Is Your Building Wasting Energy (and Money)? How Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx) Can Fix That

Daniel Josling
Jul 24, 2025
3 min read

You’re paying for energy you don’t need. Here’s how to stop.

If your building feels too hot in one room, too cold in another, has rising energy bills, or keeps your maintenance team running in circles, you're not alone. As buildings age and usage patterns shift, systems that once ran efficiently begin to falter. That drift leads to discomfort, inefficiency, and higher costs.

The good news? You may not need a major equipment upgrade. You may just need Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx).

Also known as retro-commissioning, EBCx is a low-capital, high-impact way to get your building systems back on track—often delivering energy savings of 5–15% with payback in under two years.

What Is EBCx, Really?

EBCx is a targeted tune-up for your building’s systems, including HVAC, lighting, controls, and more. It’s not about replacing what you’ve got. It’s about making what you already have work better.

Over time, systems drift. Sensors fall out of calibration. Controls are overridden. Equipment runs unnecessarily. EBCx uses data, testing, and expert insight to find and fix those issues—restoring performance and reducing cost.

Unlike commissioning for new construction, which verifies that things are installed and working from day one, EBCx brings existing buildings back to optimal performance based on how they're used today.

7 Key Benefits of EBCx

1. Lower Energy Bills

Fixes issues such as simultaneous heating and cooling, faulty sensors, and inefficient control sequences.
Typical energy savings: 5–15% with quick payback periods.

2. Better Comfort

Rebalances airflow and fine-tunes controls to eliminate hot/cold zones.
Boosts occupant satisfaction and productivity.

3. Longer Equipment Life

Reduces wear and tear by preventing systems from operating harder than necessary.

4. Lower Maintenance Costs

Cuts down on emergency calls and recurring issues.
Frees up your facilities team for proactive work.

5. Improved Documentation

Updates your records to reflect how systems actually operate today.
A huge win for future upgrades, audits, and asset management.

6. Supports Sustainability Goals

Reduces greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.
Can contribute to certifications like LEED and ENERGY STAR.

7. Seasonal Savings

Especially valuable before summer or winter peak demand periods.
Optimized systems reduce cooling strain and avoid costly demand charges.

Real-World Value from EBCx

Through our team’s experience in working with school boards, hospitals, and universities, we’ve seen how existing building commissioning (EBCx) can deliver significant improvements—often without major capital costs.

Common findings include control system overrides that keep HVAC equipment running after hours or misconfigured control sequences that introduce excessive amounts of outdoor air. These seemingly minor problems can drive up energy use and reduce occupant comfort.

Through a targeted EBCx process, we corrected those settings, updated control sequences, and trained staff. The result?

Energy savings of hundreds of thousands of kWh per year
Payback periods under two years for many low-cost measures
Better comfort, particularly in classrooms and patient areas
Staff empowerment, maintenance teams gained visibility and control over system performance

These are not outlier results. EBCx consistently delivers measurable benefits in institutional buildings, especially those with aging systems and limited capital budgets.

What Does the EBCx Process Look Like?

1. Planning

Define goals, assemble the team, review documentation, and build a commissioning plan.

2. Investigation

Site walkthroughs, building automation system (BAS) data review, staff interviews, and functional testing to identify root causes.

3. Implementation

Prioritize low- or no-cost fixes first. Roll out improvements. Verify resolution.

4. Turnover

Train your team, update documentation, and provide a summary report of outcomes.

5. Ongoing Optimization (Optional but Smart)

Monitor performance, solicit occupant feedback, and re-tune as needed.

Why Act Now?

Energy costs aren’t going down. Occupant expectations aren’t either. And sustainability is more than a buzzword — it’s a mandate.

EBCx is a fast, effective way to:

Reduce waste
Improve system reliability
Hit ESG targets
Avoid future capital expenses

Best of all, it gives your facilities team the tools and data they need to succeed.

Partner with Experts Who Know the Process Inside and Out

At Aladaco Consulting Inc., we don’t just identify problems; we help you solve them. Our team guides clients through the full EBCx process, delivering:

Data-backed insights
Hands-on implementation
Staff training
Sustainable, long-term results

We focus on operational improvements first, maximizing returns without incurring major capital expenditures.

Let’s Talk About Your Building

Whether you're a facility manager, sustainability lead, or operations director, the first step is a conversation.

Book a no-pressure consultation to learn how EBCx could unlock value in your facility.