Retro-Commissioning
The Energy Smart Retro-Commissioning offering is available to large commercial and industrial Entergy New Orleans electric customers, including publicly funded Institutions.
Buildings need regular maintenance checks and tune-ups in order to maintain optimal efficiency. Energy Smart connects facility owners and managers with experts and provides financial incentives to ensure that their buildings and the equipment within it are in peak operating conditions for prime energy savings.
Energy Smart’s Retro-commissioning offering helps large commercial and industrial customers save a significant amount of energy and produce paybacks of less than two years with the help of incentives. Through retro-commissioning (RCx), you can manage energy use more effectively, increase tenant comfort and catch small maintenance needs before they become costly repairs.
Retro-Commissioning
RCx is the simple process of improving the performance and energy efficiency of building systems, equipment and operations as a whole. Specialized Trade Allies, called RCx Service Providers, work directly with facility managers to examine all facets of a building, including the structural envelope, building controls, lighting, HVAC, equipment choices, workplace habits, maintenance schedules and operational policies. The Energy Smart Retro-commissioning offering includes low cost measures such as adjustments, recalibrations and process changes that provide quick paybacks. Saving money now can help your company invest in more projects later. Your RSP conducts an RCx Study at your facility, which make recommendations to changes in your systems, equipment and practices that can lead to significant energy and cost savings.
Terminology
- RSP: A Retro-commissioning Service Provider is a specialized Energy Smart Trade Ally who is qualified to assist customers through the RCx process. To find a list of Service Providers click here.
- Opportunity Assessment: A set of screening questions designed to determine well-qualified candidates for RCx.
- RCx Study: A form that when completed and approved, admits a customer into the Retro-commissioning Offering and allows the RSP to conduct a study.
- Study: A comprehensive audit that inspects, assesses and analyzes energy usage. The study identifies and provides savings and cost analysis of low-cost RCx measures.
- Measure Selection Form: A form detailing a set of recommended measures to be implemented.
Eligibility
- Over 100,000 sq. ft. of conditioned space.
- A high average electric energy intensity (flexible threshold, but generally above 22 kWh/sq. ft./yr).
- Robust building control systems.
- Minimum $3,000 implementation spend requirement (in-house labor can be included as a cost).
Incentive structure
| Incentive phase | Incentive rate | Incentive paid |
|---|---|---|
|
Investigation phase |
$0.04/kWh * |
to RSP at completion of investigation study. |
|
RSP verification phase |
$0.05/kWh * – $0.07/kWh ** |
to RSP after project verification is completed |
|
Customer verification phase |
$0.04/kWh *** |
to customer after project verification is completed. |
- *Based on energy saving projected in the opportunity assessment, capped at 10% of pre-implementation annual electricity usage or $25,00, whichever is less.
-
**$0.07/kWh if verification report completed within 6 months of Investigation Phase completion.
$0.06/kWh if completed 6 to 12 months after Investigation Phase completion.
$0.05/kWh thereafter.
Based on verified savings and capped at $100,00 -
***Based on verified savings, and capped at the full cost (labor + materials) of measure implementation or $100,00, whichever is less.
+$300 minimum implementation spend required (in-house labor can be included as a cost).
