What do commissioning agents do

The construction contractor is typically tasked with executing commissioning tests and inspections through subcontractors, while planning, defining commissioning procedures, coordination, witnessing, and verification are tasked to the CxP.

On larger projects, it may be appropriate to employ a CxP under two separate contracts, one for the commissioning plan pre-design and design stages and another for the construction phase. The GSA Building Commissioning Guide includes a sample scope of commissioning services suitable for use on public agency projects.

The Commissioning approach should include regular meetings on-site and off, program and legal Cx requirements, establishing and maintaining lines of communication with the building owner, design team, and contractor, thorough documentation, enforcement of specification provisions, identifying specialized tests, and creating a timeline for commissioning activities and reports.

The scope addresses the equipment to be commissioned, which can vary depending on programs. Green building rating system compliance and other project requirements define the goals for energy and water consuming equipment; utility incentive programs are equipment specific and must be clearly identified, depending on what has been funded; pharmaceutical facilities must comply with the U. Food and Drug Administration FDA ; laboratories, data centers, and other critical facilities must have their commissioning requirements clearly addressed in the commissioning scope.

Commissioning costs can range widely and are dependent upon many factors including a building's size, complexity, and whether the project consists of building renovation, modernization, or new construction and the scope for commissioning services.

In general, the cost of commissioning new buildings ranges from 0. A written commissioning plan is essential to all commissioned projects and allows all project participants to anticipate and plan for commissioning requirements and milestones.

The plan is first developed in the pre-design phase as a design phase commissioning plan and is updated at or near design completion and released as a construction phase commissioning plan. During the pre-design phase, the commissioning plan focuses on assuring the owner's performance requirements are incorporated and properly integrated in the prepared and accepted construction documents.

Details of systems tests and procedures, assembly specific checklists, and testing and documentation responsibilities are incorporated in construction phase commissioning plans. Commissioning plans typically include the following sections or contents:.

The CxP works closely with the project team to integrate commissioning activities into the overall planning, design and construction schedule, to keep commissioning activities off the critical path, and to carry out site inspections with a focus on systems performance, operations and maintenance. While the greatest return on investment is found when a Commissioning Agent is involved in the project starting with the early design phases, an agent entering the project during or post-design will review the approved design and help identify any weaknesses or areas for improvement increasing project quality and reducing the risk of future problems.

The earlier a Commissioning Agent is brought on, the greater the potential construction related savings. When deficiencies are identified during the design phase of a project, they are much less costly to resolve. Early design review also helps identify common specification issues, helping to avoid change orders, claims, and project delays during construction.

The contractor has a commissioning agent on staff. Do we need to hire a separate Commissioning Agent? This can be a conflict of interest. The agent working for your contractor is likely to have the same bias towards products or methods. Being engaged so closely with the contractor, they may unknowingly overlook alternative solutions or potential risks.

There are 2 primary types of commissioning: new construction and existing building. While Building Commissioning is most common in New Building Construction, existing buildings benefit from Recommissioning and Retrocommissioning.

These services are invaluable when undergoing remediation work on your roofing, walls, or pavement systems. Recommissioning looks at your buildings performance after experiencing through natural wear and tear. This process helps facility managers prioritize projects based on the greatest areas of risk. How does Commissioning Help Me? Quality begins with intent and ends with delivery.

Poor quality affects cost, reliability, efficiency, and reputations. Out-of-sight defects and errors are hidden liabilities. Under performing systems critically impact business continuity.

Reduction in operating costs, enhanced energy efficiency, improved occupant safety, comfort and health, and increased maintainability are only a few of the proven benefits of commissioning. Properly functioning equipment lasts longer, has less downtime, and improves indoor environmental quality resulting in increased occupant well-being and productivity.

Save your time, save your money, get what you expect, get quality. Building commissioning is rooted in the military shipbuilding industry. This tradition is some three centuries old, observed by navies around the world. The act of placing a ship "in commission" marked her entry into active US Navy service. In another case, NV5 was functionally testing an addition to an existing building.

At the start of testing it is our standard practice to verify system graphics, to ensure that they are in compliance with the project specifications i. We identified several pieces of information that were not being provided.

The response from the contractor was that they were matching the existing graphics, which did not meet the requirements of the current project. In a similar case, NV5 was functionally testing a chiller replacement project.

The sequence of operations was intended to be based on the previous chiller installation. During testing, we identified several parts of the sequence that were either not programmed or not operating properly. One particular item related to a chilled water temperature setpoint reset condition. Some believe that if contractors and engineers did their job to design and install as intended, the commissioning agent would be out of a job. Too often, we assume the two terms are the same. According to the American Society of Quality, quality control is an evaluation to indicate the necessary corrective responses.

Assurance is the planned and systematic implementaton of activities in a quality system so that quality requirements for a product or service will be fulfilled. The contractor should be doing quality control on a day-to-day basis. The commissioning agent is the quality assurance.