Last updated: June 26, 2026

What is monitoring-based commissioning?

Monitoring-Based Commissioning, often called MBCx, is a data-driven process that continuously monitors building systems, analyzes performance, identifies operational issues, and helps facility teams correct problems before they become expensive.

Instead of commissioning a building once and hoping performance holds, MBCx uses ongoing trend data, energy analytics, building automation system information, fault detection, and verification methods to keep HVAC and related systems operating as intended over time.The U.S. Department of Energy describes ongoing commissioning as a process that includes planning, point monitoring, system testing, performance verification, corrective action response, measurement, and documentation to proactively address building operating problems. Monitoring-based commissioning is one of the key approaches used for this ongoing process. [energy.gov]

Modern commissioning standards reinforce this shift toward continuity. ASHRAE/IES Standard 202-2024 frames commissioning as a lifecycle activity that begins at a building's inception and continues to support successful performance through training, documentation, and ongoing verification — not a process that ends at turnover.

For property managers, chief engineers, facility directors, and healthcare facility teams, MBCx helps answer a simple question:

Is the building actually performing the way it is supposed to perform today?

In many buildings, the answer changes over time.

Schedules drift. Sensors fall out of calibration. Control sequences get overridden. Dampers stick. Valves leak by. Tenants change. Occupancy patterns shift. Equipment is repaired, replaced, or adjusted. The building that performed well after a commissioning project can slowly become inefficient, uncomfortable, or unreliable.

Monitoring-based commissioning is designed to catch that drift.

Why monitoring-based commissioning matters

Commercial buildings are full of systems that depend on timing, controls, sensors, airflow, water flow, pressure relationships, temperature setpoints, and equipment sequencing. When one piece falls out of alignment, the building may still "work," but it may be wasting energy, creating comfort complaints, or hiding mechanical issues.

MBCx helps facility teams move from reactive troubleshooting to proactive performance management.

Common issues found through monitoring-based commissioning include:

• Air handling units running outside occupied schedules
• Simultaneous heating and cooling
• Economizers that are not operating correctly
• Failed or drifting temperature, humidity, pressure, or airflow sensors
• Excessive static pressure
• Short cycling equipment
• Chilled water or hot water valves leaking by
• VAV boxes operating outside expected ranges
• Poor discharge air temperature control
• Unnecessary after-hours operation
• Energy spikes that do not match occupancy or weather
• Control sequences that no longer match current building use

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory describes MBCx as a way to maintain and continuously improve building performance over time, often using tools such as fault detection and diagnostics, energy information systems, and building automation system trend logs. [bies.lbl.gov]

That distinction matters. MBCx is not just a dashboard. It is a process.

A dashboard can show data. MBCx turns that data into verified operational improvements.

How does monitoring-based commissioning work?

A successful MBCx process usually includes five core steps.

1. Establish the building performance baseline

Before improvements can be made, the facility team needs to understand how the building is currently operating. This includes reviewing utility data, BAS trends, equipment schedules, setpoints, sequence of operations, comfort complaints, maintenance history, and prior commissioning or TAB reports.

The goal is to answer:

• What is normal for this building?
• What is abnormal?
• Which systems are consuming the most energy?
• Which issues create the most risk?
• Which equipment should be monitored first?

For large or complex facilities, the first focus is often HVAC, central plant equipment, air handling systems, critical spaces, and high-energy-use areas.

2. Collect system and energy data

MBCx relies on data from systems such as:

• Building automation systems
• Energy meters
• Electrical submeters
• Chilled water and hot water meters
• Temperature sensors
• Humidity sensors
• Pressure sensors
• Airflow stations
• Occupancy schedules
• Fault detection and diagnostics platforms
• Energy management information systems

The Better Buildings Solution Center notes that an MBCx plan helps define the process, roles, responsibilities, monitoring approach, and use of energy management information systems for ongoing analytics. [betterbuildings.energy.gov]

This planning step is important because more data does not automatically create better performance. The right data needs to be collected, reviewed, prioritized, and acted on.

3. Analyze trends and identify faults

Once data is collected, the commissioning team reviews trends and analytics to identify performance issues. Some findings may come from automated fault detection. Others require engineering review and field validation.

Examples include:

• A fan running continuously because of an incorrect schedule
• A cooling valve open while the heating valve is also open
• A supply air temperature reset strategy that is not functioning
• A static pressure setpoint that is too high
• A sensor reading that does not match field conditions
• A rooftop unit locked in mechanical cooling when economizer operation is available

This is where MBCx separates itself from simple energy reporting. The goal is not only to see that energy use increased. The goal is to find out why.

4. Implement corrective actions

After issues are identified, the facility team or commissioning provider develops corrective actions. These may include:

• Adjusting equipment schedules
• Recalibrating sensors
• Updating control sequences
• Resetting static pressure, supply air temperature, or chilled water temperature strategies
• Repairing actuators, valves, dampers, or sensors
• Correcting BAS programming issues
• Updating alarms and limits
• Training operators on new control strategies
• Verifying that systems match current facility requirements

Many MBCx improvements are operational and low-cost compared to major capital projects. That is one reason the process can be attractive for property managers looking for measurable improvements without immediately replacing equipment.

5. Verify results and continue monitoring

The final step is verification. The team confirms that the corrective action worked and that the issue did not return.

This may include:

• Before-and-after trend comparisons
• Energy use normalization
• Comfort complaint review
• Functional testing
• BAS alarm review
• Updated commissioning documentation
• Monthly or quarterly performance reports

The Department of Energy notes that continuous monitoring can help identify equipment inefficiencies as they occur, allowing for faster remediation and greater energy and cost savings. [energy.gov]

That is the point of MBCx. It keeps looking.

Monitoring-based commissioning vs. retro-commissioning

Monitoring-based commissioning and retro-commissioning are related, but they are not the same.

A practical way to think about it:

• Retro-commissioning finds and fixes existing problems.
• Monitoring-based commissioning helps keep those problems from coming back.

The Department of Energy identifies monitoring-based commissioning as one approach within ongoing commissioning for existing buildings. [energy.gov]

For many buildings, the best path is not choosing one or the other. It uses RCx to correct known deficiencies, then MBCx to maintain performance.

What building systems benefit most from MBCx?

MBCx can be applied to many building systems, but the greatest value is often found in systems with high energy use, operational complexity, or comfort sensitivity.

HVAC systems

HVAC is usually the first focus because it is often one of the largest energy users in commercial buildings. MBCx can help optimize air handlers, rooftop units, VAV systems, chilled water systems, hot water systems, pumps, fans, economizers, and control sequences.

Central plants

Chillers, boilers, cooling towers, pumps, and heat exchangers benefit from continuous monitoring because small inefficiencies can create significant energy waste.

Critical environments

Healthcare, laboratory, cleanroom, pharmaceutical, and other controlled environments require tighter management of pressure, airflow, temperature, humidity, filtration, and ventilation. In these spaces, MBCx can support performance, compliance readiness, and operational awareness.

Large commercial office buildings

Office buildings often experience changes in occupancy, tenant schedules, after-hours use, and space configurations. MBCx helps align system operation with actual building use.

Buildings pursuing LEED or performance goals

USGBC includes monitoring-based commissioning as part of enhanced commissioning pathways, and describes it as a method that provides building owners, operators, and commissioning authorities with a continual stream of information to identify operational issues as they occur. [usgbc.org]

What are the benefits of monitoring-based commissioning?

Lower energy use

MBCx helps identify waste that may not be visible during routine building operation. Examples include unnecessary runtime, simultaneous heating and cooling, improper economizer operation, and reset strategies that are not working.

ACEEE reported that monitored commissioning programs showed average energy and peak demand savings of approximately 9 percent across reviewed programs. [aceee.org]

Better comfort

Comfort complaints often come from hidden system issues. MBCx helps identify temperature control problems, airflow issues, scheduling problems, and control instability before they become recurring complaints.

Improved equipment reliability

When systems operate outside intended parameters, equipment can experience additional wear. MBCx helps identify short cycling, excessive runtime, valve leakage, pressure problems, and control issues that can shorten equipment life.

Stronger operating visibility

MBCx gives operators a clearer view of how the building is actually performing. This helps prioritize maintenance, capital planning, and corrective actions.

More persistent savings

Performance improvements can fade over time if no one is monitoring them. MBCx helps maintain savings by detecting system drift and performance degradation.

The Department of Energy identifies energy savings persistence, improved measurement and verification, and better O&M prioritization as key benefits of using monitoring-based commissioning in performance contracts. [energy.gov]

Better documentation

A good MBCx process creates a record of findings, actions, verification steps, and performance trends. This documentation is useful for property managers, engineers, ownership groups, capital planning teams, and compliance-focused facilities.

Is MBCx only for large buildings?

MBCx is especially valuable for large, complex, or energy-intensive buildings, but it is not limited to them.

Buildings that are strong candidates for MBCx usually have:

• A building automation system
• Meaningful energy consumption
• HVAC complexity
• Recurring comfort complaints
• High operating costs
• Critical spaces
• Performance or sustainability goals
• A facility team capable of acting on findings
• Ownership support for ongoing optimization

ACEEE found that many programs focus on buildings larger than 50,000 square feet with existing building energy management systems, although simplified approaches can also work for smaller buildings and portfolios. [aceee.org]

For smaller buildings, the scope may be narrower. Instead of full-building analytics, the process may focus on schedules, energy trends, rooftop units, BAS alarms, and key comfort or energy issues.

What does monitoring-based commissioning cost?

The cost of MBCx depends on building size, system complexity, analytics software, metering needs, BAS readiness, commissioning scope, and the level of engineering review required.

The bigger question is usually not "What does MBCx cost?"

It is:

What is the building currently spending because no one is catching operational waste?

Energy waste, comfort complaints, emergency repairs, overtime troubleshooting, premature equipment wear, and recurring control issues all carry a cost.

ACEEE noted that one study found an average simple payback period of about two years for MBCx, with average energy and peak demand savings near 9 percent across reviewed programs. [aceee.org]

Actual results vary, and not every building will produce the same return. The best candidates are buildings where the operating team is willing to implement corrective actions and verify results. Utility incentive programs, covered below, can also meaningfully shorten that payback period.

Utility incentives for monitoring-based commissioning

Many utilities now offer financial incentives specifically for MBCx programs, which can significantly offset the cost of software, metering, and ongoing services.

Examples of how these programs typically work:

• Cost coverage. Some programs cover a portion — occasionally up to 100 percent — of trade ally or service provider fees, including software integration costs.
• Performance-based payouts. Most programs pay incentives based on verified energy savings rather than a flat fee, which is one reason the verification step in the MBCx process matters for incentive eligibility, not just internal reporting.
• Per-unit incentive rates. Some utilities structure incentives around rates such as dollars per kWh and per therm saved, often capped at a percentage of total implementation cost.
• Eligibility requirements. Common requirements include a minimum annual energy consumption threshold, a functional building automation system, a minimum monitoring contract term (commonly 18 months or longer), and a building that has not been recently commissioned.
• Qualified providers. Many programs require work to be performed by a pre-approved engineering firm or "trade ally," sometimes called a Qualified Service Provider (QSP).

Programs and eligibility criteria vary significantly by utility, region, and building type. Property managers and facility directors should check with their local electric or gas utility, or a regional energy efficiency program, to confirm current incentive availability, funding caps, and qualification requirements before scoping an MBCx project. Building incentive eligibility into the MBCx plan early — rather than as an afterthought — also makes the reporting and verification requirements easier to satisfy.

What data should be tracked during MBCx?

The best data points depend on the building, but common MBCx trend points include:

• Whole-building electric demand
• Gas consumption
• Chilled water demand
• Hot water demand
• Supply air temperature
• Return air temperature
• Mixed air temperature
• Outside air temperature
• Space temperature
• Relative humidity
• Static pressure
• Differential pressure
• Airflow
• Damper position
• Valve position
• Fan speed
• Pump speed
• Equipment status
• Occupancy schedules
• Alarm history
• Zone-level heating and cooling calls

In critical environments, additional monitoring may include room pressure, air change rates, exhaust system performance, humidity control, temperature stability, and ventilation compliance indicators.

The point is not to trend everything forever. The point is to trend the right points and review them with enough context to make decisions.

Common mistakes with monitoring-based commissioning

MBCx can fail when it becomes software without ownership.

Collecting data without reviewing it

A building can have years of trend data and still operate poorly if no one is analyzing the information.

Relying only on automated fault detection

Fault detection tools are useful, but they do not replace engineering judgment, field verification, or knowledge of how the building is supposed to operate.

Ignoring the sequence of operations

Many building issues come from sequences that are outdated, poorly written, overridden, or no longer aligned with current use.

Failing to verify corrective actions

Closing a work order is not the same as confirming the system now performs correctly.

Not involving operators

Chief engineers and facility teams understand how the building behaves day to day. Their input is critical to identifying practical, durable solutions.

Treating MBCx as a one-time project

MBCx works best as an ongoing process. If monitoring stops, performance drift can return.

How to get started with monitoring-based commissioning

A practical MBCx rollout can start with a focused approach.

Step 1: Identify priority systems

Start with systems that have the greatest impact on energy, comfort, risk, or compliance.

Step 2: Review available data

Determine what data already exists in the BAS, meters, utility bills, prior reports, and maintenance records.

Step 3: Validate sensor accuracy

Bad data leads to bad decisions. Confirm that key sensors and meters are accurate enough to support analysis.

Step 4: Define performance goals

Goals may include reducing energy use, improving comfort, stabilizing critical environments, reducing runtime, improving central plant performance, or supporting sustainability reporting.

Step 5: Develop an MBCx plan

The plan should define systems, trend points, review frequency, responsibilities, reporting, corrective action workflow, and verification methods.

Step 6: Analyze, correct, verify, repeat

The value of MBCx comes from the loop: find issues, fix issues, verify results, and keep monitoring.

Final thought

Monitoring-based commissioning gives building teams a better way to manage performance. It does not depend on guesswork, annual walkthroughs, or waiting for complaints. It uses real operating data to identify problems, prioritize corrective actions, and verify that improvements actually worked.

For property managers and chief engineers, the value is simple: fewer surprises, better visibility, lower waste, and a building that stays closer to its intended performance.

A building does not stay optimized on its own. MBCx gives the team a process to keep it there.

FAQ: Monitoring-Based Commissioning

What is monitoring-based commissioning?

Monitoring-based commissioning is an ongoing process that uses building data, analytics, and verification to continuously improve building system performance. It helps identify energy waste, comfort issues, control problems, and equipment faults.

What does MBCx stand for?

MBCx stands for Monitoring-Based Commissioning.

How is MBCx different from retro-commissioning?

Retro-commissioning is usually a project-based effort to improve an existing building. MBCx is an ongoing process that uses continuous monitoring and analytics to maintain and improve performance over time.

What systems are included in monitoring-based commissioning?

MBCx often focuses on HVAC systems, central plants, building automation systems, energy meters, lighting controls, and critical environment controls. The exact scope depends on the building.

Does MBCx save energy?

Yes, MBCx can reduce energy waste by identifying operational problems such as unnecessary runtime, simultaneous heating and cooling, poor scheduling, incorrect setpoints, and malfunctioning controls. ACEEE reported average energy and peak demand savings of approximately 9 percent across reviewed programs.

Is monitoring-based commissioning required for LEED?

Monitoring-based commissioning can support LEED enhanced commissioning pathways. USGBC describes MBCx as a method that gives building owners, operators, and commissioning authorities ongoing information to identify operational issues as they occur.

What buildings are best suited for MBCx?

MBCx is especially useful for large commercial buildings, healthcare facilities, laboratories, critical environments, energy-intensive facilities, and buildings with automation systems or recurring comfort and performance issues.

Do you need a building automation system for MBCx?

A building automation system is highly helpful and often necessary for deeper MBCx analysis. However, smaller or simpler MBCx programs can also use energy meters, data loggers, utility data, and targeted trend collection.

How often should MBCx reports be reviewed?

Many buildings review MBCx findings monthly or quarterly. High-risk or critical environments may require more frequent review.

Who performs monitoring-based commissioning?

MBCx may be performed by an internal facility team, a commissioning provider, an energy engineer, an analytics provider, or a combination of these groups.

Are there utility incentives for monitoring-based commissioning?

Yes. Many utilities offer financial incentives for MBCx programs, often covering a portion of software and service costs and paying based on verified energy savings. Eligibility typically requires a functional building automation system and a minimum monitoring contract term.