Permanent Monitoring System for Thermal Comfort Verification

Rebecca, based on the lack of response to your question it seems like a lot of people share the same confusion. If you haven't already, I would recommend checking out our guidance in the BIrd's Eye View overview shown above.

Rebecca,
One take on this would be that permanent monitoring systems could be as simple as programmable thermostats or other monitoring and control devises that measure in real time more than one of the ASHRAE-55 variables, so, temperature and air speed, temperature and humidity, etc. However, Tristan is right, the GBCI has yet to provide explicit direction on this.

Has there been any more guidance on the issue of permanent monitoring systems? This is an area where things get very expensive by over-specifying systems.

The permanent monitoring requirement was removed from NC2.2, but made it back into 2009 when the rating systems were "aligned", as it had always been a requirement in LEED-CI.

Basically they want you to monitor the components of comfort, as described above. We have taken this to mean both temperature and humidity. Now that said, we have successfully gained this point using system level humidity sensors, rather than room level. So, I think you need:
1) Room level temperature sensors (thermostats)
2) System level humidity (sensors at the AHU, or on the return air)
3) a BAS system that allows one to collect and trend this info.

Although I have never tried it, it's my sense that a program of regular comfort surveys (every 6 months or so), instead of sensors, would also meet the intent of the credit for permanent ongoing monitoring of comfort.

Actually the requirement for permanent monitoring system cannot be fulfilled with a regular survey. The previous CI system had no requirement for this element but 2009 does. For New Construction or CI projects 100% of the occupants (as Ben described above) must be offered the survey - this has been consistently required for several years. I find that using EBOM requirements and definitions is very successful in supporting strategies for the other 2009 systems.