If you’ve had commissioning requirements on projects that weren’t fully integrated into the project documents, and agreed to during contract agreements, then you understand the difficulties of a commissioning process that didn’t have proper planning.  BAM Cx has, in the past, been in these situations.  When the commissioning process isn’t properly clarified to a project team, and requirements included in the correct locations of project documentation, the result can be an unvaluable service that not only costs the Owner unnecessary money but can also cost the entire project team time and money.  In addition to the costs and time, this approach to performing commissioning can also cause frustration between project team members.  All these possibilities are unwanted byproducts of an unclear process.  By clarifying, coordinating, and communicating the Owner’s desired outcome of the commissioning process, these situations can be minimized.

Clarity in commissioning should begin with project conception and be based on lessons learned, concerns about specialty systems/spaces, and a general understanding of the specific roles of each participant in the commissioning process.  The following questions should be determined and documented to allow the project team to customize the desired commissioning process. The answers will assist in selecting not only the Commissioning Provider, but also the Construction Team.

• What phase of my project am I onboarding a CxP?
  • Conceptual Design, Design Documents, Construction Documents, Construction, Acceptance, etc.
• What level of commissioning should be performed?
  • Code minimum? best value? Somewhere in between?
• What system types should be included in the commissioning process?
  • Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Technology, Building Envelope, etc.
• Is sampling of like systems desired to minimize cost?
  • Sampling can save costs but can also allow for some systems/zones to have issues not observed during testing.
• What is the budget for the Commissioning Provider and/or Process?
  • This can be based on industry standards of budget percentage or budgeted by a CxP upon request.
• How involved will the build team (Contractors) be in the process, and how much is expected to be provided by the CxP?
  • If the build team isn’t participating in the process, the cost of the CxP will increase as their time/labor burden for testing, documentation of issues, and issue resolution tracking will increase.
• What activities does the CxP need to directly observe?
  • This can be tasks such as start-up of major equipment, Test, Adjust, and Balance activities, Training of systems, duct and piping tests (Hydronic or pressure testing), etc.

Of course, the answers to many of these questions should be documented and included in the Owners Project Requirements (OPR) document.  This allows the clarity of these decisions to be carried forward throughout the project’s phases.  Once the desires of a CxP are clarified, a project team can begin to work toward hiring a proficient Cx Authority (CxA) to act as their CxP.  BAM Cx believes that the best value is provided when a CxA is hired and added to the project team at conceptual design, so they can assist in getting clarity of the Cx Process included in the design and construction documents.  This can include the Cx Plan Draft for the Design Phase and Construction Phases of a project.  Having these documents early can allow a project team to utilize them in the Construction documents and allows bidding contractors to have a clear understanding of the Cx Process desired for the project.

Coordination is the next part of successful commissioning.  Once the desired process and Cx Scope of services has been clarified, it is time to coordinate them with the project team.  This includes steps such as ensuring project specifications include the proper commissioning sections to match the OPR commissioning requirements.  Coordination involves ensuring that each System included in the Cx scope has requirements for start-up, warranty, and training.  It is also good practice to confirm the desired modes of operation and sequences of operation are included in the project documents.  Having these items clearly identified can create a fairer bidding process as the potential subcontractors have access to the expected Cx process during the bid.  A project team should have coordinated commissioning requirements throughout the documents, as well as openly discussing them in meetings with the entire project team.  One feature of a robust Cx plan is the expectation of each role in the process. This communication outlines the activities that each project team member should be involved in, from the engineer through the installation teams in the field.  It should outline who will be completing checklists, performing testing, documenting functionality, and collecting/compiling the final O&M documents and/or Systems Manual. A properly coordinated Cx process allows project requirements to fall in line with the design and installation team’s process and contract.    

Communication is the key to a successful commissioning process.  It should be an ongoing effort by the Owner, Owners Rep, Commissioning Authority, Architect/Engineer, and Construction Manager.  Once the Cx process has been clarified, the first layer of communication is the Cx Plan.  The Cx Plan should properly reflect the actual process that is being executed on that project and be accessible to the entire project team.  Overview of the Cx Plan during the Cx Kickoff meetings allows the entire project team to understand the process and their role in successfully completing the Cx Process.  Good communication allows the builders to provide feedback, and in some cases forms they typically use, to meet the intent of the Cx Process.  Feedback on the projects’ custom checklists and functional tests ensure accuracy and minimize wasted site time attempting to clarify the project requirements during the build.  Communication comes in many forms and doesn’t have to include monotonous meetings. It can be as simple as well-designed forms and an easy-to-use platform for the installation teams to complete them.  For a CxP, being included in regular project meetings to keep current on project changes is crucial, as well as having the project team provide meeting minutes for meetings that a CxA is not present.  Allowing commissioning topics to be included in regular construction and project meetings will help reinforce the Owner’s desires for the Cx process.  The communication, once established, can allow the CxP to be utilized as another building systems expert for the A/E, Owner, and the installation team.

Clarify. Coordinate. Communicate.  BAM Commissioning Services has 20+ years of experience in evolving techniques to gain the respect of many project team members.  We firmly believe that with clarity, coordination, and communication comes a successful commissioning process which will elevate the outcomes of your building project.