Retro-Commissioning and Indoor Air Quality

We’ve already mentioned the potential energy savings that our retro-commissioning (Retro-Cx) service is able to achieve in an existing building, but another notable benefit is improved occupant comfort (Retro-Commissioning). Poor indoor air quality negatively affects occupant comfort and health, lowering productivity and increasing the number of lost workdays. There are several reasons why occupant comfort and indoor air quality can decrease as buildings age: HVAC equipment wears out or becomes obsolete, room and space functions change, and pollutants affect a building’s indoor environment.

Aging HVAC equipment becomes less efficient over time and eventually may not be able to meet setpoint. Sensors lose accuracy too, causing the system to lose the ability to meet occupant comfort requirements. Retro-Cx identifies which equipment requires repairs, recalibration or replacement to improve occupant comfort in the building. An aging building may require a testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) specialist to inspect the HVAC system as well.

The functions of rooms and spaces in a building change with the occupant’s needs. A space that may have originally been designed for storage might be renovated into a meeting room. If the HVAC equipment that serves this area isn’t upgraded as well, then the room’s new occupants may not get enough fresh air, or the space may not get enough heating or cooling.

Pollutants including biological contaminants, chemicals, and excessive airborne particles affect occupant health. Noise pollution from off-balance HVAC equipment also decreases occupant productivity. Ensuring that proper filtration is used will drastically improve indoor air quality. The Retro-Cx process identifies sources of pollution and develops operating practices to eliminate these pollutants from the conditioned space.

Indoor air quality is closely linked with occupant health and productivity. Retro-Cx improves indoor air quality and operating procedures, reduces energy use, and unlocks the hidden potential in your building.

Retro-Cx: Discover a Goldmine!