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Building commissioning is an important quality cated design and systems, commissioning may be assurance service in the building industry. More and essential to assure integration and operability.
more engineering firms are considering commis- sioning services as a core business component.
Existing-building commissioning, also known as Commissioning is being integrated into the con- re t ro-commissioning, usually focuses on energ y - s t ruction process to ensure that owners and using equipment such as mechanical equipment, investors get good buildings for their investments. It lighting, and related controls with the goal of reduc- is a method of risk reduction for new construction ing energy waste, obtaining energy cost savings for projects or major capital improvements (i.e. renova- the owner, and identifying and fixing existing prob- tions) and it is a comprehensive way to assess and lems, using diagnostic testing and O&M tune-up tune up performance of existing buildings.
Building commissioning for new buildings "focus- es on verifying and documenting that the facility N E W C O N S T R U C T I O N C O M M I S S I O N I N G and all of its systems and assemblies are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated, ties follow the construction process from pre-design and maintained to meet the owner's project planning through design, construction and accept- ance. The commissioning provider becomes an inte- gral part of the building team. New constructioncommissioning may include review and testing of all Commissioning for existing buildings identifiescauses and recommends solutions to typical building systems (security, fire, life and safety, HVAC, problem areas such as high energy costs and lighting, electrical, etc.). Commissioning ends with assuring the operators are trained and O&M manu- als are available and accurate. A facility's O&M per-sonnel, if on board, can assist in commissioning of Commissioning is applicable throughout the lifecy- new buildings through participation in functional cle of a building to assure that the building is built and operates as intended. This assurance is needed not only at the beginning of a buildings life (i.e.
periodic event in the life of an existing building that design and construction) but also when any renova- applies a systematic investigation process for tion work occurs as well as periodically during the improving and optimizing a building's O&M. Much of the service is similar to that for new-construction commissioning. The O&M staff work alongside thecommissioning authority as they check equipment Most new buildings can benefit from commission-ing. In many larger projects, or those with compli- The commissioning service provider, often referred Some of the benefits resulting from commis- to as a commissioning agent, or commissioning authority, is an objective, independent advocate ofthe building owner. The commissioning provider • A fully functional building at first occupancy typically has significant design and hands-on expe-rience with building mechanical and electrical sys- tems. Ideally, the commissioning provider is an • Safer and more comfortable buildings.
independent third party contractor hired or • Fewer disputes between building owner assigned by the owner and is contractually inde- • Fewer change orders where commissioning pendent of the construction firm, sub-contractors or equipment suppliers. In rare cases where this is • Problems discovered early when they are not the case, a disclosure of potential conflict of interest and the means of resolving it should be Numerous real world case studies have quanti- The costs of commissioning services can vary widely depending on the type of project being requested, and the size and complexity of the building. A number of studies have assembled cost information and found that commissioning • WA S H I N G T O N D E PA RT M E N T O F G E N E R A L A D M I N I S T R AT I O N can range from $0.10 per square foot to over $1.30 per square foot. Costs of commissioning ofexisting buildings is generally lower than the serv- ice for new buildings due to the length of time and level of involvement in a new project's design andc o n s t ruction process. Also, costs per square foot • MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY a re higher for smaller projects due to certain fixed aspects of the service such as developing a plan and re p o rting. One study in the Northwest found (ON CERTIFICATION, GUIDELINES, LOCATING PROVIDERS) the average for new construction commissioningto be about $0.70 per square foot compared to existing building commissioning of $0.25. B ETT ERBRI CK S I S AN I NITI AT IV E OF T HE The Alliance is a non-profit group of electric utilities, state governments, public interest groups and efficiency industry representatives working to make affordable, energy-efficient products and services available in the market place.

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