--- title: Why Recommission description: Recommissioning can help to diagnose the source of building issues causing higher energy costs and other negative side-effects. image: https://blog.melinkcorp.com/hubfs/Darren%20RTU.jpg --- - [Services](https://melinkcorp.com/services/) - - - [Services Overview](https://melinkcorp.com/services/) - [Building Commissioning](https://melinkcorp.com/services/building-commissioning/) - [Test, Adjust & Balance](https://melinkcorp.com/services/test-adjust-and-balance/) - [Test, Adjust & Balance FAQs](https://melinkcorp.com/services/test-adjust-balance-faqs/) - - #### Why we do what we do “We’ll build a 7 figure new store and we’ll fight with the A/C or negative air pressure for months or years, all because the equipment was never set up properly, causing problems that extend for the life of the building. Your reports allow us to know everything is set the way it should be from the beginning.” *Director of Facilities for a national restaurant chain* - [Kitchen Hood Controls](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/) - - - [Intelli-Hood Overview](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/) - [Intelli-Hood FAQs](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/intelli-hood-faqs/) - [Intelli-Hood Resources](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/intelli-hood-resources/) - - #### Why we do what we do > “Our engineering department worked with the engineers from each of our hotel brands and fully evaluated Intelli-Hood. Everyone is convinced that this is one of our most cost-effective paths to sustainability.” > > *SVP Operations New Development at Leading Global Hotel Chain* [tel:15139657300](tel:15139657300) - [Services](https://melinkcorp.com/services/) - [Building Commissioning](https://melinkcorp.com/services/building-commissioning/) - [Test, Adjust & Balance](https://melinkcorp.com/services/test-adjust-and-balance/) - [Test, Adjust & Balance FAQs](https://melinkcorp.com/services/test-adjust-balance-faqs/) - [Kitchen Hood Controls](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/) - [Intelli-Hood Resources](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/intelli-hood-resources/) - [Intelli-Hood FAQs](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/intelli-hood-faqs/) [About](https://melinkcorp.com/about/) - [Green Buildings](https://melinkcorp.com/about/melink-green-buildings/) - [Careers](https://melinkcorp.com/about/careers/) - [Contact](https://melinkcorp.com/contact/) # Green Link Sharing our expertise to help you succeed ![](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/hubfs/Darren%202x3-1.png) [Darren Witter](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/author/darren-witter) 9/19/19 8:00 AM [Energy Efficiency](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/topic/energy-efficiency) [Building Health](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/topic/building-health) [Construction](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/topic/construction) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [Building commissioning](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/the-case-for-commissioning) is often viewed as a one-time procedure performed during a building’s initial construction, among hundreds of other tasks.  (That is, if commissioning was even performed at all… which is another topic in itself!)   [Commissioning is an investment to ensure that the newly constructed systems were indeed installed correctly and operating properly](https://melinkcorp.com/test-balance/building-commissioning).  So then, if a building was already commissioned, why would you want to recommission it? Before answering that, we should first define what recommissioning is...   #### What is Recommissioning?  Simply put, recommissioning is a process that helps get a building back to the operational performance that was intended from the initial design and construction.  It’s much like a tune-up for your car.  Commissioning occurs during the design and construction of a building.  Add the “re” to commissioning, and it implies that you are “commissioning again” an existing building that was previously commissioned. In a similar way, when you add “retro” to commissioning, it implies that you are “going back and commissioning” an existing building that was never commissioned before.  According to the Building Efficiency Initiative, “it can often resolve problems that occurred during design or construction, or address problems that have developed throughout the building’s life as equipment has aged, or as building usage has changed.”   #### When Should Recommissioning Be Performed? Recommissioning is often and best done on a planned, recurring basis. This is because buildings change over time. Just because a building’s systems were optimized when it was first commissioned, doesn’t mean they will stay that way forever.  As with most things, building systems wear and their performance degrades over time. For example, a building may undergo a remodel or its space use may change; pieces of equipment fail and are replaced; control set-points are tampered with; and sensors fall out of calibration. Recommissioning can help to diagnose the source of issues and identify building systems that have drifted, leading to higher energy costs and other negative side-effects. Such issues include duct air leakage, HVAC and lighting left on while a space is unoccupied, airflow not balanced, dampers and economizers not working properly, improper setup or failure of controls, and much more. Identifying and correcting these issues through a recommissioning process will lead to significant energy savings.  According to a report by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, commissioning produced a 16% median energy savings in existing buildings with a payback time of 1.1 years.  Furthermore, recommissioning results in a healthier and more comfortable environment for the building occupants, which is not as easy to quantify as energy savings but is even more impactful to an organization’s success.   [Melink can help with your commissioning and recommissioning needs](https://melinkcorp.com/test-balance/building-commissioning). Leave a comment below or contact us at (513) 965-7300.     ![Darren Witter](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/hubfs/Darren%202x3-1.png) #### About [Darren Witter](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/author/darren-witter) Darren Witter, Sr. Vice President, has been with Melink Corporation since 1996. He has served in a variety of capacities including engineering, product development, manufacturing, field services, and management. Darren earned a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Cincinnati and is a State of Ohio Professional Engineer (PE). He is also qualified as a LEED Accredited Professional and a NEBB Certified Professional. After working in and leading many of the functional areas of the company, Darren is now focused on highly strategic programs and leverages his knowledge and experience to guide and develop employee-owners throughout the organization. For more than 35 years, Melink has helped commercial building owners improve the health, comfort, and energy impact of their facilities across the U.S. and world. ## Most Popular Blog Posts ### Recent Posts ### VIEW BLOG POSTS BY TOPIC - [HVAC Test & Balance (50)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/hvac-test-balance) - [DCKV (49)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/dckv) - [Employee Owned (35)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/employee-owned) - [Energy Efficiency (27)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/energy-efficiency) - [Building Health (21)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/building-health) - [Climate Change (13)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/climate-change) - [Construction (10)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/construction) - [Commissioning (8)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/commissioning) - [Green (8)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/green) - [Renewable Energy (6)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/renewable-energy) - [Corp (5)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/corp) - [Zero-Energy Building (5)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/zero-energy-building) - [Electric Vehicle (4)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/electric-vehicle) - [Solar PV (3)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/solar-pv) - [HQ2 (2)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/hq2) - [Geothermal (1)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/geothermal) See all ## Most Recent Blog Posts ### Recent Posts ### Subscribe to Email Updates ## CONTACT US **Global Headquarters:** Melink Campus 5140 River Valley Road Milford, OH 45150 USA 513-965-7300 © Copyright 2025, Melink Corporation. 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