Building Commissioning News

AEC Assists State of California with Building Commissioning Toolkit
January 30, 2007

Architectural Energy Corporation has teamed with the California Department of General Services to create a set of tools to facilitate commissioning of new State buildings smaller than 10,000 sq/ft. This "toolkit" contains templates for documents such as a commissioning plan, owner's project requirements, and basis of design. Also included are test procedures for simple equipment such as packaged rooftop air conditioners and lighting occupancy sensors. The procedures are developed to allow State personnel to perform all commissioning tasks.

The purpose of these toolkit documents is to simplify the commissioning process for small projects while still meeting the requirements of the USGBC's LEED® rating system. By Governor's executive order, all new State projects are to meet LEED® Silver performance levels, though buildings smaller than 10,000 square feet are not required to go through the certification process. The full set of toolkit documents can be downloaded from the State's green building website: State's green building website. AEC's participation in this project was funded by the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program. For more information about that program please click here.

AEC's Commissioning Team to Turn Denver Zoo Animal Waste into Power
April 7, 2006

Architectural Energy Corporation (AEC), a leader in sustainable commissioning consulting, is facilitating the development of turning animal waste from the Denver Zoo into power. The exhaust heat from the process will be used to preheat the heating of the hot water for the Zoo's buildings. It will also be refrigerant free, delivering cooling by indirect/direct evaporative technology. This project is just one of the sustainable strategies AEC's Commissioning team is developing for the Denver Zoo. Currently in the design phase, the Denver Zoo project consists of several buildings that represent the new Asian Tropics Exhibit. The project is slated for LEED® 2.2 certification and incorporates several unique sustainable design strategies.

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Pikes Peak Regional Development Center Receives LEED® Certification
April 3, 2006

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded Certification in Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) to Pikes Peak Regional Development Center (PPRDC). The project's success was in part due to Architectural Energy Corporation (AEC), which served as the Commissioning Agent. The USGBC's website (www.usgbc.org) is now updated to show that on November 28, 2005, PPRDC in Colorado Springs, CO achieved a (LEED) Silver rating with 38 points-just one credit shy of a Gold Certification! The project team treated PPRDC HVAC and lighting systems with AEC's comprehensive and systematic commissioning process from design development, through construction and warranty phases. Using LEED's energy cost budget method calculations, this facility is currently saving more than 50% over the baseline building annual energy costs. Among other accomplishments, this building keeps its only chiller off for many daylight hours, including times of peak demand.

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