Building Commissioning
Building Commissioning (Cx) is increasingly important as the systems within the built environment have become more complex and interdependent. These rapidly advancing technologies and continued integration mean that a deficiency in one component can result in sub-optimal operation and performance among other components, requiring a team to investigate and provide resolutions.
Building owners use commissioning to ensure more out of their investment, as the benefits of commissioning have been seen. Successful commissioning can provide significant savings in costs, energy and resources.
Developers and Design-Build teams bring commissioning early into projects to ensure that project tasks and schedules remain on track for a successful and timely handover.
BOMA cost data for office buildings suggests that building commissioning can result in 20 – 50% energy savings and maintenance savings of 15 – 35%.
Other benefits of successful commissioning include:
- Ensure equipment and systems are functioning as designed
- Validated system integration performance
- Improved building systems documentation
- Improve FMO understanding of the building systems
- Ensure operators are properly trained on equipment and systems
- Ensure a smoother handover
- Improved occupant comfort and environmental conditions
- Improved building operation and maintenance
- Reduce operational problems and costs
- Optimized energy efficiency
There are three discrete roles within the commissioning industry that each provide value. Zenith’s experience, knowledge and relationship building have made us specialists in the roles of both Commissioning Authority and Commissioning Coordinator.
The CxA is an independent contractor that is contracted directly to the Owner. Therefore, the CxA provides an unbiased, objective view of the systems installation, documentation, operation, performance and witnessing of tasks and tests.
This multidisciplinary role leads the commissioning team and oversees and validates the implementation of the commissioning plan.
The Design-Build Team contracts the CxC. This multidisciplinary role works closely with the Cx Authority and various Cx Agents.
The CxC plans and coordinates the commissioning team to implement the commissioning process. This role also works closely with the Design-Build Team to develop the schedule to include the required time and tasks for testing and integration and to present systems to the witnessing parties.
CxAgs are nominated by the contractors, each having the authority to act and report on behalf of the entity they represent to implement the commissioning tasks required within their respective contracts.
