The International State of Building System Commissioning

Panel: Energy and Environmental Policy: Planning for Greater Impacts

Authors:
Natascha Castro, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Nobuo Nakahara, Building Services Commissioning Association
Harunori Yoshida, Kyoto University

Abstract

Buildings are a major source of energy consumption and are direct contributors to the significant problems associated with energy dependence and the growing environmental impact of fossil fuel use. Building system commissioning is a quality assurance process designed to improve the operations of existing buildings and the design, construction and operations of future buildings. This process is gaining support in many countries as building owners and other stakeholders see the benefits through real-world projects. Greater investment is needed to scale up the process implementation as a means to realize critical performance goals.

This paper presents an assessment of the international state of building system commissioning in the Asia Pacific, European and North American regions, based on national reports for fifteen countries. The review investigates current practices for both new building and existing building commissioning, highlights a variety of initiatives that are underway, and discusses the local and international mechanisms that are developing the market.