I’d like to end the fiasco that was 2020 on a hopeful note and talk about building systems operation after the pandemic. Although we are not at that milestone yet, this is a follow-up to my November 2020 column, “Retro-Commissioning for the Pandemic.”
As recommended last month, building owners should have a current facilities requirements (CFR) document explaining the operating intentions for all building systems. With respect to HVAC and any COVID-19 strategies implemented during the pandemic, the CFR should be clear on which strategies were intended to be permanent and which were intended to be temporary. The temporary strategies will be reversed after the pandemic, but to what new state will the HVAC system be set?