The%20Benefits%20of%20Building%20Commissioning

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The Benefits of Building Commissioning

• Carl N. Lawson
• Hanson Professional Services Inc.

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Rapid City South Dakota

• ASHRAE

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• We are told never to cross a bridge until it is
  finished.
• In this business we cross bridges every day
  that have not been finished.
• And we will continue to do so.

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What is the Total Building Commissioning Process
(TBCxP)?

• A Quality Process
• to VERIFY and DOCUMENT
• that building systems and assemblies
• meet the needs of
• BUILDING OWNERS and OCCUPANTS.

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What is TBCxP?

• Owner orientated
• Team Responsibility
• Continuous improvement
• Lower cost, more profits
• Consistent delivery of construction projects

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• So, why are we here and what does TBCxP have to
  offer?

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Essential Concept of TBCxP

• It takes the uncertainty out of the delivery of a
  constructed projects
• Does as well as any other approach, but at a
  lower cost
• Has means to use statistical tools based upon
  probability distribution of outcome or based upon
  random estimate of expected outcome distribution
• Has an element of continuous improvement
• Transfers knowledge from planning to operations

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Goals of TBCxP

• Document owners goals and requirements
• Keep project team focused on owners goals
• Prevent or eliminate problems inexpensively
• Lower overall costs for the owner
• Increase profits for project team by decreasing
  costs

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TBCxP Best Practice

• Cost effective
• Owners Project Requirement orientated
• Team (commissioning process team)
• Quality tools used
• Orientated on delivery of the constructed project
  for owner, occupants, and OM

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What Each Team Member Wants

• ARCHITECTS
• Design the next wonder of the world
• Fewer change orders
• Fewer RFIs
• Contractor to build it like it is designed
• No site visits
• Do the engineers inspections
• No attorneys involved

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What Each Team Member Wants

• ENGINEERS
• Design that is not VEd to death
• Fewer change orders
• Fewer RFIs
• Contractor to install it like it is designed
• No inspections
• Do their own CA
• No legal hassle
• Paid on time

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What Each Team Member Wants

• SUB-CONTRACTORS
• Design he can change (for he believes his design
  is better)
• A/E should stay off the job site
• Work at his own pace
• Get paid in a timely manner
• Holds suppliers money since he has not been paid
  by the GC
• Get off the job quickly
• Hope he gets his retainage

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What Each Team Member Wants

• GC/CM
• A design that works
• To VE the daylights out of it
• A/E should stay off the site
• Do it his way
• Paid 30 mobilization fee
• Paid monthly on time
• Hold subcontractors payment as long as he can
• Get off the job and hope he gets his retainage

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What Each Team Member Wants

• OWNER
• Project that is pretty, functions well and all
  systems work
• Project is complete, on time and within budget
• No change orders
• No RFIs
• Low interest construction loan
• Makes excuses about paying designers and
  contractors on time
• Hopes the building and systems work as
  anticipated.

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What Each Team Member Wants

• Manufacturers
• Equipment and system approval
• Ship equipment early
• Warranty to start when equipment leaves factory
• Why cant I submit on this project?
• Take their time in completing project
• Paid without penalty

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The Three Systems of Buildings
STATIC SYSTEM (THE FRAME AND ENVELOPE)ENERGIZED
SYSTEM (THE BUILDING SERVICES)HUMAN SYSTEM
(THE TENANTS AND OCCUPANTS)
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Building Relationships
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Role of the Commissioning Authority

• Determine what the owner really wants
• Work with design team to implement a Basis of
  Design (BOD) document and Owners Project
  Requirements (OPR) document
• Develop a plan to implement the BOD and OPR into
  the construction documents
• Verify the right systems are being installed
• Verify the operation of the systems
• Document the entire project

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Price vs. Cost

• Price is something you pay one time
• Cost is what it takes to operate

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• PRICE
• QUALITY
• SPEED
• Pick any Two

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Benefits and Cost Savings Potential vs. Cost to
Implement or Change
Cost to Change
Benefits and Cost Savings


Concept Design
Construction Acceptance
Occupancy

Phases
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Commissioning Consultant

• Definition of Consultant someone called in to
  share the blame.
• The Blame GameDr. John Parker
• Lawyer Have we left anything out?
• Surgeon Have we left anything in?
• Engineer Is there anything left?

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What is Commissioning

• Commissioning is a process to verify that the
  owner has received what they contracted for
  during the programming and design phases and
  during the construction phase. It also gives
  them a comfortable feeling of knowing someone is
  looking out for them throughout the project and
  the 1st year of occupancy
• It also verifies that the architects and
  engineers have received the systems they designed
  and approved

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The Principal Goal of Commissioning

• The Principal Goal of the Commissioning Process
  is
• The identification and correction of problems as
  early in the process as possible.

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Top 10 Deficiencies Discovered by Commissioning
New Existing Buildings

• Incorrect scheduling of HVAC and Lighting
  equipment
• Incorrect heating and cooling Sequence of
  Operation
• Incorrect Calibration of Sensors and
  Instrumentation
• Lack of control strategies for optimum comfort
  and efficient operation
• Malfunctioning air and water side economizers

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Top 10 Deficiencies Discovered by Commissioning
New Existing Buildings (cont.)

• Under-utilized computer-based control systems
• Short cycling of HVAC equipment leading to
  premature failure
• Lack of design intent and building documentation
• Lack of training for building operators or
  service contractors on complex systems
• Missing specified and pair-for equipment
  economizers

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What Commissioning is NOT

• Test and Balance
• Start-up
• Plan Review
• Design
• Contract Administration
• Inspection

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When Should Commissioning Begin??

• Near the end of the Construction Phase?
• When MEP systems installation begin?
• When construction begins?
• When design is complete?
• When CDs are started?
• When DDs are Started?
• When SDs are started?
• Prior to beginning design?

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Commissioning Where it is going

• It is mandatory to commission all LEED projects
  to a specified level
• Some states have mandated that state owned or
  leased buildings be commissioned
• US FEDERAL GSA has mandated that GSA buildings be
  commissioned
• More and more hospitals are now requiring
  commissioning
• Commissioning is a standard in Canada

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Why Required?

• Low quality construction- construction
  deficiencies
• Complex systems difficult to test
• Integrated systems do cause problems

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ASHRAE Guideline 0-2006

• Describes the commissioning process that will
  ensure HVAC systems perform in conformity with
  design intent and owners project requirements

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Phases of Commissioning

• Pre-Design
• Design
• Construction
• Occupancy
• Project Turnover
• Warranty

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How does the CxA meet his Responsibilities?

• Conduct a OPR Charrette with the owner and design
  team.
• Create and publish the OPR.
• Review each step in the process to ensure
  compliance with the OPR.
• Conduct regular meetings with the Cx Team to
  ensure communications are free flowing.
• Document the entire process for the benefit of
  the owner and his staff.

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Systems Commissioning

• Verifies operation of components under various
  conditions
• Verifies interaction between systems and
  subsystems
• Documents performance of systems to design
  criteria
• Instructs building personnel on proper operation
  of systems
• Ongoing after building occupancy as requirements
  change

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Cost Savings from Building Commissioning

• Energy Savings of 20 to 50
• Maintenance savings of 15 to 50
• Reduction in claims from 2 to 20
• Reduction of in-house overtime costs
• Reduction of trouble-shooting costs

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Who are the Players

• Architect
• Engineers
• Owners Representative
• Construction Manager
• Mechanical Contractor
• Electrical Contractor
• Controls Sub-Contractor
• Others as deemed necessary

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Responsibilities

• ARCHITECT/ENGINEER
• Be a team player
• Design the project with owners thoughts and
  requirements in mind
• Be willing to make changes
• Attend and participate in the commissioning
  meetings
• Attend and participate in the owners project
  requirement meeting

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Responsibilities (Cont.)

• With the assistance of the CxA develop the basis
  of design document
• Answer RFIs in a timely manner
• Answer change orders in a timely manner
• Attend and participate in the VE process

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Responsibilities (Cont.)

• OWNERS REPRESENTATIVE
• Make decisions in a timely manner
• Attend and participate in owners project
  requirement meeting
• Attend and participate in commissioning meetings
• Must own commissioning authoritys contract
• Approve the owners project requirement document
• Approve the commissioning plan

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Responsibilities (Cont.)

• CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
• Manage the project
• Coordinate sub-contractors work
• Attend and participate in the commissioning
  meetings
• Attend and participate in the owners project
  requirement meeting
• Attend and participate in the VE process
• Have coordination drawings developed

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Responsibilities (Cont.)

• MEP CONTRACTORS
• Install their respective work
• Complete the various checklist
• Be part of the commissioning team
• Attend and participate in the owners project
  requirement meeting
• Attend and participate in the commissioning
  meetings
• Attend and participate in the VE process
• Be a team player

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Responsibilities (Cont.)

• COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY
• Manage the commissioning process
• Develop the commissioning plan
• Develop the commissioning specifications
• Work with all the other team members
• Develop the owners project requirement document
• With the assistance of the engineer develop the
  basis of design
• Verify mold and mildew concerns

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Responsibilities (Cont.)

• COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY
• Conduct the commissioning meetings
• Review the project in a timely manner
• Review the submittals for compliance
• Review the warranties for the record
• Review the checklist
• Perform the FPT
• Turn building over to the owner
• Not responsible for the design

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CxA Responsibities During Design

• Review the SD documents and issue comments to the
  design team
• Review the DD documents and issue comments to the
  design team
• Review the CD documents and issue comments to the
  design team
• Work with the VE process

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To Correct Major Problems

• The contract for the commissioning work should be
  awarded in the programming phase
• The commissioning contract should be professional
  services directly contracted with the owner
• Other contractual arrangements may and will lead
  to conflicts of interest

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Common Technical Disagreements

• Commissioning projects may experience
  difficulties if the design team does not take an
  active part in recommending an adequate solution
  to a found deficiency
• It is not the responsibility of the CxA to
  dictate a design correction or change to solve a
  problem

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Conflict Resolution

• Responsibilities of the design team must be
  clearly defined by the commissioning plan
• Design team required services and adequate fees
  also must be included in their contract
• It is important that the commissioning authority
  and design team maintain a close relationship
  throughout the project

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Common Technical Disagreements

• Cx contract was not awarded until construction
  bids were received and awarded
• The Cx contract is a subcontract under the
  mechanical contractor

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O M Manuals

• Should be received within 60 days after approved
  submittals have been returned
• Review with owner and give comments back to
  contractor for compliance
• Use this as your training Bible
• Be careful what you get in the O M
• You do not need installation material

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Training

• Factory witness testing on major pieces of
  equipment
• Get factory training out of way up front
• Training should be in a classroom setting and
  also at the respective piece of equipment
• Use factory trainers not the local sales rep

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Documentation Required

• Owners Project Requirement Document
• Commissioning Plan
• Basis of Design
• Contract Documents
• TAB Report
• Draft of the Final Commissioning Report
• Warranties
• O M Manuals

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Documentation Required (Cont.)

• Approved Change Orders
• AS-Built Drawings
• All testing data verification and documentation.
• Sequence of Operation
• Minutes of Meetings
• Local jurisdictional inspection documentation and
  records

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Benefits of the Commissioning Process

• If the Commissioning Authority/Team for your
  project cannot clearly document that their fee
  has been recovered, you are not properly
  implementing the Commissioning Process

Project State Cost Project Cx Fee CxP Savings
Hospital IN 70 M Completed 744,000 340,000
Hospital Ohio 80 M Completed 856,000 375,000
PET Scan Facility NC 2.1 M Completed 25,000 40,000
ABMT NC 4.8 M Completed 36,500 100,000
Tissue Culture Lab NC 3.5 M Completed 35,000 75,000
Hospital NC 45 M Completed 325,000 900,000
Vivarium NC 28 M Completed 280,000 500,000
Prison TX 40 M Completed 225,000 400,000
CIEMAS NC 105 M Completed 1,200,000 3,000,000
Center for Human Genetics NC 42.5 M Completed 322,000 1,680,000
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Example

• Costs
• 50M Laboratory Project
• MEP Systems 27M
• MEP Cx Costs 21/2 675K
• Savings
• CO reduction 1.5M
• Construction Costs 2M
• Energy Savings 750K
• Legal Costs 500K
• Early Occupancy 45 days _at_ 10K/day 450K
• NET SAVINGS 5,200,000
• ROI 1422.5

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Benefits of Commissioning

• Project on time
• Establish maintain energy and maintenance
  budgets
• Change orders are greatly reduced
• Claims are greatly reduced
• Punch list is non-existent
• Operators have correct training
• Enforce Start-Up Requirements
• Reduce Post-Occupancy Corrective Work

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Benefits of Commissioning (Cont.)

• Absenteeism has diminished
• Users have been able to take ownership
• Lasting professional relationships have been
  developed
• Buildings and systems are operating as owner
  predicted
• Minimize Effects of Design Defects
• Improve Indoor Environment and Employee
  Production
• Reduce Energy and Operating Cost
• Increase Value through Better Quality
  construction

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Owners Comments

• Kept politics out of project
• Worth the money
• Will definitely continue the process on other
  projects
• Project was on time budget
• Systems are working as requested
• Occupancy is stable
• Training was a major factor in the process
• Maintenance is manageable and understands the
  systems

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Coil Damaged Beyond Repair
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Water Oil - OSHA Violation
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Corrosion Inside Out
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Inside ATS for 330kw Generator 1 Improper
installation requires hand operation.
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Water Line Misplaced
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Variable Frequency Drives installed w/o air space
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• Remember
• Commissioning is
• A
• Quality Process

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Questions

• Thank You
• Carl N. Lawson
• Hanson Professional Services Inc.
• West Palm Beach, FL
• Phone [phone]
• Email clawson_at_hanson-inc.com

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