Commercial Building Maintenance: Commissioning, Recommissioning, Retro-Commissioning – What’s The Difference?



Once upon a time, your commercial property was nothing more than a plan on a blueprint. Architects, engineers, and systems designers all came together to put up your commercial building in the best and most efficient way possible.

At least, that was the plan.

Commercial Building Maintenance

Commissioning is that process, that plan. It’s the process of ensuring the entire building’s operational systems – mechanical, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, etc – all come together and work at optimal performance. Commissioning ensures things like:

  • All equipment is sized correctly for the building
  • All equipment is installed according to manufacturer’s guidelines
  • All settings are matched according to how the building will be used

Commissioning also takes place whenever a new system is installed to replace outdated equipment. If you have a new build or a major addition, commissioning will ensure your systems are as optimal as possible.

Recommissioning takes a look at your building’s operations and works to make it more efficient. Every day your systems are in use, equipment begins to wear. Recommissioning comes in at some point in the future, examines the operating equipment, and looks to make repairs that will return your systems to their most efficient status.

With recommissioning, every system in the building is looked at and examined, with maintenance and clean-up work performed to ensure all systems are reset as if they were new.

Retro-commissioning works to make a building efficient when it was never properly commissioned in the first place. Retro-commissioning often occurs in industrial buildings, schools or hospitals. If a building was built decades before, it probably has a host of opportunities for cost savings and energy efficiencies.

What condition is your commercial property in? When was the last time your HVAC, plumbing, or electrical system was audited to determine what impact improvements could make on efficiencies?

If you can’t remember when, maybe now is the time.

Recent Posts

What Are Greywater Recycling Systems?

Water Recycling: Challenges and Solutions

Electronic Gas Leak Detection: Different Types of Technologies

Get in Touch

Name(Required)
Address(Required)
By clicking “submit” as my electronic signature, I consent to RS Andrews Services Inc. and its representatives using the contact information that I have provided (including a wireless phone number, if provided) to contact me by mail, phone, fax, text, and/or email about my request and to send me marketing communications, including through the use of automated telephone dialing systems and/or artificial or prerecorded voice messages. I understand this consent is not a condition for purchasing any property goods or services. I understand that message frequency varies and phone carrier message and data rates may apply. I understand I can opt-out of marketing communications using means provided in the communications (such as texting STOP in response to a text message) or contacting us at 770-454-1800 or customercare@rsandrews.com.

Heater on the fritz? Frustrated with plumbing problems? R.S. Andrews is just a call away!