A Building Commissioning Overview

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• A Building Commissioning Overview

Presented by Goetting Associates
Commissioning www.goettingcx.com
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What is the Definition of Commissioning?

• Building Commissioning is a Quality Assurance
  Process of documentation, testing, adjusting,
  verification, and training performed specifically
  to ensure that the finished facility operates in
  accordance with the owners documented project
  requirements and the construction documents.
• Building Commissioning is a scope driven Quality
  Assurance Process.
• Commissioning begins in predesign and continues
  through design, construction, and occupancy of
  the facility.
• Commissioning is not a single event placed at the
  end of the contractors schedule

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Commissioning Groups
The following industry leaders promote training,
publish procedural Standards, offer
certification programs and all agree on a process
approach

• BCA-Building Commissioning Assc.
• NEBB-National Environmental Balancing
  Bureau
• ASHRAE
• PECI-Portland Energy Conservative

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Types of Commissioning
Continuous Commissioning
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Commissioning Documents

• Commissioning Specifications
• Commissioning Plan
• Deficiency Log - Commissioning Issues Log -
  Resolution Log

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Commissioning

• The Building Commissioning process has five major
  phases for new or renovated projects
• Pre-Design
• Design
• Construction
• Acceptance
• Post Acceptance

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Commissioning Pre-Design Phase

• Document Owners Project Requirements
• Set scope of Commissioning Services
• Set a budget for commissioning
• Select Commissioning Authority
• Create draft Commissioning Plan

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Commissioning Design Phase

• Document Basis of Design
• Refine and detail scope of Commissioning
• Perform Design Review 30-50-95
• Update Commissioning Plan
• Include Commissioning requirements in
  specifications
• Assist in preparation of construction documents
• Assist in preventing overlaps and scope gaps on
  the project manual

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Commissioning Construction Phase

• Final Commissioning Plan schedule
• Review Construction submittals
• Review building control sequences
• Write Pre-Functional Checklists
• Write Functional Test procedures
• Document construction observation
• Help reconcile discovered issues

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Commissioning Acceptance Phase

• Training of OM Personnel
• Functional Performance Testing
• Documentation of deficiencies found
• during FPT
• Deficiency correction and retesting
• Final Report

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Commissioning Post Acceptance (Warranty) Phase

• Assist with Maintenance management program
• Adjust for occupancy/warranty period
• Off-season tests
• Possible Lessons-Learned meeting
• Continuing Commissioning

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Recommissioning
The Recommissioning process is a program that is
intended to retest the facility periodically in
order to return the building and systems to the
original commissioned conditions.
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Recommissioning

• Use the same Functional test procedures and
  documents as used in the original commissioning
• Prepare a final report
• Could be an Owner supplied service

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Retrocommissioning
The Retrocommissioning program is designed to
commission an existing building that was never
initially commissioned. It is a systematic
process for investigating, analyzing, and
optimizing the performance of building systems by
improving the operation and maintenance to ensure
the continued performance over time.
Retrocommissioning helps make the building
systems perform interactively to meet the owners
current facility requirements.
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Retrocommissioning

• The Retrocommissioning process has five major
  phases
• Contract
• Discovery
• Corrective Action
• Construction
• Acceptance

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RetrocommissioningContract Phase

• Commissioning Agent Selection
• Commissioning project contract

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RetrocommissioningDiscovery Phase

• Retro Cx Plan
• Document-Discovery and Review
• Maintenance Staff Interview
• Occupant Interview
• Site Investigation
• Controls System Investigation
• Problem Analysis
• Discovery Phase Report
• Report Presentation
• Remedial Design (internal)

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Retrocommissioning Corrective Action Phase

• Corrective Action
• Construction Procurement
• Construction Cx Scoping Meeting
• Prepare Schedule for Cx activities
• Submittal and shop drawing review
• Finalize Construction Plan
• Initiate Prefunctional checks
• Meetings as necessary

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Retrocommissioning Acceptance Phase

• Complete all Prefunctional checks
• Perform all operational checks, point to point
  tests and TAB
• Functional Performance Testing
• Prepare final Commissioning Report

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Continuous Commissioning

• All too often building performance declines over
  time due to unintended side effects of control
  engineering, operator decisions and equipment
  wear and tear.
• Continuous Commissioning is an ongoing process to
  resolve operating problems, improve comfort,
  optimize energy use and identify retrofits for
  existing commercial and institutional buildings
  and central plant facilities.

As defined by Texas AM / ESL for the Federal
Energy Management Program (FEMP)
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Continuous Commissioning has 2 Major Phases

• Phase 1-Project Development
• Step 1 Identify building or facility
• Step 2 Audit and Project Scope

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Continuous Commissioning has 2 Major Phases

• Phase 2-Implementation and Verification
• Step 1 - Develop CC plan and team
• Step 2 - Develop performance base
• Step 3 - Conduct System Measurements and
  Proposed CC measures
• Step 4 - Implement CC Measures
• Step 5 - Document comfort improvements and
  energy savings
• Step 6 - Dont stop, keep on doing it!

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Commissioning LEED Certification

• Increased demand for quality assurance
  Commissioning is a pre-requisite.
• Commissioning complements Green Design
• Means to achieve environmental, economic and
  health-safety goals resides in the commissioning
  process
• Commissioning is an integral component of LEED
  certification.

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Commissioning LEED Certification

• Commissioning requirements are specific to each
  LEED Rating System
• Cx is a prerequisite in
• LEED New Construction NC v2.2
• LEED for Schools 2007
• LEED Commercial Interiors v2.0
• LEED Core and Shell v2.0
• LEED Retail
• New construction Pilot v2.0
• Commercial Interiors Pilot v1.0

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Commissioning LEED Certification

• Four systems are required to meet minimum
  prerequisites
• HVAC and controls
• Daylighting and lighting and controls
• Domestic hot water system
• Renewables

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LEED Prereq and Enhanced Timeline
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LEED for EB OM (Site Selection)

• Site Selection (SS)
• SS Credit 8 Light Pollution Reduction
• Electrical Design or Lighting Consultant

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LEED for EB OM Water Efficiency (WE)

• Water Efficiency (WE)
• WE Prerequisite 1 Minimum Indoor Plumbing
  Fixture and Fitting Efficiency
• Reduce indoor potable water
• Demonstrate fixture performance (calcs)
• Policy for upgrades to higher efficient devices
• WE Credit 1.1 Permanently installed meter for
  total use
• WE Credit 1.2 and at least one other systems
• WE Credit 2.1 10 potable water reduction
  (indoor)
• WE Credit 2.2 20 potable water reduction
  (indoor)
• WE Credit 2.3 30 potable water reduction
  (indoor)
• WE Credit 3.1 50 landscaping water reduction
• WE Credit 3.2 75 landscaping water reduction
• WE Credit 3.3 100 landscaping water reduction
• WE Credit 4.1 Cooling Tower Chemical Management
• WE Credit 4.2 Cooling Tower Nonpotable Water
  Source Use

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LEED for EB OM (Energy Atmosphere)

• Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
• EA Prerequisite 1 Energy Efficiency Best
  Management Practices Planning, documentation
  and Opportunity Assessment
• Document SOO
• Building operation and maintenance plan
• Create narrative for mechanical and electrical
  systems
• Create narrative for preventative maintenance
  plan
• ASHRAE Level 1 Energy Audit
• EA Prerequisite 2 Minimum Energy Efficiency
  Performance
• Establish min level of operating efficiency-In
  conjunction with Credit 1.
• EA Prerequisite 3 Refrigerant management Ozone
  Protection
• Verify non use of CFCs
• EA Credit 1 Optimize Energy Efficiency
  Performance
• Option A verify Energy Star Rating
• Option B Demonstrate 19 energy efficiency over
  average building
• Option C Use alternate method

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LEED for EB OM (Energy Atmosphere) contd

• EA Credit 2.1 Existing Building Commissioning
  Investigation and Analysis
• Option A Commissioning Process (plan for
  RetroCx, ReCx or CCx)
• Option B ASHRAE Level II Energy Audit
• EA Credit 2.2 Existing Building Commissioning
  Implementation
• Low cost improvements and capital plan for major
  retrofits and upgrades
• Provide training for sustainable building
  operations
• Anticipated financial costs and benefits
• Update the building operating plan
• EA Credit 2.3 Existing Building Commissioning
  Implementation
• Implement ongoing commissioning program
• Create a written plan summarizing the overall
  commissioning cycle
• Complete 50 of work in the first commissioning
  cycle
• Update the building operating plan

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LEED for EB OM (Energy Atmosphere) contd

• EA Credit 3.1 Performance Measurement
• Have in place Building Automation System
• EA Credit 3.2 Performance Measurement System
  Level Meter
• Metering in place for at least 40 of annual
  energy consumption
• EA Credit 3.3 Performance Measurement System
  Level Meter
• Metering in place for at least 80 of annual
  energy consumption
• EA Credit 4.1-4.4 Renewable Energy
• 1 to 4 available for on/off site renewable energy
• EA Credit 5 Refrigerant Management
• Option A No refrigerant use
• Option B Minimize or eliminate Refrigerants that
  contribute to ozone depletion
• EA Credit 6 Emissions Reduction Reporting
• Identify and report on building performance that
  reduces energy and emissions.

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LEED for EB OM (Indoor Environmental Quality)

• EQ Prerequisite 1 Outdoor Air Introduction
  Exhaust Systems
• Option A Comply with ASHRAE 62.1-2007
• Option B or maintain at least 10 cfm per person
• EQ Prerequisite 2 Environmental Tobacco Smoke
  (ETS) Control
• Option A Prohibit smoking
• Option B Establish smoking areas under negative
  pressure
• Option C Residential
• EQ Credit 1.1 IAQ Best Management Practices IAQ
  Management Program
• Develop management program based on EPA I-BEAM

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LEED for EB OM (Indoor Environmental Quality)

• EQ Credit 1.2 IAQ Best Management Practices
  Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring
• Provide OA measurement devices
• CO2 sensors for densely populated areas.
• EQ Credit 1.3 IAQ Best Management Practices
  Increased Ventilation
• Increase OA at least 30 above ASHRAE 62.1-2007
• EQ Credit 1.3 IAQ Best Management Practices
• EQ Credit 1.5 IAQ Best Management Practices
  Management for Facility Alterations and Additions
• Implement IAQ management plan for construction
  and occupancy
• Filtration for construction and occupancy
• HVAC and lighting returned to designed SOO
• EQ 2.1 Occupant Comfort Occupant Survey
• Comfort and complaint survey for thermal,
  acoustics, IAQ, and other issues
• EQ 2.2 Occupant Comfort Lighting controls for
  at least 50 of people
• EQ 2.2 Occupant Comfort Thermal Comfort
  Monitoring
• Monitor as stated in ASHRAE 55-2004
• .EQ 2.4 Occupant Comfort Daylight and Views
• Achieve 2 daylight factor in 50 of spaces for
  critical visual tasks
• .EQ 2.5 Occupant Comfort Daylight and Views
• . Achieve 2 daylight factor in 75 of spaces for
  critical visual tasks

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LEED for EB OM (Innovation in Operations)

• IO Credit 1 Innovation in Operations
• Credits 1.1 to 1.4 for exemplary or significant
  performance
• IO Credit 2 LEED Accredited
• Professional
• IO Credit 3 Documenting Sustainable
• Cost Impacts
• Document overall building costs for previous 5
  years

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Costs of Commissioning
Whole Building from design to acceptance .75 to
1.5 of Construction Cost (average is 1 of
Construction cost)
HVAC/Automated Controls/Plumbing 2.5 to 4.5 of
Mechanical, Controls and Plumbing contracts
Electrical Systems ONLY 1.0 to 1.5 of Electrical
Contract
Origin - USGBC Owner slide show PECI
Portland Energy
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Costs of Commissioning

• Commissioning Cost as of total construction
  cost by project size and type
• Total Construction cost less than 5 million
• Cx cost 2-4
• Total Construction cost between 5 - 10 million
• Cx cost 1-3
• Total Construction cost between 10 - 50
  million
• Cx cost 0.8-2.0
• Total Construction cost greater than 50 million
• Cx cost 0.5-1.0
• Laboratories and complex buildings
• Add 0.25 to 1.0 to Cx cost

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Questions, Comments Ideas?