Scoping a Commissioning Job
in Terms of Contractor
Involvement ???
What do we mean by Scope?
Systems to be Commissioned
Or
Contractor Performance Expectations
Whose Expectations?
• Owner ?
– Doesn’t know what to expect
• Contractor ?
– Do less work . . . Make more money
• Design Professional ?
– We don’t do means and methods
Whose Should Define
Expectations?
• Owner, Architect, CM, GC?
• CxA ?
– We don’t define Scope, but we should help.
– Just like Owners Project Requirements
– Just like Basis of Design
– Should it be in the Cx Spec?
What About Specs.?
• So far, the design Community has not paid much attention
to Cx. Specs.
• MasterSpec Section 230800 Cx of HVAC (01815) (15995)
– CxA’s Responsibilities
• Provide Project specific construction checklists and process
test procedures.
• Direct Cx tests.
• Verify testing, adjusting and balancing of Work are complete.
• Provide test data, inspection reports, and certificates in
Systems Manual.
What About Specs.?
• MasterSpec Section 230800 Cx of HVAC (01815) (15995)
– Contractors Responsibilities
• Perform commissioning tests at the direction of the CxA
• Attend construction phase controls coordination meeting.
• Attend TAB review and coordination meeting
• Participate in HVAC orientation and inspection as directed by
CxA
• Provide information requested by CxA for final Cx
documentation.
• Provide measuring instruments & logging devices and provide
data acquisition equipment to record data for the complete
range of testing for the required test period.
Not Process or Scope
MasterSpec is “product oriented”
What About Specs.?
• ACG specifications
• Section 01815 (15995) (230800)
– CxA Responsibilities
• 4 pages of criteria
• Organize and Lead
• Develop schedules, schedule meetings
• Develop documentation: RTFs, SVCs, FPTs, Cx Plan
• Monitor Point to Point, witness startup
• Understand, direct and witness ALL FPTs
• Schedule and verify training
• Complete report
What About Specs.?
• ACG specifications
• Section 01815 (15995) (230800)
– Contractors Responsibilities
• Evaluate deficiencies
• Cooperate with CxA
• Attend meetings
• Review Cx documentation
• Complete Checklists
• Accomplish test procedures
• Provide Training
This is More Process than Scope
So back to Scope
• What’s the problem?
– Interface between trades
– Actually completing the project
– Making sure the systems function before
functional testing
– What if the balancer was not truthful
– Who is responsible for making sure the
building is tight.
So back to Scope
• How do we fix it?
– Do we help define contract boundary limits?
– Do we ask the contractors to write narratives?
So back to Scope
• How do we get to the end?
– What happens if the CxA and the owner do
everything right but the contractor won’t finish
• If there is only 10% retainage left on the project
and the contractor walks away.
Does anyone have Comments?
Thank you