The map is not the territory. Building performance often strays from the intent at the time of design, resulting in pervasive problems. Deficiencies such as design flaws, construction defects, malfunctioning equipment, and deferred maintenance have a host of ramifications, ranging from equipment failure, to compromised indoor air quality and comfort, to unnecessarily elevated energy use or under-performance of energy-efficiency strategies. Fortunately, an emerging form of quality assurance—known as building commissioning—can detect and remedy most deficiencies.
LBNL maintains the world's largest database of actual commissioning project cost and energy savings, and periodically publishes assessments distributed through this website. The assessments begin with compilation of case-study data on costs, energy savings, the patterns of deficiencies and corrective measures, and non-energy benefits. The resulting analyses include valuation of energy savings and cost-effectiveness, energy-savings persistence, and avoidance of greenhouse-gas emissions.
Principal Investigator: Evan Mills
This work has been sponsored by: