How does commissioning tie into life cycle costs for both older and new buildings?
The building commissioning process and life cycle costing are closely related; in order to understand the benefits of commissioning, one must accept that life cycle analysis provides a more accurate picture of a buildings cost. In todays competitive design and construction industry, quality, efficiency, and innovation often play second fiddle to low first cost, substantially increasing the lifetime cost to the building owner. In new buildings, since the one-time investment at the beginning of a project leads to life-long reductions in operating and maintenance costs, the cost of commissioning is less than the cost of not commissioning. In existing buildings, one must ask how current conditions affect productivity and long-term operating costs. If the lack of comfort compromises occupant productivity, going through the commissioning process may prove to be very cost-effective. DAI and others have conducted studies that show a strong correlation between productivity and indoor air qualit
