It has been shown that commercial buildings account for almost 20% of the total energy consumption in the United States. Of that twenty percent, 10-30% of the energy is wasted due to inefficient and improper operations. Large commercial buildings have started using energy management and control systems in order to manage heating, air conditioning systems and components, and ventilating; yet many buildings are still not properly operated, maintained or commissioned. The lack of correct operation and maintenance causes reduced lifetime of equipment, leads to inefficiencies and higher energy costs.

Re-tuning can be defined as a systematic process that identifies and corrects building operational problems which lead to energy waste, and can reduce energy use of HVAC systems by 5-20%. Building re-tuning is executed by using information gained from the building automation system and primarily targets operational problems. The cost of having a building re-tuned is significantly lower than retro-commissioning, so business can afford to periodically have it done in order to ensure their systems keep working properly and keep operational costs low. In some cases the only cost incurred is that of the labor required to perform the re-tuning process; another low-cost repair can include only having to replace faulty sensors.

Businesses can realize many benefits from having a re-tuning performed including:

• Gaining a Better Performing Facility
• Having Low-Cost/No-Cost Measures That Reduce Energy Expense
• Improved Operation and Maintenance
• Achievable Savings Using Your Building Management System
• Re-Tuning Your Building and Gaining Energy Savings Without Sacrificing Comfort
• Two Year or Less Payback Following Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Re-Tuning Model

To improve your building’s energy efficiency through low-cost and/or no-cost operational improvements, identify opportunities to further increase the building’s energy efficiency, identify the problems that may require physical repair and establish big energy saving opportunities, have your building re-tuned today, and start saving money!