Existing Building Services

Existing Building Commissioning

The majority of existing buildings have not undergone any type of commissioning or quality assurance process. Over time building performance degrades due to operational and occupancy changes. Most buildings are performing well below their potential, use more energy than necessary and cost more to operate than they should. Existing building commissioning involves investigating, analyzing, and optimizing the performance of building systems through operational and maintenance improvement measures and ensuring their continued performance. The process assists in making the building systems perform interactively to meet the owner’s current facility requirements.

HEA is a NYSERDA FlexTech Consultant and can help secure funding to provide retro-commissioning services through the FlexTech program.

On-going Commissioning

This process is the key to smart energy use and cost control. It consists of collecting, storing, analyzing and reporting data that is analyzed to optimize energy performance and efficiency by giving end users the ability to make informed, effective energy decisions. HEA will develop and apply a systematic process for improving and optimizing building operations for your facilities.

  • Meters will collect energy consumption information on a 24/7 basis. This information can be accessed and analyzed in real-time.
  • Powerful software will collect the data and measure, monitor and manage energy consumption and expense across all utilities.
  • Engineers will be able to expertly analyze this information to provide innovative and efficient energy management solutions.
  • Engineers will then visit the facility and resolve any issues, armed with effective information and resolutions.

Energy Audits (Levels I, II and III)

Why get an audit? Most existing buildings don’t perform as well as they could.

The cost of energy to heat, cool, and light buildings is skyrocketing. An Energy Audit by HEA is the most cost-effective way to define exactly how your energy is being used, where it is used effectively or wasted, and the full range of opportunities you have to take action to reduce your costs.

HEA surveys and documents your building’s energy usage through a precise, hands-on, and systematic process. We prepare a detailed Energy Profile of your heating, cooling, lighting and water usage systems, and all other equipment that significantly affects your energy consumption. A wide variety of factors, from past usage and maintenance practices to weather data, can be incorporated to provide you with a clear and complete picture, along with descriptive narratives to ensure that all the data is easy to understand. HEA follows the ASHRAE - Procedures for Commercial Building Energy Audits guideline for performing energy audits.

HEA is a NYSERDA FlexTech Consultant and can help secure funding to provide energy audit services through the FlexTech program.

Local Law 87: Energy Audits and Retro-commissioning

All buildings, in NYC, over 50,000 square feet must file an Energy Efficiency Report (EER) with the Department of Buildings. The EER consists of an ASHRAE Level II energy audit and retro-commissioning study of base building systems. EERs are due once every 10 years, starting in 2013. They are due in a staggered schedule based on the last digit of the building's tax block number. Base building systems include systems or subsystems that use energy or impact energy consumption including: building envelope, HVAC systems, conveying systems, domestic hot water systems and electrical/lighting systems.

Local Law 97 Services and Strategies

Local Law 97 sets emissions intensity limits (metric tons of CO2e per square foot) for 10 building categories based on Building Code Occupancy Groups. These limits are used to determine the amount buildings will be fined under Local Law 97 by comparing these limits to the total emissions the building produces. Calculating total emissions for every building depends on an “emission factor” that is applied to each source of energy (e.g. natural gas, electricity or district steam) based on its associated carbon pollution and the total amount of energy used for each source. Because the fines under Local Law 97 are substantially more severe than those of other similar local laws, a long-term energy and carbon reduction strategy is a valuable investment. HEA can help you create a tailored approach unique to your building’s needs and identify the options available to reduce energy, GHG emissions and the associated Local Law 97 fines for your building.

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