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Why Commissioning

Functionality You Will Love

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Which projects require commisioning ?

THE COMMISSIONING PROCESS

Advantages of HVAC Commissioning

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Commissioning your HVAC equipment has the following advantages:

  • Documentation of your current system operation.

  • Elimination of risk for equipment breakdowns.

  • Reduction of maintenance service requests and work orders.

  • Reduction of overall energy usage and costs.

  • Extension of facility and equipment life.

  • Identification of operational and maintenance enhancement options.

  • Increased mechanical efficiency, occupant comfort, and indoor air quality.

HVAC commissioning ensures optimum performance of your HVAC systems and will help catch minor issues before they develop into big, expensive emergencies.

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THREE TYPES OF COMMISSIONING

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There are three main types of HVAC commissioning.

The first type, initial commissioning, occurs during the production of a new building or on a new HVAC system within an existing building. The second type, retro-commissioning, is the first time commissioning has been implemented in an existing building on existing HVAC equipment.  Finally, re-commissioning is commissioning HVAC systems that were already commissioned during the initial commissioning process, and the owner wants to verify, improve and document the performance of the existing HVAC systems down the road.

Once the proper type of commissioning has been determined for a particular building, the actual process of HVAC commissioning can begin.

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HVAC commissioning replicates various operating conditions and determines if your system responds appropriately. Any performance issues will be recorded, diagnosed, and resolved on-site. Once complete, the system will have been verified to be in perfect working order.

Commissioning HVAC systems services allows your business to get a detailed assessment on your equipment so you can avoid broken machines and unproductive workdays with employees suffering through the heat or having to be sent home, halting all progress for the day. Commissioning of HVAC Systems means you’ll always have cool air to enjoy.

Any critical HVAC system should receive regular commissioning. In addition, commissioning should be performed for any project that involves automatic mechanical controls.

 

The commissioning process begins with a thorough check of the HVAC equipment after it has been installed.  A thorough check involves verifying the correct equipment and material has been installed and installed in the proper location. Then, we verify that the installation meets construction details and the manufacturer’s requirements.  A custom checklist along with documentation of the installed equipment must be created.

After verifying the correct equipment and material has been installed, witnessing equipment operation is the next step. It is necessary to verify and document proper operation which includes the startup, shutdown, and sequence of operation. Noting any issues of improper sequence of operations or start and shut down issues must be reported to the necessary contractors immediately. After the equipment has been verified to operate properly, the HVAC equipment can be tested, adjusted, and balanced (TAB).

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New Buildings

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The new construction commissioning process includes multiple activities performed in a specific sequence. As defined in ASHRAE Standard 202–2018, Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems, these functions are required to provide a complete commissioning project.

  1. Initiation: 

  2. Owner's Project Requirements: 

  3. Commissioning Plan: 

  4. Basis of Design: 

  5. Specifications: 

  6. Design Review: 

  7. Submittal Review: 

  8. System Verification: 

  9. Functional Performance Testing (FPT): 

  10. Issues and Resolution Log:  participants that need solutions to facilitate successful project completion.

  11. Systems Manual: 

  12. Training: 

  13. Seasonal or Deferred Testing: 

  14. Commissioning Report:

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Exisitng Buildings

Existing-Building Cx (EBCx): a quality-focused process for attaining the Current Facility Requirements (CFR) of an existing facility and its systems and assemblies being commissioned. The process focuses on planning, investigating, implementing, verifying, and documenting that the facility and/or its systems and assemblies are operated and maintained to meet the CFR, with a program to maintain the enhancements for the remaining life of the facility.

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Retro-Commisioning

Retro-commissioning and Re-commissioning are the two methods of continuous commissioning. Retro-commissioning is used on a building that was never commissioned previously, and Re-commissioning is for a building that was commissioned previously. Both processes evaluate and test an existing building’s systems to determine if they are performing as intended. In typical building operations, the “wear and tear” on systems can cause them to operate inefficiently or malfunction altogether. Retro-commissioning and Re-commissioning improve a building’s operations and maintenance (O&M) procedures to enhance overall building performance. These improvements often result in lower building operating costs and a reduction in energy waste.

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Re-Commissioning

Re-Commissioning is an application of the commissioning process requirements to a project that has been delivered using the commissioning process. This may be a scheduled recommissioning developed as part of an ongoing commissioning process, or it may be triggered by use change, operations problems, or other needs. 

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LEED Commissioning

LEED Commissioning requires developing a commissioning plan for testing energy-consuming and environmentally related systems, plus their equipment components. Commissioning is a prerequisite for almost every LEED rating system. Having completed over 200 LEED Commissioning projects, including 19 Platinum projects, Sunstone has performed existing, fundamental, and enhanced commissioning for LEED-NC, LEED-EB, LEED-CS, LEED-CI, and LEED-S projects.

Suntones's independent commissioning group is a team of professionals capable of providing LEED Commissioning for projects with other design professionals.  

ORGANIZATIONS WITH SIGNIFICANT CX FOCUS

  • ACG AABC Commissioning Group

  • APPA Leadership in Educational Facilities (formerly Association of Physical Plant Administrators)

  • ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers

  • ASTM American Society for Testing Materials

  • BCxA Building Commissioning Association

  • CIBSE Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers

  • EERE U.S. Department of Energy Better Buildings Initiative

  • Energy Systems Laboratory Texas A&M University Continuous Commissioning®

  • IES Illuminating Engineering Society

  • NEBB National Environmental Balancing Bureau

  • NFPA National Fire Protection Association

  • SMACNA Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association

  • USGBC U.S. Green Building Council

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