What, How, and Who: The Key Components of Successful Building Commissioning

Presenter: Brian Keller, NEBB® CP

Presentation Overview

• History

• Basic Process

• Technical Process

• Common Issues and Questions

History of CommissioningWho Defines Commissioning?

ASHRAE NEBB

1980s 1982 - Formed committee to

document best practices

1989 - Published original Guideline

NEBB primarily involved with

Test and Balance

1990s 1996 - Published Guideline 1 1993 - Published

Procedural Standard for

Whole Building Systems Cx

1st Edition

2000s 2005 - Published Guideline 0

(Developed with NIBS)

Procedural Standard for

Whole Building Systems Cx -

2000 2nd Edition

Established Cx Certification

2010s Established Cx Certification

History of Commissioning

Nationally and Internationally recognized

Commissioning Providers with Certifications and

Standardized Procedures:

• ASHRAE - American Society of Heating,

Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers

• NEBB - National Environmental Balancing Bureau

• AGC - AABC Commissioning Group

• BCA - Building Commissioning Association

• AEE - Association of Energy Engineers

Who Defines Commissioning?

History of Commissioning

• Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG)

• National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS)

• Government Services Administration (GSA)

• Portland Energy Conservation (PECI)

• Others

Who Defines Commissioning?

ASHRAE and NEBB

• Memorandum of Understanding

“to advance and promote the mutual interests of professionals engaged in the design, construction and operation of buildings“

• “Discuss a collaborative foundation that allows certification programs from

each organization to be complimentary”

• “Work together to advance research into the sustainable design,

construction, and operation of a facility”

• “Promote adoption and widespread use of codes and standards of mutual

interest”

• NEBB donates $10,000 to ASHRAE research

Trusted Partners

ASHRAE and NEBB

• ASHRAE 2020 president, Darryl K.

Boyce, P.E. states:

“The MoU between NEBB and ASHRAE

reinforces the power of collaboration and

provides both organizations a greater

opportunity to leverage our resources as

we offer innovation and emerging

technologies to building services industry.”

Trusted Partners

Basic Process Commissioning

• Design Review

• Commissioning Plan

• Prefunctional Checks

• Installation Verification (static)

• Point to point tests (dynamic tests)

• Functional Performance Tests

• Sequence of operation tests (dynamic tests)

• Integrated System Tests (dynamic tests)

• Final Report

• Discover, record, and resolve deficiencies

Commissioning: Basic Steps

Basic Process Commissioning

• Standard 202-2018 -- Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems

• Guideline 0-2019 -- The Commissioning Process

• Guideline 0.2-2015 -- Commissioning Process for Existing Systems and Assemblies

• Guideline 1.1-2007 -- HVAC&R Technical Requirements for The Commissioning Process

• Guideline 1.2-2019 -- Technical Requirements for the Commissioning Process for

Existing HVAC&R Systems and Assemblies

• Guideline 1.3-2018 -- Building Operations and Maintenance Training for the HVAC&R

Commissioning Process

• Guideline 1.4-2014 -- Procedures for Preparing Facility Systems Manuals

• Guideline 1.5-2017 -- The Commissioning Process for Smoke Control Systems

Commissioning: ASHRAE Publications

Basic Process Commissioning

• Design Phase Cx Handbook - 2005

• ANSI / NEBB Standard S110-2018 Building Commissioning

• ANSI / NEBB Standard S120-2016 Retro-Commissioning

• Commissioning Technician Handbook - 2015 1st Edition

• Energy and Water Calculations Handbook - 2015 1st Edition

Commissioning: NEBB Publications

Process vs. Technical

• Compliance Check and Review vs. Hands On

• Cx as part of project delivery vs an event

• Process - CxA relies on Contractor checks and tests

• Technical - CxA verifies Contractor checks and relies

on own tests and documents

What’s the Difference?

Process vs. Technical Design Phase

Process Technical

OPR & Design

Review

CxA provides review CxA participates in development and

reviews

Specification A/E or others provide documents CxA provides documents

Process vs. Technical Construction Phase

Process Technical

Submittal Review CxA provides commissioning focused review and prepares comments

Site Installation

verifications

CxA relies on Contractor documents

Site visits limited, set number of visits

Sampling of checks used

CxA supplies check sheets

CxA relies on its own documents,

uses Contractor documents to

augment checks

Site Visits made as necessary, based

on need not set number of visits

No sampling, 100% checks made

Prefunctional

Checks

CxA relies on Contractor filled out check

sheets with limited site visits or sampling

CxA verifies Contractor checks, uses

own checks as primary resource

No sampling

Meetings CxA chairs meetings and prepares minutes

Process vs. Technical Construction Phase, continued

Process Technical

Start-Up CxA relies on Contractor documents CxA relies on its own documents,

uses Contractor documents to

augment checks

Controls Testing CxA relies on Control Contractor

documents

CxA performs 100% hands on point-

to-point checks

No sampling

Functional

Performance Tests-

Design

Procedures supplied by others CxA writes project specific

procedures

Reviews and distributes procedures

with team for approval

Functional

Performance Tests-

Execution

CxA reviews contractor performed tests

and/or performs a sample of tests

CxA performs 100% hands on

sequence of operation checks

No sampling

Issues Logs CxA develops list, contractor responsible for resolution, CxA follows up with

resolution

What, How, and Who?

• What are we doing it to? (Scope of Service)

• How do we do it? (Knowledge, Training)

• Who does it? (People)

What’s the Difference?

What are we doing?

• Understanding Project requirements

• Owner’s requirements and expectations

• Energy Code requirements IECC 2015/2018

• IB221 – Energy Letters (A/E/C)

• IB221 – Commissioning Letter

• Certifications such as LEED, Austin Energy, CHPS, etc.?

• Specific Market Sectors - Federal, Municipal, State,

Commercial, etc.

Scope of Service

What are we doing?

• What is the scope of work?

• MEP is typical scope (Div’s 22, 23, 26)

• (HVAC + BAS, Lighting Controls, Dom. Hot Water)

• Other Divisions:

• Div 26 - Main Electrical, Generators and Switching

• Div 21- Fire Protection

• Div 07 - Building Envelope Testing

• Low Voltage Systems

• Div 27 – Access and Security

• Div 28 – Fire Alarm

Scope of Service

What are we doing?

• Specifications

• Division 01 91 00

• Governing Document

• Defines Team, Roles, Basic scope of service and systems

• Other Divisions as necessary

• Div’s 22 08 00, 23 08 00, 26 08 00, etc

• Adds detail to the 01 91 00

Scope of Service

How do we do it?

1. Follow Commissioning Procedures / Process

2. Use Database to record data

3. Communication and Scheduling is key

4. Commissioning timelines (following slides)

5. Use Technical documents

• ANSI/NEBB Technical Standard S110-2018, Design Phase

Handbook 2005, Energy & Water Handbook 2015, TAB

Technician’s Manual 1997

Knowledge and Training

Cx TimelineFull Process | Typical

Design

DevelopmentConstruction Phase Acceptance

12 Month

Warranty

Commissioning

Specification

Design Review

Commissioning

Plan

Document OPR

Develop BOD

Submittal

ReviewPrefunctional

Checks

Point-to-

Point Tests

Functional

Performance

Tests

Final

Report

Verify

Training

Completed

Develop

System

Manual

10 Month Revisit

Establish Permanent

Power

HVAC Test and

Balance

Lighting Controls

Cx TimelineAbbreviated Process | 2015 / 2018 IECC

Design

DevelopmentConstruction Phase Acceptance

12 Month

Warranty

Commissioning

Specification

Design Review

Commissioning

Plan

Document OPR

Develop BOD

Submittal

Review

Commissioning

Plan

Prefunctional

Checks

Point-to-

Point Tests

Functional

Performance

Tests

Final

Report

10

Month

Revisit

Verify

Training

Completed

Develop

System

ManualPreliminary

report, if

building not

finished

Acknowledgement

by Design

Professional Cx

meets intent

Design

Development

12 Month

Warranty

Code process primarily focused on

Construction Phase

Who does it?

1. Comes down to People

2. Strong people skills

3. Solution-oriented

4. Strong Technical skills and knowledge

5. Background – academic, vocational, hybrid

6. Focus is on how it operates

7. Experience

People

Common Issues

• Integrated Design - DB / CM@R, etc.

• Higher potential to coordinate in Design Phases

• Direct line of communication to Contractor

• Cx specs included in Project Documents

• Design Bid Build – DBB

• Lower potential to coordinate Cx prior to 100% CDs

• Cx specs need clearly defined scope & systems

• Cx specs may or may not be included in Project Manual

Things to Watch Out For: Building Program

Common Issues

• Energy Code Lighting Tests

• Sampling: Minimum 10% sample of each sensor type

• If 30% or more fail, then test all sensors

• Less than 30% is OK?

• Occupancy and Vacancy Sensor Confusion

• Clearly state intention on drawings

• Lighting Control Panels

• Drawings often too schematic, need to show circuits and relays

• Detailed vendor drawings are highly recommended in submittal

• Schedule slippage

Things to Watch Out For: Energy Code

Common Issues

• Project Schedule Slippage – All bets are off to complete before

move-in

• Discover and Discuss slippage as early as possible – make a

plan and communicate that plan

• Functional Testing will probably be performed late

• Particularly problematic in schools

• Most cases - highly disruptive to occupants

• Result - Commissioning completion well beyond move-in

Things to Watch Out For: The Big Gorillas

Common Issues

• Building Automation Systems – Controls

• Most often behind schedule

• Minimize uploads and downloads

• Verify graphics are included in final tests

• All testing must be thorough and completed in a

logical sequence - not pieced together

Things to Watch Out For: The Big Gorillas

Resources

• ASHRAE www.ashrae.org

• NEBB www.nebb.org

• AABC Commissioning Group (AGC) www.commissioning.org

• Building Commissioning Association (BCA) www.bcxa.org

• Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) www.aeecenter.org

Where Can I Find? Certifications and Publications

http://www.ashrae.org/http://www.nebb.org/http://www.commissioning.org/http://www.bcxa.org/http://www.aeecenter.org/

Resources

• Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG)

http://www.wbdg.org/project/buildingcomm.php

• National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) www.nibs.org

• Portland Energy Conservation (PECI) www.peci.org

• Advanced Energy Design Guides (DOE)

www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/advance-energy-design-

guides

Where Can I Find? Industry

http://www.wbdg.org/project/buildingcomm.phphttp://www.nibs.org/http://www.peci.org/http://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/advance-energy-design-guides

Questions?