Commissioning of New Construction or Major Renovation Projects

For new construction or major renovation, commissioning is the process of verifying that building systems (depending on the scope) are installed and operating as designed and achieve the owner's project requirements as intended by the building owner. Depending on the scope, systems and their associated sub-components  that are to be commissioned include but not limited to Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC), Refrigeration system and associated controls, plumbing system, electrical system, fire and life safety system, building automation system, and building envelop. While scope of commissioning services can vary depending on the owner’s budgetary limitation and/or project compliance requirements, at SBS we believe a successful building commissioning process requires the following:

  • Commissioning authority to be an independent entity
  • Commissioning authority to be involved from pre-design phase of the project
  • Commissioning authority to work closely with the owner and the design team to develop Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR)
  • Development of sound commissioning plan and detailed commissioning specifications to be incorporated into the construction documents and Project bid-set documents
  • Properly incorporating commissioning activities into the overall project schedule to allow ample timing for commissioning tests

USGBC LEED Certification & Commissioning

Commissioning process is a highly effective method to improve the performance of building systems and equipment. The U.S. Green Building Council has recognized the effectiveness and benefits that commissioning process provides in green buildings, and has incorporated commissioning in the LEED™ rating systems. For new construction and major renovation projects, LEED™ not only includes building commissioning to earn credit, but also requires it. Commissioning perquisite and associated credits are within the Energy and Atmosphere category. These items include:

  • Energy and Atmosphere Prerequisite 1: Fundamental Commissioning
  • Energy and Atmosphere Credits : Enhanced Commissioning

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