Retro-commissioning—a comprehensive evaluation and optimization of systems in an existing building—is a lengthy process that can deliver considerable building value. William Dillard, marketing manager of Command Commissioning LLC, and Ken Meline, founder and principal, discussed at the 2026 North Texas Facilities Expo how retro-commissioning can fix how current systems work together and improve the whole building’s efficiency.
The 5 Types of Commissioning
There are five ways commissioning is typically applied to buildings, according to Dillard and Meline:
- New and renovation: This bakes commissioning into the process from design through post-occupancy to ensure the building meets the owner’s intent. Think of it as quality assurance for new buildings. Most LEED projects require new building commissioning, Dillard explained.
- Retro-commissioning: This is for buildings that haven’t been previously commissioned, and the intent is to bring the building back to the design intent. Owners may consider retro-commissioning to increase occupant comfort, energy efficiency, and reliability of the facility.
- Re-commissioning: Intended for buildings that have been previously commissioned, this strategy is used when the space’s purpose or the owner’s intent has changed. The owner may opt for re-commissioning to ensure the facility is operating as intended—for example, to make sure the building is as energy-efficient as possible.
- Ongoing commissioning: Think of this strategy as a quality control check, Dillard said. This is a post-commissioning effort to maintain the building’s original intent. It can be used to maintain achieved energy efficiency, reliability, and/or occupant comfort.
- Continuous commissioning: This is a specialized form of ongoing commissioning. You may consider continuous commissioning if you have ongoing operating issues to resolve or want to improve comfort, reduce costs, and train building operators.
Why Owners Choose to Retro-Commission Existing Buildings
Retro-commissioning efforts are typically motivated by one of two factors, Dillard said: financial (typically regarding energy-efficiency concerns) and operational (driven by occupant comfort). “They both contribute to increased reliability of your facility,” said Dillard. “You don’t wake up and say, ‘I’m doing retro-commissioning today.’ There’s a purpose. There’s some kind of inefficiency going on.”
Retro-commissioning benefits the owner in four ways, regardless of what originally drove the retro-commissioning effort:
- Occupant comfort
- Reduced energy costs
- Improved building efficiency
- Improved building operations
It’s important to note that retro-commissioning and facility assessments are not the same, Dillard noted. Retro-commissioning identifies inefficiencies and fixes them. An assessment identifies problems and organizes them into a report for the owner to have fixed.
The most common issue Command Commissioning LLC fixes in retro-commissioning projects is controls-related, noted Meline.
“More often than not, we found that somebody had their own idea on how things should be working, and it had some unintended consequences,” Meline explained. “Normally, if facilities are being retro-commissioned, that means they’ve operated properly at some point. The capacities and function are probably there—something has just gone awry over time.”
How is Retro-Commissioning Funded and Executed?
The retro-commissioning process for existing buildings is like a puzzle with many pieces, Dillard said. The team will build a database to capture your utility bills, occupancy trends, information from a site survey, asset lists, and other details. With this data, they’ll be able to build out corrective measures for your building. Once those items are fixed, the building will operate at its optimal performance level.
You’ll also want to consider how to fund the effort, Dillard added. There are several options for funding. Low-cost loans are available, and you may also be able to obtain rebates and incentives from your utility, state, or the federal government. Retro-commissioning can also be built into capital improvement planning or funds dedicated to obtaining LEED certification.
Many owners rely on a simple payback that’s typically recovered over the next two to three years, Dillard said: “What are you spending right now on your systems?”
