Data Quality Assurance
Simple QA checks for commissioning project data. Source: Mills, E. and P. Mathew. 2009. “Monitoring-Based Commissioning: Benchmarking Analysis of 24 UC/CSU/IOU Projects”. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Report 1972E [PDF]
Data Item(s) |
QA Check(s) |
QA Execution |
All descriptive fields (free-form text) |
Ensure that text is in appropriate field |
Technical Reviewer |
Building Area |
Is it reasonable by order of magnitude? |
Technical reviewer |
Calculate difference between proposal and final report? If yes, is it explained? |
Calculation in database; |
|
Area with 100% outside air |
Calculate lab area ratio. Is it reasonable based on building description? |
Calculation in database; |
Number of fume hoods (in the case of laboratories) |
Calculate # hoods/ 5000 gsf. Is it reasonable based on building description? |
Calculation in database; |
Building electricity: |
Ensure non-zero value |
Auto validation in report form |
Calculate building kWh/gsf. Is it reasonable? |
Calculation in database; |
|
Calculate % savings. Is magnitude reasonable based on description of ECM? |
Calculation in database; |
|
Building on-peak electricity: baseline, post-retrofit |
Ensure non-zero value |
Auto validation in report form |
Calculate ratio of on-peak to total. Is it reasonable? |
Calculation in database; |
|
Calculate % savings. Is magnitude reasonable based on description of ECM? |
Calculation in database; |
|
Building natural gas: |
Ensure non-zero value if building served by natural gas, and vice versa |
Auto validation in report input form (report should explicitly ask if there is building natural gas) |
Calculate building BTU/gsf. Is it reasonable? |
Calculation in database; |
|
Calculate % savings. Is magnitude reasonable based on description of ECM? |
Calculation in database; |
|
Central plant steam/hotwater: |
Ensure non-zero value if building served by central plant steam/hot water, and vice versa |
Auto validation in report input form (report should explicitly ask if there is central plant steam/hot water) |
Calculate steam/hot water BTU/gsf. Is it reasonable? |
Calculation in database; |
|
Calculate % savings. Is magnitude reasonable based on description of ECM? |
Calculation in database; |
|
Central plant chilled water: |
Ensure non-zero value if building served by central plant chilled water, and vice versa |
Auto validation in report input form (report should explicitly ask if there is central plant chilled water) |
Calculate chilled water ton-hr/gsf. Is it reasonable? |
Calculation in mastersheet; |
|
Calculate % savings. Is magnitude reasonable based on description of ECM? |
Calculation in mastersheet; |
|
Max 15 min. demand: |
Ensure non-zero value |
Auto validation in report form |
Calculate W/sf. Is it reasonable? |
Calculation in mastersheet; |
|
Central plant electricity savings |
If non-zero, ensure building served by central plant chilled water generated from electric chillers |
Auto validation in report form |
Calculate implied efficiency (kW/ton) for electric chillers. Is it reasonable? (Between 0.5 and 2.0 kW/ton) |
Calculation in mastersheet; |
|
Central plant natural gas savings |
If non-zero, ensure building served by central plant steam/hot water or gas-driven chillers |
Auto validation in report form |
Calculate implied efficiency (BTU output/ BTU input) for boilers. Is it reasonable? (Between 50-98%) |
Calculation in mastersheet; |
|
Metering and monitoring costs: Contracted out, in-house |
Ensure that one or both fields are non-zero, and that zero value indicates no cost (and not missing data) |
Auto validation in report input form (report should explicitly ask if metering was in-house and/or contracted out) |
Calculate total metering $/gsf. Is it reasonable? |
Calculation in mastersheet; |
|
Baseline and Cx costs: Contracted out, in-house |
Ensure that one or both fields are non-zero, and that zero value indicates no cost (and not missing data) |
Auto validation in report input form (report should explicitly ask if baseline and Cx was in-house and/or contracted out) |
Calculate total baseline and Cx $/gsf. Is it reasonable? |
Calculation in mastersheet; |