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PLAN N IN G & D EVELO PMEN T BUILDING COMMISSIONING D e t e rmine Pro je ct Pe rf o rmance R e q uire me nt s D o cume nt C o mp liance & Acce p t ance Plan t he C o mmissio ning Pro ce ss D ELIVER Y & C O N T R O LS

Determine Project Perf ormance Requirements

RELAT ED RESO URCE PAGES

by the WBDG Project Management Committee Last updated: 06-21-2010

INT RODUCT ION

Balancing Security/Safety and Sustainability Objectives

Within This Page Introduction

A pro po sed building's sco pe, schedule, and budget are develo ped in Pre-Design Stage pro gramming do cuments. In this Recommendations stage, the level o f pro ject and/o r systems criticality must also be Emerging Issues determined, based o n an owner's requirements and risk Relevant Codes and management strategy for the activities and missio n ho used in a Standards building. It is essential that the Pre-Design Stage pro gramming Additional Resources do cuments also include Quality Assurance strategies and budgets to verify that delivered systems and assemblies meet perfo rmance expectatio ns. The Co mmissio ning Pro cess invo lves a systematic means o f verifying that the critical systems are installed, functio ning, and maintained in o ptimal co nditio n. In o rganizatio ns with in-ho use planning staffs, the co mmissio ning pro gram is initially sco ped at the same time that the o wner's team determines initial pro ject perfo rmance requirements. In o rganizatio ns witho ut an in-ho use planning staff, a co mmissio ning pro vider with experience in the building type can be instrumental in determining initial requirements and perfo rmance o bjectives.

Facility Performance Evaluation (FPE) High- Performance HVAC Indoor Air Quality and Mold Prevention of the Building Envelope Measuring Performance of Sustainable Buildings VIEW ALL RELAT ED (11) VIEW RESO URCE PAG E INDEX

This WBDG page pro vides guidance and reso urces o n determining co mmissio ning needs and requirements.

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RECOMMENDAT IONS Underst and Needs of Special Building Types The fo cus fo r co mmissio ning varies based o n the purpo se o f the building. Health care facilities are highly sensitive to temperature and relative humidity, as are museums. Labo rato ries require fume ho o ds to o perate co rrectly, while data centers demand reliable po wer. Go vernmental PDFmyURL.com

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fume ho o ds to o perate co rrectly, while data centers demand reliable po wer. Go vernmental facilities have special requirements fo r access co ntro l, internal security, and co mmunicatio n techno lo gy that are essential to their functio n. Sustainable buildings with highly energy efficient mechanical, lighting, and co ntro l systems must be designed, co nstructed, and o perated pro perly to achieve their pro jected energy and water savings. Of co urse, so me buildings must meet mo re than o ne o f these requirements.

Virtually any building pro ject will have building systems; assemblies o r features that co uld benefit fro m co mmissio ning. To date, co mmissio ning has been used mo st o ften o n the fo llo wing building types: Audito riums Call centers Classified sites Co lleges and universities Co -lo catio n sites Co mmand and co ntro l centers Data centers/co mputer ro o ms Health care facilities High rises Labo rato ries Libraries Mail pro cessing centers Munitio ns plants and sto rage Museums Netwo rk o peratio n centers Optic transpo rt facilities Pro cess manufacturing facilities Large retail facilities Sto rage and distributio n centers Switch facilities Teleco mmunicatio ns and Micro wave/radio to wer facilities Trading flo o rs Web-ho sting teleco m sites Zero /Lo w energy building

Det ermine Key Program Goals and Object ives Co mmissio ning o f missio n-critical facilities is o ften fo cused o n ensuring high levels o f reliability, po wer quality, maintainability, and flexibility—as well as o ther design o bjectives and building system attributes. Pro gramming fo r co mmissio ning requires go ing beyo nd the simple allo catio n PDFmyURL.com

o f space, enclo sure, finish, and equipment to examine business go als and facility missio n as determinants o f its pro gramming go als and o bjectives. Design o bjectives and functio nal characteristics that need co mmissio ning to verify building perfo rmance may include: Accessibility 24x7 facility reliability Adaptability Building pressurizatio n co ntro l Energy efficiency go als Flexibility in audio visual systems Functio nality Maintainability Redundant and resilient HVAC systems fo r climate co ntro l Reliability Scalability Security / Safety Serviceability So phisticated detectio n and fire suppressio n systems Space and o rganizatio nal pro cess functio nality Structured raceways fo r flexible cabling installatio ns Sustainability Survivability

Def ine Threat s, Risks, and Consequences In o rder to determine perfo rmance expectatio ns and measures, the pro ject team must have a clear understanding o f o verall key business o bjectives. The pro ject o wner must guide the pro ject team in establishing prio rities by which pro ject success will be measured. It is impo rtant fo r the o wner, o r qualified experts to define business risks, o ccupant threats and risks , hazards, and co nsequences and impacts that a system failure may have o n the o verall missio n perfo rmance o f a facility.

Recogniz e Syst ems Crit icalit y t o Achieving Goals System criticality, and the need fo r its perfo rmance verificatio n thro ugh co mmissio ning, is determined by examining ho w each system, assembly, o r building feature suppo rts key pro gram go als and facility missio n. Fo r example, buildings with a high risk o f airbo rne co ntaminatio n must be designed fo r enhanced o ccupant safety measures. This may necessitate highperfo rmance HVAC system design that pro vides co nstant airflo w directio n and pressure differentials between interio r spaces—under all o perating co nditio ns. This type o f building functio nality can o nly be achieved thro ugh systems based planning, design, co nstructio n quality assurance, and testing and verificatio n o f the o perating systems under vario us co nditio ns.

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The GSA Program Goals Matrix in Facilities Standards for Public Buildings, P100 indicates critical Program- System relationships that must be addressed within Building Systems Programming Directives to designers

Ano ther example is the need fo r Uninterrupted Po wer Supply (UPS) equipment in missio n-critical facilities. Requirements fo r these buildings may be as stringent as 9 9 .9 9 9 percent po wer reliability, which means just five minutes o f unscheduled do wntime per year. By co mpariso n, typical utility reliability is 9 9 percent. Co mmissio ning o f missio n-critical po wer systems, therefo re, fo cuses o n ensuring high levels o f reliability as well as po wer quality. A po wer interruptio n o f o nly 8 .8 3 milliseco nds can shut do wn o r even damage co mputers.

Ro utine quality assurance is needed fo r all building co mpo nents. Usually the decisio n to co mmissio n specific building systems is made during the Design Develo pment phase o f a pro ject, but may also o ccur in co ncept design o r Co nstructio n Do cuments as pro ject perfo rmance requirements and Design Intent Do cumentatio n evo lves.

Conduct Key Commissioning Programming Act ivit ies Many design and co nstructio n pro grams execute careful planning and pro gramming that is embo died and enco mpassed in Master Plans, Building Engineering Repo rts, Special Studies, Feasibility Studies, and Pro gram Develo pment Studies. Yet, so me building pro grams execute PDFmyURL.com

Feasibility Studies, and Pro gram Develo pment Studies. Yet, so me building pro grams execute planning and pro gramming o nly minimally. Fo r co mmissio ning to be successful, pro gramming do cumentatio n must summarize o r include the Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) that are bo th general and specific to critical requirements. The OPR is a summary o f critical planning and pro gramming requirements and o wner expectatio ns that is updated by the co mmissio ning team as the pro ject evo lves. If pro gram o r missio n elements change during the span o f pro ject delivery, the OPR sho uld be updated to reflect changes in building perfo rmance requirements.

ASHRAE Guideline 0 - 2005 (Annex J) pro vides a general fo rmat fo r develo ping an Owner's Pro ject Requirements (OPR) which includes: Pro ject schedule and budget Co mmissio ning sco pe and budget Pro ject do cumentatio n requirements (submissio ns and fo rmats) Owner directives Restrictio ns and limitatio ns User requirements Occupancy requirements and schedules Training requirements fo r o wner's perso nnel Warranty requirements Benchmarking requirements Operatio ns and Maintenance criteria Equipment and systems maintainability requirements Quality requirements fo r materials and co nstructio n Allo wable to lerances fo r facility systems o peratio ns Energy efficiency go als Enviro nmental and sustainability go als Co mmunity requirements Adaptability fo r future facility changes and expansio n Systems integratio n requirements Health, hygiene, and indo o r enviro nmental requirements Aco ustical requirements Vibratio n requirements Seismic requirements Accessibility requirements Security requirements Aesthetics requirements Co nstructability requirements Co mmunicatio ns requirements Applicable co des and standards Note: This is a general list of programming documentation that will vary by project depending on scope, size, complexity, and budget.

The Basis of Design (BOD) is a narrative and analytical do cumentatio n prepared by the design AE alo ng with design submissio ns to explain ho w the Owner's Pro ject Requirements (OPR) are met by the pro po sed design. It describes the technical appro ach used fo r systems selectio ns, PDFmyURL.com

integratio n, and sequence o f o peratio ns, fo cusing o n design features critical to o verall building perfo rmance. An OPR is develo ped fo r an o wner/user audience while the BOD is typically develo ped in mo re technical terms.

Commissioning Specifications Requirements are develo ped to o utline co mmissio ned systems and equipment perfo rmance benchmarks, system integratio n details, submittal requirements fo r co mmissio ned systems, initial co nstructio n co ntracto r inspectio n pro cedures, tests, start-up, turno ver pro cedures, o wner training, and final do cumentatio n requirements.

Systems Manual Requirements —When determining co mmissio ning requirements, it is also impo rtant to define do cumentatio n needs that will facilitate and suppo rt o peratio n o f co mmissio ned systems. O&M Manuals are typically prepared by the co nstructio n co ntracto r at the turn-o ver phase o f a pro ject, but are o ften inadequate to fully explain ho w a co mplex facility sho uld be o perated. ASHRAE GL-0 reco mmends that a "Systems Manual", co ntaining co mmissio ning and co mmissio ning do cumentatio n be prepared fo r co mmissio ned buildings.

Systems Manuals sho uld pro vide all the info rmatio n needed to understand, o perate, and maintain the systems and assemblies. The Systems Manual sho uld be the repo sito ry o f info rmatio n o n updates and co rrectio ns to systems and assemblies as they o ccur during the Occupancy and Operatio ns Phase. A best practice is to develo p a Systems Manual Outline simultaneo us with selectio n, design, and specificatio n o f the co mmissio ned systems.

Training Requirements—An impo rtant element in the co mmissio ning pro cess is ensuring that O&M perso nnel are pro perly trained in o peratio n, care, adjustment, and required maintenance o f co mmissio ned systems and equipment. O&M perso nnel must be trained in the kno wledge and skills needed to o perate a facility in co nfo rmance with its design intent. Training needs must be addressed in the early planning stage to info rm o perating perso nnel abo ut staffing budgets and hiring, qualificatio ns, O&M co ntracts planning and pro curement, co nstructio n co ntract training specificatio n develo pment and co mmissio ning autho rity co ntract respo nsibilities.

So me o wner gro ups are beginning to task co mmissio ning autho rities with o perating facilities fo r up to o ne year after turn-o ver to co nduct seaso nal testing and systems o ptimizatio n, allo wing fo r an o verlap in O&M co ntract start-up and training.

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EMERGING ISSUES Increased Emphasis on Occupant Securit y/Securit y In the po st 9 /11 enviro nment, pro viding o ccupant safety to visito rs and wo rkers in public facilities has been a driving fo rce to deliver and co mmissio n facilities with enhanced building safety measures. This trend is no t expected to decrease, but will likely increase the standard o f care necessary in the design and o peratio n o f all fo rms o f public and co rpo rate buildings.

Cert if icat ion Programs and St andards PDFmyURL.com

Building pro jects are increasingly requiring perfo rmance certificatio ns such as LEED, Green Glo bes, Energy Star, OSHA, and o thers. The pro ject team must discuss and decide o n certificatio n requirements in planning and design phases so that a co mmissio ning fo r certificatio ns can be included in the OPR and Co mmissio ning Plans. USGBC has develo ped additio nal certificatio n standards fo r Existing Buildings, Co mmercial Interio rs, Scho o ls, Co re and Shell, Health Care, Retail, Neighbo rho o d Develo pment, and Ho mes.

Cont inuous Commissioning The benefits o f Retro -Co mmissio ning, Co ntinuo us Co mmissio ning, and Systems Optimizatio n are well do cumented in annual energy savings in studies co nducted by many institutio ns, such as Texas A&M System Energy Systems Lab . Fewer studies are available to demo nstrate the co st benefits o f co mmissio ning new co nstructio n. Ho wever, threats and risks to o peratio nal/business co ntinuity, o ccupant safety, and health and systems degradatio n and inefficiency o ften warrant the added expense o f utilizing the Co mmissio ning Pro cess.

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RELEVANT CODES AND STANDARDS ASHRAE Guideline 0 - 2005: The Commissioning Process —The industry accepted mo del Co mmissio ning Guide BACK TO TO P

ADDIT IONAL RESOURCES GSA Building Co mmissio ning Guide GSA Pro ject Planning Guide Po rtland Energy Co nservatio n, Inc. Raised Access Flo o r Design Guide (GSA to publish in summer 20 0 5)

Organiz at ions Building Co mmissio ning Asso ciatio n (BCxA)—A leading pro fessio nal asso ciatio n fo r membership and certificatio n o f building co mmissio ning practitio ners Natio nal Enviro nmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB)—Certificatio n pro gram and manuals Po rtland Energy Co nservatio n, Inc. BACK TO TO P

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