A large campus in the Bay Area enrolled in the MBPCx Program. The campus consists of 12 buildings, including mixed-use offices, laboratories, and a warehouse. Enovity observed a multitude of performance issues, the causes of which were attributed to improper installation and calibration or poor programming of sequences of operation during construction (issues that would typically be caught in commissioning). These not only led to several operational problems, but also a huge energy penalty.

Through the MBPCx process, Enovity recommended a total of 28 energy efficiency measures that were implemented by the customer. All told, the two projects resulted in annual utility cost savings of more than $500,000 for a total investment cost of approximately $800,000, resulting in a simple payback (with the MBPCx Program’s incentive) of 1.4 years.

About MBPCx

Monitoring-based persistence commissioning is an approach for identifying and correcting performance deficiencies in a building’s energy-using systems on a continuous basis. It combines standard retrocommissioning practices that are proven to achieve substantial energy savings with continuous monitoring to ensure that the energy savings persist over time.

BENEFITS OF MBPCx

The MBPCx process:

Reduces total building energy use. On average, it achieves total annual energy savings of 10 percent and peak-period electricity savings of about five percent.
Identifies hard-to-find issues and energy savings opportunities. Issues such as equipment cycling, simultaneous heating and cooling, or unintended nighttime operation of equipment may not be apparent from periodic measurement or review of utility bills alone.
Improves occupant comfort. The rigorous evaluation can identify issues with lighting or HVAC system control that cause poor indoor air quality or reduce employee productivity.
Increases asset value. Energy savings achieved through MBPCx reduce operating expenses, which can lead to an increase in net operating income for the building owner. It can also achieve credits or points toward LEED^® certification or the ENERGY STAR^® label, which may earn the building a leasing premium.
Ensures that energy savings persist. Continuous monitoring proves that energy savings are being realized, or alerts operators that controls have been overridden or new issues have occurred.