Retrocommissioning Program

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Retrocommissioning (RCx) is a systematic process for identifying less-than-optimal performance in your facility’s equipment, lighting and control systems and making the necessary adjustments. While retrofitting involves replacing outdated equipment, RCx focuses on improving the efficiency of what’s already in place.

PG&E’s Retrocommissioning Program provides incentives and connects you with experts to make sure your facilities — and the equipment and systems within them — are running in peak condition for optimal energy savings. Retrocommissioning projects can produce an average of 16% whole-building energy savings*, while improving your facility’s work environment and extending the service life of your equipment. Best of all, you can enjoy these benefits without necessarily making large capital investments.

Program Benefits

Incentives are paid directly to the customer based on achieved annual energy savings at the rate of $0.09/kWh, $1.00/therm, and $100/on-peak kW**, capped at 50% of the total project cost. PG&E’s engineering resources will also provide limited support to verify that the RCx measures were installed per industry best practices. PG&E can also provide resources to identify and analyze other potential energy saving opportunities involving demand response, retrofitting and benchmarking projects.

Program Eligibility and Process

Eligibility is limited to commercial customers who receive gas OR electric service from PG&E and whose facilities are considered good candidates based on the results of their initial phone screening or on-site assessment. Once candidates are selected, PG&E, third-party vendors and senior building operations staff at participating sites work closely with you using a three-step process.

• Eligibility Requirements & Commitments
  RCx Program Participants must:
  • Receive gas OR electric service from PG&E.
  
  • Pay a California public purpose surcharge on their utility bills.
  
  • Own or operate a high energy usage facility that has at least 50,000 square feet of conditioned space or that consumes 1,000,000 kWh or 50,000 therms per year.
  
  • Be willing (in most cases) to spend a minimum of $25,000 on all reasonable and eligible RCx measures identified as having a simple payback less than or equal to one year.
  
  • Grant PG&E access to their facility’s billing data to establish an initial benchmark rating, as well as to the facility itself for on-going program assessment, monitoring and measurement purposes.
• How the Program Works
  1. Project Initiation
  Using your billing data, your RCx application, as well as any information gathered from a phone screening (if required), PG&E scores your facility’s candidacy.
  
  2. Project Investigation
  If your facility is accepted into the program, a PG&E Engineer conducts a thorough audit and produces a prioritized report listing recommended measures, estimated project costs, incentive offer and payback period.
  
  3. Implementation, Verification and Payment
  You work with your PG&E RCx Team to decide which measures to implement. PG&E's RCx Team then provides help with reviewing bids, documentation, training and limited measure commissioning support as requested. PG&E confirms the project is complete, verifies the energy savings and processes your incentive payment based on verified savings.

How to Apply

Complete and sign PG&E’s 2013 RCx Program Application (PDF, 266 KB). Mail it to the address on the application. You may also fax or email your application.

Next Steps

Contact your PG&E Account Representative or call the Business Customer Service Center at 1-800-468-4743. We encourage you to contact PG&E before submitting your application and other required documentation.

More Information

• Retrocommissioning Fact Sheet (PDF, 146 KB)
• Clovis Unified Case Study (PDF, 147 KB)
• PG&E's Automated Benchmarking Service

For Third-Party Programs visit:

• Search Energy Efficiency Implementation Specialists

* The average cost to deliver commissioning in existing buildings (RCx) is $0.30/square foot, an average of 16% whole-building energy savings, and with an average payback time of 1.1 years.

** Estimate only. PG&E finalizes the incentive amounts after completing the project approval process.