed, 27 May 2026 14:25:50 -0400

A guide to proper relief air plenum pressure sensor installation for stable and effective AHU control.

Combining Equipment Startup with System Commissioning

hmckew@bss-consultant.com (Howard McKew, P.E., C.P.E.) — Wed, 13 May 2026 14:14:44 -0400

Combine equipment startup and system commissioning into a single, streamlined process to improve quality control and efficiency.

Half of the Make-Up Air Units in QSR Kitchens Are Failing, but the Industry has no Way to Know

Thu, 07 May 2026 09:42:37 -0400

A 251-site test-and-balance field study across forty national and regional quick-service brands found 91% running net-negative pressure, 46% of make-up air units not working, and a median imbalance of nearly 1,900 CFM.

Unstable Transitions in HVAC Operations: Humidifier Disable Logic

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:49:57 -0400

An overlooked control logic detail in hospital air handling units led to recurring freezestat trips and heating instability during the winter, illustrating how small automation choices can have big operational impacts.

Unstable Transitions in HVAC Operations: Humidifier Enable Logic

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:53:54 -0500

Commissioning Columnist Miles Ryan shows how a programming oversight caused unexpected humidity control failures during system transitions.

Unstable Transitions in HVAC Operations: Enabling the Economizer

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:30:57 -0500

When air handlers first enable economizer mode, overlooked control sequences can trigger temperature and humidity spikes that pose real risks to critical environments.

Six Trends Reshaping Building Performance in 2026

keatinga@bnpmedia.com (Austin Keating) — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:23:21 -0500

How building owners and operators are rethinking performance, resilience, and compliance as new pressures reshape the industry.

Unstable Transitions in HVAC: Chiller Rotation Part II

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 09:43:41 -0500

HVAC systems experience their most challenging moments during operational transitions – when systems first enable, modes shift, or equipment rotates or stages to meet demand. These brief windows often reveal instability that routine operation may hide.

How One Overlooked Compatibility Check Shut Down a Hospital Boiler System

keatinga@bnpmedia.com (Austin Keating) — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:10:50 -0500

When a bronze valve met incompatible boiler chemicals in a hospital, the result was catastrophic: widespread system failure and costly damage, all avoidable with a single review step, says John Rophael, P.E., mechanical engineer at Engineering Design & Testing Corp.

Unstable Transitions in HVAC Operations: Chiller Rotation Part I

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 11:11:54 -0500

Dive into how chiller rotation sequences in variable flow HVAC systems can unexpectedly disrupt operations – and how refined automation logic can help keep things running smoothly.

Unstable Transitions in HVAC Operations: Operating Room Occupancy Modes

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:25:41 -0500

In Miles Ryan's latest Commissioning column for ES NEWS, he explores why disruptions occur, how simple automation tweaks can prevent energy waste, and what commissioning engineers should look for in the field.

Do Cx Providers Need To Know BAS Programming?

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 12:29:10 -0400

ES NEWS' Commissioning columnist, Miles Ryan, demonstrates how understanding BAS programming enhances system testing and troubleshooting.

Monitoring of Standalone Equipment’s General Alarms

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:19:50 -0400

This article explores why designers lean on BAS integration for critical alarms, highlights the most common points of failure encountered during commissioning, and offers practical guidance for ensuring that alarm notifications are both reliable and truly necessary for your facility operations team.

Tall, Vertical Instrumentation Piping in Central Utility Plants

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 11:53:37 -0400

These two real-world case studies from ES NEWS Commissioning columnist Miles Ryan show how vertical piping and air pockets can throw off your instrumentation, and what you can do to ensure your readings reflect reality.

Enesfere Technologies Unveils Automated Tool to Streamline Building Maintenance and Fault Detection

Thu, 29 May 2025 17:13:50 -0400

Enesfere Technologies, a Lafayette-based provider of building data analytics, has announced the launch of a new software tool designed to automate the commissioning and fault detection process for building HVAC systems.

Launching a New Plumbing Course for the Air Force

Tue, 06 May 2025 12:23:35 -0400

ES NEWS Commissioning columnist Ryan Miles shares his new plumbing coursework with the United States Air Force.

Commissioning Chilled Water Piping Insulation Systems

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 14:31:07 -0400

A multi-year investigation and repair project reveals the critical importance of proper chilled water piping insulation installation and commissioning in residential building, writes ES NEWS Commissioning Columnist Miles Ryan.

HVAC Resilience and Security Standards Need Better Definition

hmckew@bss-consultant.com (Howard McKew, P.E., C.P.E.) — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 12:56:52 -0400

As buildings face an era of unprecedented challenges — from pandemics to security threats — industry experts argue that ASHRAE's handbook must evolve.

Software vs. Hardwired Interlocks: Part II

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 09:40:55 -0500

ES NEWS Commissioning columnist Miles Ryan lays out real-world examples of software and hardwire interlock complications.

Software vs. Hardwired Interlocks: Part I

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 06:00:00 -0500

This project forced ES NEWS commissioning columnist Miles Ryan to think far deeper than he ever wanted to about the concepts of interlocks of where they can go wrong.

Inadequate Project Scheduling, Premature Functional Testing, and End-of-Project Chaos

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 10:53:13 -0500

ES NEWS Columnist Miles Ryan writes this article not just for the commissioning providers out there, but for the controls techs and TAB providers who are consistently set up for failure.

Unrepresentative DAT Readings Downstream of VAV Boxes

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 13:47:42 -0500

DAT readings should be representative of the discharge air being supplied to the space, but this is often not the case, writes ES NEWS Columnist Miles Ryan in his commissioning column.

How New Cx Providers Can Bring Value to Project Teams on Day 1

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 11:04:50 -0500

"For those of you mentoring others new to commissioning, I hope this gets you thinking about what your best advice would be," writes ES NEWS contributor Miles Ryan. "It is a fascinating job, but it can be overwhelming."

AABC to Host Webinar to Improve Air Change Projects

keatinga@bnpmedia.com (Austin Keating) — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 13:40:58 -0400

"We are seeing more engineers and owners wanting field verification of leakage and deflection to prove the unit meets the manufactures leakage and deflection rates," said Jeff Keene.

How to Do Filter Differential Pressure Alarming the Right Way

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 20:45:46 -0400

The differential pressure drop across a filter is dependent on both how loaded (i.e. dirty) the filter is, as well as the airflow across it.

Collaborative Sequence of Operation Development

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The typical evolution of an HVAC system’s sequence of operation (SOO) entails the design engineer writing the narrative for inclusion in the design documents.

Using MAU Cooling Coils as Dry Coolers, Part III

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

This is the third and final installment in the series on using makeup air unit (MAU) cooling coils as dry coolers.

Trinity Consultants Expands Commissioning Capabilities with OTTO Acquisition

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 19:09:20 -0400

OTTO offers a platform and services for commissioning, energy management, and controls professionals to access building analytics for new construction and existing projects.

Using MAU Cooling Coils as Dry Coolers

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Using chilled-water cooling coils within makeup air units (MAUs) as dry coolers offers enhanced operational stability even in lower ambient temperatures. Explore real-world case studies, where smart sequence modifications optimized performance.

Small Town Has Big Electrification Goals

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 20:08:29 -0400

The Board of Dove Creek Bulldogs wanted a “cutting edge” system that would bring Dove Creek’s educational system into the 21st century.