Persistence in Energy Savings From Retro-Commissioning Measures

Retro-commissioning, or RCx, can be an excellent, low-cost way to improve building energy efficiency, by improving the operation of existing equipment. However, energy savings don’t mean much if they don’t persist. Numerous factors including comfort complaints, occupancy changes, or even standard equipment maintenance, can reduce the persistence of RCx measures. Studies have found that RCx energy savings can decrease anywhere from 17% to 30% over two years following the RCx implementation. This makes a persistence plan crucial to the success of RCx measures. In order to maximize the energy benefits of RCx, a peristence plan must be developed that identifies operational factors that may influence measure persistence, and plan training and other follow-up activities to ensure that RCx savings are not lost over time.

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