CxEnergy Explores Commissioning and Energy Management

The Sixth Annual CxEnergy Conference & Expo lived up to its billing as “the premier event in commissioning, energy management and building diagnostics” by exploring a variety of themes related to those professions.

For long-time attendee Al LaPera, CxA, EMP, TLC Engineering Solutions, the event is an ideal fit. “I have been a CxA since 2008 and an EMP since 2011. CxEnergy is one of the few places that addresses the commissioning side and the energy conservation side. My personal belief is that you have to have both to be successful, especially in existing buildings,” states LaPera.

CxEnergy kicked off with a plenary address on how the transition to 5G data transmission will impact the professions of commissioning and energy management. Related topics carried over to the CxEnergy Technical Program which featured a number of presentations on energy efficiency technologies. All told, more than 2,000 continuing education units were earned by the near 700 attendees of various CxEnergy programming. (See program slide presentations.)

One of the presenters was John Petze Principal, SkyFoundry, who explains his company’s connection. “Our analytic software, SkySpark, is a tool to more efficiently collect, store, work with, analyze and visualize the data, and that is why it fits the people who are at CxEnergy and comprise one of our strongest markets. These are the people with the building data and energy data. They have to deliver M&V for ESCO projects, or they have to present results to owners to show where they should make investments. These are the people on the front line.”

CxEnergy 2019 also featured an expanded pre-conference program that included a five-presentation seminar on test & balance and a six-hour workshop on building enclosure issues, along with its traditional certification opportunities for Certified Commissioning Authority (CxA) and Energy Management Professional (EMP).

The sold out Exhibit hall served as the location for attendees to network, attend receptions and mingle with exhibitors showing off products including controls, software, instruments, metering devices, and services targeted specifically to commissioning, energy management, engineering and testing firms.

“We started out with CxAlloy as a commissioning tool several years ago and we started to tell our story to folks that attend CxEnergy,” says Greg Caravello Senior Vice President, CxAlloy. “Now when we come, we are seeing our customers. CxEnergy is a good place for us to come and revisit with our customers—we know we’re going to see them here every year.”

Planning is underway for CxEnergy 2020, being held at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, April 6-9. The venue features views of the waterfront and access to area attractions.

CxEnergy is presented by the AABC Commissioning Group (ACG), Associated Air Balance Council (AABC), and Energy Management Association (EMA). Supporting organizations include The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME), the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), the Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA), the USGBC Florida Chapter, The Clean Energy Business Network (CEBN), Project Haystack, Compressed Air Challenge and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | ENERGY STAR Program.