Maximize Energy Efficiency for the Long Haul with MBCx Services from Iconergy
As energy consumption and costs continue to rise, chances are you’re looking for a way to make highly efficient, low-cost energy use a mainstay in your building. While you’re at it, you probably want to make efficiency a long-term standard, right?
Well, that’s where monitoring-based commissioning (MBCx) can make a positive impact. Rather than taking a “one-and-done” approach to efficiency, MBCx helps us identify inefficiencies and potential savings opportunities on a continual basis.
This ensures your commercial space operates like a well-oiled machine – remaining energy-compliant, comfortable, and cost-efficient for years to come. And the best part? Monitoring-based commissioning may one day provide a low-cost route to total net zero operations.
So, if you’re looking to maximize energy efficiency for the long term, keep reading! We’ll tell you everything you need to know about MBCx, why it’s important, and the benefits it can provide to your facility.
MBCx is a process that combines automated data analysis, system monitoring, and commissioning to ensure optimal performance and energy efficiency in a building. The process involves the continuous monitoring of a building’s energy consumption and systems, such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, electrical systems, to identify energy waste and potential areas for improvement. Iconergy can even incorporate other sources of data like solar PV, EV chargers, and utility bills.
We utilize sensors, meters, and other monitoring equipment that collect data to provide insights into a building’s energy usage patterns. By continuously monitoring your building’s energy systems, our tools will automatically find opportunities for energy savings and operational improvement.
Wondering how MBCx differs from retro-commissioning (RCx) and commissioning?
Well, you can think of MBCx as the evolution of those services. While RCx and commissioning are not required to perform MBCx, in cases where Iconergy has already provided those services, we can take what we learned about your building and leverage it into further improvements and ensure the original measures we suggested are still performing as expected.
Like all of the professional energy services we provide, our team takes a highly customizable approach to monitoring-based commissioning.
We start every project by getting to know you and your needs, so we can provide a solution that’s tailored to your project objectives. Working collaboratively is key, particularly when it comes to MBCx. Monitoring-based commissioning is a long-term commitment, so we aim to provide long-term solutions.
In other words, we work selectively. Our team doesn’t utilize “one size fits all” solutions because they look good on paper. Instead, our goal is to provide solutions that will provide the greatest value and benefit to your building. With that in mind, we’ll give you the rundown on our MBCx project framework:
The first step is to assess your building and its systems to determine the scope of our MBCx project. We’ll review building plans and equipment schedules, gather information on the various sources of data, and collaborate with all the relevant parties – including IT departments, controls contractors, and facilities staff. We want to ensure everyone has buy-in to the process, and that we meet all the requirements necessary to install and connect our tools.
Based on our data analysis, we’ll begin strategic changes and optimizations to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption. This might involve adjusting system settings, repairing or replacing faulty equipment, installing smart energy systems, and/or upgrading to more energy-efficient equipment.
Iconergy will set up graphs, charts, and other displays in a custom dashboard. You will have access to all the raw BAS and meter data, and we’ll provide training on how to build your own custom views as well. We can set up email notifications to alert you about specific things found in the data, or provide a regular summary of issues/opportunities. If your organization has specific reporting requirements, Iconergy can set up tools to automate much of that process.
Finally, we’ll continuously monitor your building’s energy systems to ensure that they are functioning optimally. Regular data analysis and fine-tuning can help us identify further opportunities for improvement and ensure that the building is achieving optimal energy efficiency over the long term. Iconergy engineers will conduct regular review meetings with staff to go over the findings, and we’ll provide you access to view the data and analysis yourself.
Monitoring-based commissioning (MBCx) is a process that uses real-time data monitoring and analysis to identify, diagnose, and optimize the performance of building systems. MBCx aims to improve energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, and enhance occupant comfort by continually monitoring and adjusting building systems to ensure they are operating at their peak performance.
MBCx is vital because it provides a comprehensive, cost-effective approach to optimizing a building’s energy efficiency. By identifying and correcting problems quickly and efficiently, you can reduce energy consumption, improve occupant comfort, and lower operating costs. This is particularly relevant in today’s economy, where energy prices continue to rise and energy regulations are becoming stricter.
MBCx allows us to identify and address energy inefficiencies in real-time, resulting in improved energy efficiency and reduced energy costs.
MBCx can also improve occupant comfort by ensuring that building systems are functioning optimally. This can be particularly important in buildings that have different occupant requirements, such as hospitals, hotels, and commercial buildings.
MBCx can result in lower operating costs by reducing energy consumption and optimizing equipment performance. Fixing system inefficiencies over time can significantly reduce energy costs in your building.
MBCx can extend the life of your building's equipment by ensuring that it is functioning optimally. By identifying and addressing problems quickly, MBCx can help prevent premature wear and tear, thereby lengthening the lifespan of your equipment.
MBCx can increase your building’s value by improving its energy efficiency and reducing operating costs. This is particularly important if you’re looking to sell your properties or attract tenants.
MBCx can store and display all your building and energy data – BAS trend logs, utilities, renewables, EV charging, emissions – in one easy-to-use interface. You own all the data, and can export it at anytime.
Monitoring-Based Commissioning (MBCx) is a proven process, and the benefits speak for themselves. Improved energy efficiency, enhanced comfort, lower operating costs, better data management, and increased building value are just a few pros of an MBCx project.
Moreover, an MBCx project means you’ll be getting the energy upgrades you need when you need them. Consistent monitoring allows us to be strategic with new system installations, so your building will remain efficient without extra costs.
And there’s no better time to get started—with the cost of energy on the rise and new, more stringent building performance standards, optimizing your building sooner will pay dividends in the near future.
So, why not start today? To learn more about optimizing your building with MBCx, click here to contact us! Otherwise, click here to return to our services page.
Iconergy is composed of experienced energy engineering and design-build experts who have come together through their shared commitment to one principle: How customers are served is just as important as correctly calculating BTUs and delivering projects on time and on budget.
Iconergy participated in the Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) Building Tune-Up program to provide retro-commissioning and monitoring-based commissioning services for The Lincoln Center. The facility was a 74,143 square foot entertainment facility that houses auditoriums, ballrooms, and offices for the City of Fort Collins. Iconergy staff identified an annual electrical energy savings of 96,661 kWh, 11,200 therms/year of annual energy savings totaling to $10,213 in savings with a half year payback.
Services: Monitoring Based Commissioning (MBCx), Retro-Commissioning (RCx)