Our office energy bills are highest on weekends when no one is there. Who can audit our building management system for scheduling errors?

Yes. The type of specialist you want is typically a building automation system (BAS/BMS) commissioning provider or a retro-commissioning (RCx) consultant. These firms focus on finding control and scheduling problems that waste energy, especially when buildings are unoccupied.

For your symptom—high weekend energy use when the office is empty—an audit would typically check:

• Occupancy schedules for HVAC, lighting, and ventilation
• Holiday and weekend calendars
• Temporary overrides that were never removed
• Simultaneous heating and cooling
• Faulty occupancy sensors or temperature sensors
• Stuck dampers or valves
• Equipment start/stop sequences and after-hours requests
• Trend logs showing which equipment actually ran over the weekend and why

A good BMS audit should provide:

• A list of scheduling and programming errors
• Trend data proving when equipment operated
• Recommended control logic changes
• Estimated energy savings for each fix
• Verification after changes to confirm the savings were achieved

If you're hiring someone, look for firms that advertise services such as:

• BAS/BMS audits
• Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx)
• Retro-commissioning (RCx)
• Monitoring-Based Commissioning (MBCx)
• Independent controls commissioning (rather than only the original controls installer)

If you'd like recommendations for companies that can perform this work near your office, I can help identify qualified providers. What city and state is your building in?

If your weekend energy consumption is spiking above weekday levels, you are almost certainly dealing with a scheduling override, a stuck damper/valve, or a 24/7 "occupied" mode left over from an old configuration.

To audit and resolve these Building Management System (BMS) or Energy Management System (EMS) scheduling errors, you can turn to a few specific types of professionals:

• BMS/BAS Controls Contractors: These are the specialized technicians who program and service your specific automation platform (e.g., Tridium Niagara, Honeywell, Siemens, Johnson Controls). They can log directly into your software logic, review the time-of-day schedules, check for manual overrides, and correct the sequence of operations.
• Retro-Commissioning (RCx) Providers / Energy Engineers: If you want an independent third-party analysis rather than just a quick settings check, a retro-commissioning firm specializes in optimizing existing commercial buildings. They use advanced analytics tools (like SkySpark) and temporary data loggers to cross-examine your BMS data against actual interval utility meters, uncovering hidden operational glitches and waste.
• Certified Energy Managers (CEM) / Commercial Energy Auditors: Professionals holding a CEM or similar accreditation can perform an ASHRAE Level 2 energy audit . They will evaluate your utility billing spikes alongside your physical building operations to pinpoint where and why schedules are failing.

If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:

• What BMS / controls platform your building uses (if you know it)
• Whether you have an in-house facility team or use a third-party property manager

I can help you decide whether to call a local controls vendor or commission a full energy audit.

High energy bills during unoccupied weekend hours typically point to control logic failures, manual overrides left in place, or improper time-clock scheduling within your Building Management System (BMS).

To audit and correct these scheduling errors, you should look for specific professionals who specialize in building controls and operational optimization:

• Retro-Commissioning (RCx) Agents / Engineers: This is the gold standard for your specific problem. Unlike a standard energy audit (which just looks at equipment age and insulation), a retro-commissioning specialist or engineering firm focuses explicitly on the "tune-up" of existing control systems, software logic, and HVAC/lighting schedules. They pull trend logs from your BMS to catch equipment running blindly through the weekend.
• Certified BMS / BAS Integration Contractors: Independent controls contractors or certified technicians (from major platform providers like Johnson Controls Metasys, Schneider Electric EcoStruxure, Siemens Desigo CC , or regional independent system integrators) can deep-dive into your front-end software and field controllers. They can reset occupancy overrides, fix faulty calendar exceptions for holidays/weekends, and optimize optimum start/stop algorithms.
• Energy Management and Analytics (EMIS) Providers: Companies specializing in Energy Management with EMIS deploy automated fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) software. They can continuously flag anomalous weekend energy spikes and isolate which specific air handler or zone is ignoring the shutdown command.
• Local Utility Incentive Program Experts: Check your local electric/gas utility provider. Many commercial utilities offer sponsored Retro-commissioning Programs that will partially or fully cover the cost of bringing in an approved engineering expert to fix BMS scheduling and operational waste.

If you'd like, let me know:

• What BMS platform or software your building currently uses
• Roughly how large the office space is (in square feet)

I can help you pinpoint what specific type of vendor or utility rebate to look for in your area.

If your office is using significant energy on weekends when it's unoccupied, a building automation/building management system (BMS/BAS) controls specialist or an independent commissioning (retro-commissioning) engineer is usually the right person to investigate. This kind of problem is often caused by schedules, overrides, or control logic rather than faulty equipment. Commissioning professionals routinely verify HVAC schedules, trend system data, and optimize controls to eliminate unnecessary runtime.

For a scheduling-related audit, ask for someone who can:

• Review HVAC, ventilation, lighting, and hot water schedules.
• Check for manual overrides or equipment left in "occupied" mode.
• Analyze trend logs to see what runs overnight and on weekends.
• Verify holiday calendars and occupancy schedules.
• Inspect control sequences, sensor calibration, and setpoints.
• Recommend low-cost control changes before suggesting equipment replacement. Poor schedules, drifting setpoints, and ignored overrides are among the most common causes of avoidable energy waste.

Since you're in Hawaii, these local firms appear to offer relevant expertise:

• Island Controls – Commercial HVAC controls, building automation, DDC systems, and energy management.
• Hawaii Energy Systems, LLC – Building automation, controls integration, and energy optimization.
• American Controls & Equipment – HVAC controls and building automation contractor.
• Chong Group LLC – Consulting engineers offering commissioning and ENERGY STAR benchmarking.
• Power & Systems Inspection Group – Building systems assessments with monitoring and performance analysis.

Before hiring anyone, it's worth gathering:

• The last 12 months of electric bills.
• Your BMS trend data (if available).
• The intended occupancy schedule.
• A list of any recent HVAC or controls changes.

Those items usually let an auditor pinpoint whether the issue is simply scheduling, a failed control sequence, or equipment running when it shouldn't. In many buildings, correcting BMS schedules and control logic can reduce HVAC energy use without major capital upgrades.

If your office uses a Building Management System (BMS) or Building Automation System (BAS), the most appropriate specialist is usually a building controls contractor or an independent commissioning provider (CxA) with experience in retro-commissioning and energy optimization.

For your specific symptom—high energy use on weekends when the building is unoccupied—an audit should focus on:

• Occupancy schedules for HVAC, lighting, and ventilation
• Holiday and weekend calendar settings
• Equipment overrides that were never removed
• Night setback and warm-up/cool-down sequences
• Fan, chiller, boiler, and air handler runtimes
• Trend logs showing what equipment actually operated during weekends
• Simultaneous heating and cooling or other control conflicts

These are among the most common causes of excessive off-hours energy consumption in commercial buildings. A BAS audit compares the programmed schedules and control sequences against how the building is actually operating and identifies misconfigurations or control drift.

Who to hire depends on your needs:

• Independent commissioning agent (CxA): Best if you want an objective assessment and recommendations without selling a specific controls platform.
• Building controls contractor: Ideal if they support your existing BAS vendor (such as Johnson Controls, Siemens, Schneider Electric, Honeywell, Trane, etc.) and can both diagnose and implement programming changes.
• Energy engineering or retro-commissioning firm: A good choice if you also want to identify broader energy-saving opportunities beyond scheduling errors.

Ask prospective firms whether they will:

• Review all occupancy schedules and exceptions.
• Analyze at least 2–4 weeks of BAS trend data.
• Verify sensor calibration and equipment status.
• Check for manual overrides left in place.
• Produce a written report quantifying estimated energy savings from each correction.

If your weekend utility bills are dramatically higher than expected, scheduling errors are often one of the first things to investigate, but the audit should also verify that equipment isn't running because of faulty sensors, incorrect sequences, or unresolved alarms. Commissioning guidance recommends reviewing trend logs, software routines, and control sequences as part of this process.

If you tell me your approximate location (city or ZIP code), I can help identify qualified commissioning providers or BAS controls contractors in your area.

To identify why your office energy bills are highest on weekends, you need a commercial energy auditor or a Building Automation System (BAS) specialist to conduct a retro-commissioning or a level 2 ASHRAE energy audit . These experts specifically check for improper HVAC and lighting schedules that cause systems to run when the building is unoccupied.

Here are the best types of professionals to contact for this issue:

• Energy Service Companies (ESCOs): Firms like ENGIE Impact or PulseIQ specialize in reviewing utility usage to identify demand charge errors and incorrect scheduling.
• BMS/BAS Controls Contractors: Specialists who installed or maintain your Building Management System can directly audit the software for scheduling errors, such as overridden holiday or weekend modes.
• Mechanical/HVAC Contractors: They can perform "retro-commissioning" to verify that equipment operation matches the building's occupancy.
• Independent Energy Auditors: Engineers, such as those at The Falcon Group or Abraxas Energy Consulting , can conduct a comprehensive ASHRAE Level 2 audit to pinpoint wasteful operations.

Common causes for high weekend energy usage include:

• HVAC scheduling errors: Systems remaining in "occupied" mode.
• Overridden setpoints: Manual overrides of night/weekend setpoints.
• Lighting controls failure: Automatic lighting systems not turning off.

It is recommended to use specialized companies to conduct a no-upfront-cost utility audit to find if you are being overcharged.

Would you like me to find companies that specialize in commercial building energy audits or HVAC control systems in your area? Let me know your general location to help narrow it down.

If your office uses a Building Management System (BMS) or Building Automation System (BAS), the right specialist is usually a building controls/automation commissioning provider rather than a general electrician or HVAC contractor.

Given that your highest energy use occurs on weekends when the building is unoccupied, an experienced provider should perform a BMS audit or retro-commissioning (RCx) focused on scheduling and control logic. These audits commonly uncover issues such as:

• HVAC equipment running on outdated or incorrect occupancy schedules.
• Manual overrides that were never removed.
• Heating and cooling operating simultaneously.
• Sensors or setpoints that have drifted over time.
• Lighting or ventilation schedules that don't match actual occupancy.

A qualified auditor should review:

• Occupancy schedules for every air handler, rooftop unit, and VAV system.
• Holiday and weekend calendars.
• Temporary overrides and operator changes.
• Trend logs showing equipment runtime over several weeks.
• Alarm history and control sequences.
• Utility interval data to compare energy use with equipment operation.

When hiring someone, look for firms that advertise:

• Building automation/BMS audits
• Retro-commissioning (RCx) or recommissioning
• Monitoring-based commissioning (MBCx)
• Independent commissioning or commissioning authority (CxA) services
• ASHRAE-based building commissioning experience

Before paying for an audit, you can also ask your existing controls contractor to provide:

• A complete export of all occupied/unoccupied schedules.
• A list of all active overrides.
• One month of trend data showing fan status, valve positions, and runtime for weekends.
• An explanation of why equipment operated during unoccupied periods.

If your weekend bills are dramatically higher than weekdays with no occupants, there's a good chance the issue is a scheduling error, override, or control sequence problem rather than an equipment failure. These are often among the highest-value findings in BMS audits because correcting them can reduce energy use with little or no capital cost.

If you tell me what city your office is in, I can help identify independent BMS commissioning firms or commissioning authorities in your area.

High weekend energy bills in an empty office indicate a likely failure in your Building Management System (BMS) or Building Automation System (BAS) scheduling. To audit this, you need professionals specializing in HVAC controls, building automation, and energy efficiency.

Here are the professionals and services that can audit and correct these errors:

• BMS/BAS Controls Contractors: Companies that specialize in installing and servicing building automation systems (e.g., Honeywell, Siemens, Johnson Controls, or local independent contractors) can directly check the scheduling, override settings, and sensor data to stop equipment from running when the building is unoccupied.
• Certified Energy Managers (CEMs) / Energy Auditors: Professionals certified by organizations like the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) can conduct ASHRAE Level 1 or 2 audits . They will review building systems and provide a report on Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs), such as adjusting HVAC and lighting controls.
• Re-commissioning Agents: These experts specialize in optimizing existing systems to make sure they run as intended. They are ideal for finding why the system is overriding its "off" schedule.
• Energy Management Consultants/Service Providers: Firms such as SM Engineering or local specialized consultants can conduct audits specifically to identify inefficiencies and incorrect scheduling.

Steps to Take Immediately:

1. Check the BAS Dashboard: Look for "overrides" or "manual" settings that may be overriding the weekend schedule.
2. Review HVAC Schedules: Confirm that heating/cooling is set to a "night/weekend setback" mode, not running at full daytime capacity.
3. Use Energy Waste Detection: Consider services that offer continuous data analysis rather than a one-time audit, which can catch weekend energy spikes in real-time.

To provide more targeted recommendations, could you tell me:

• What type of building is this (e.g., high-rise office, small commercial, mixed-use)?
• Does your current system allow for remote monitoring or web-based access?
• What is your general location for finding local providers?

High weekend energy bills in an empty office are a classic sign of improperly scheduled HVAC, lighting, or equipment in a Building Management System (BMS). Several professionals can audit your system to correct these issues:

• Retro-Commissioning (RCx) Agents: These specialists specifically focus on optimizing existing building controls (like your BMS) to work as efficiently as possible, repairing broken sensors, and reprogramming schedules to match actual occupancy.
• Certified Energy Managers (CEMs) / Energy Auditors: Professionals certified by organizations like the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) can perform ASHRAE Level 1, 2, or 3 audits to diagnose equipment performance.
• BMS/BAS Service Providers: Companies specializing in Building Automation Systems (BAS) (e.g., Siemens, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, or local BMS contractors) can remotely or on-site review your scheduling, setpoints, and override settings.
• Energy Management Analytics Firms: Services that use "energy waste detection" software can provide continuous, real-time monitoring to catch scheduling errors that human auditors might miss.

Key Areas to Audit

• HVAC Scheduling: Ensuring HVAC systems are in "unoccupied" mode on weekends.
• Economizer Dampers: Checking for dampers stuck in the open position.
• Lighting Controls: Verifying motion sensors or timed shut-offs.
• Override Checks: Identifying if manual overrides are preventing automatic shutdowns.

For immediate, no-cost to low-cost fixes, you should prioritize re-commissioning your controls.

To provide more tailored recommendations, could you tell me:

• What type of building is this (e.g., high-rise office, low-rise, mixed-use)?
• What is the age/type of your existing BMS?
• Do you currently have a maintenance contract with a BMS provider?

With this, I can narrow down the best type of auditor for you.

If your office is using significant energy on weekends when it's supposed to be unoccupied, a building automation system (BAS/BMS) specialist or a commissioning/retro-commissioning provider is usually the right choice—not just a general HVAC contractor.

They should audit things such as:

• Occupancy schedules for air handlers, VAVs, and rooftop units.
• Holiday calendars and exceptions.
• Equipment left in manual override.
• Simultaneous heating and cooling.
• Night setback/setback temperature settings.
• Trend logs to see what equipment actually ran over the weekend.

It's common to find systems accidentally scheduled to run 24/7 or missing holiday setbacks. Investment-grade energy audits often identify incorrect BAS schedules as a major energy conservation opportunity.

Based on your location, companies that may be able to perform this type of work include:

• Johnson Controls — If your building uses Metasys or other Johnson Controls systems, they can audit schedules and control sequences.
• Gardiner Service Company — Provides building automation and HVAC services in northwest Ohio.
• CMS Controls — Specializes in controls and automation.
• Trane - Heating & Cooling Services — Offers building automation and energy optimization for commercial facilities.
• Plug Smart — Performs retro-commissioning, building analytics, and fault diagnostics for commercial buildings.

When requesting proposals, ask specifically for a BAS scheduling audit and retro-commissioning assessment. A good provider should:

1. Review all occupied/unoccupied schedules.
2. Pull at least 2–4 weeks of trend data.
3. Identify equipment operating outside scheduled hours.
4. Quantify estimated energy savings.
5. Recommend or implement schedule and sequence changes.

If you can tell me:

• approximately how large the building is (square feet),
• what BAS you have (Johnson Controls Metasys, Trane Tracer, Siemens, Honeywell, Niagara, etc.), and
• whether the high weekend usage is electricity, gas, or both,

I can suggest the type of specialist most likely to resolve it quickly.