COMMISSIONING BEST
PRACTICES
Boban Ratkovich, P. Eng. CEM, BESA, LEED AP ID+C
President, CES Engineering Ltd
Commissioning Best Practices
• Presentation Overview
1:30pm : 3:05pm
• Cx Standards & Guidelines
• Definitions
• Cx Models
• Key Commissioning Principles
• Cx Process and Project Phases
• Monitoring Based Commissioning (MBCx)
• BC Hydro New Construction Program – Cx Incentive
3:05pm : 3:30pm Break
3:30pm : 3:50pm Commissioning Economics
3:50pm : 4:35pm Electrical Sub-metering
4:35pm : 5:00pm Question and Answer Period
Commissioning Best Practices
• Presentation Overview
2:45pm : 3:30pm
• Cx Process and Project Phases (Acceptance and
Operation)
• Monitoring Based Commissioning (MBCx)
• BC Hydro New Construction Program – Cx Incentive
3:30pm – 3:40pm Break
3:40pm – 4:20pm
Electrical Sub-metering
4:20pm – 4:35pm
• Cx Economics
• 4:35pm – 5:00pm Questions and Answers Period
Commissioning Best Practices
• Cx Standards & Guidelines
– ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005 Commissioning Process –
Describes Process Administration.
– LEED Rating System
– Building Commissioning Association (www.bcxa.org)
• Portland Energy Conservation Inc. (www.peci.org)
• California Commissioning Collaborative
(www.cacx.org)
– U.S. General Services Administration, Public Building
Service – The Building Commissioning Guide
Commissioning Best Practices
• Cx Standards & Guidelines
– Canadian Standards
• CSA Z320-11 Building Commissioning
• CSA Z317.18-0-05 Commissioning of Health Care
Facilities
• NRCan office of energy efficiency – re-commissioning
studies
• Public Works and Government Services Canada –
Commissioning Manual (comprehensive document)
Commissioning Best Practices
• What is Building Commissioning?
– Different perceptions on a market about what exactly is
the “Commissioning Process”
ASHRAE 0-2005
– “Commissioning is a quality focused process for
enhancing delivery of project”
– PROJECT DELIVERY QUALITY CONTROL – implies
and suggests commissioning activities in all project
phases.
Owner’s opportunity for QUALITY CONTROL and
performance verification
Commissioning Best Practices
• Why Do I Need Commissioning?
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Verification of Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR)
Health, safety, and indoor air quality
Peace of mind
Energy conservation and performance
Increased system complexity
Comfort control
Commissioning Best Practices
• Don’t I Already Pay for That?
– Design Professional Agreement
• Doesn’t allow for “third set of eyes” from Cx
• Doesn’t allow for quality control beyond field
observations
• May not have the same level of field experience
– Construction Contract
– Cx requirements not specified
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Doesn’t require formal Cx program
Doesn’t include performance criteria
Doesn’t include witnessed tests
Not a condition for final acceptance
Commissioning Best Practices
Mech Engineer
Elec. Engineer
Architect
General Contractor
Elec. Contractor
Typical Project Team Configuration
Up to the 1990’s
Mech. Contractor
Commissioning Best Practices
Mech Engineer
Elec. Engineer
Architect
General Contractor
Data/Security/Misc.
Fire Alarm
Gaps between disciplines resulting in:
• Poor coordination
• Lost details
• Costly change orders
• Delays in schedule
Fire Protection
Controls Contractor
Elec. Contractor
Typical Project Team Configuration
After 1990’s
Mech. Contractor
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning helps
fill the gaps in
coordination
Commissioning
encompasses “All”
New Project Team Configuration
With Commissioning
Commissioning Best Practices
• Fundamental vs. Enhanced Cx
– LEED Process introduced Fundamental and Best
Practice (Enhanced) Cx process separation.
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Models
Independent Third Party Cx (Hired by Owner)
– Preferred – Significantly reduces potential for conflict of
interest. Recommended by all latest standards, required
by LEED best practice standard.
Cx as part of the Design Team
– Biased presentation of issues
– It is common practice not to bring attention to negative
design issues. Passing responsibility on to the
construction team during construction resulting in “afterthe-fact” solutions and corresponding cost and delays.
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Models
Cx as part of General Contractor
– Many of the same problems as Cx under design team
– Focus on schedule and budget. Not in owner favor.
Cx as part of Mechanical Contractor
– Same issues as with general contractors. Focus on
schedule and budget.
– Knowledge usually limited to mechanical field.
Commissioning Best Practices
• Approaches
New Construction
– Pre design through occupancy
Existing Buildings
– Retro-Commissioning
– In existing un-commissioned buildings
– Re-Commissioning
– In previously commissioned buildings
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Principles
a) Establish Measurable Project Performance
Requirements
b) Plan and Execute the Commissioning Process
c) Verify and Document Compliance with Requirements
d) Effectively Transfer Knowledge to the Building
Operations Team
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Principles
a) Establish Measurable Project Performance
Requirements
• Develop owner‘s project requirements (OPR).
• Review design documents for compliance with the OPR.
Design narrative (basis of design) document and plans &
specifications
• Document design development decisions. Deviations for
OPR or design narrative and value engineering decisions
& consequences
• Document the process. Develop & maintain a project
commissioning plan; develop a commissioning
specification
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Principles
b) Plan and Execute the Commissioning Process
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Clear roles and responsibilities for all team members
Well defined commissioning work scope and deliverables
Project commissioning schedules
Effective inspection and testing plans
Clear commissioning specifications consistent with the
project commissioning plan
• Clear definitions of training requirements to support long
term sustainability
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Principles
c) Verify and Document Compliance with Requirements
• A clear history of project development, execution and
turnover
• A definitive record of all inspections, tests, performance
issues and deficiencies and issue resolutions
• A clear methodology to evaluate building performance
against the standard achieved at the final acceptance of
the project (re-commissioning plan)
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Principles
d) Effectively Transfer Knowledge to the Building
Operations Team
• Engage the operations team in the Cx process as early as
possible.
• Organize and prepare all contractors and vendors to
deliver coherent training to the operations team.
• Provide systems training and key performance criteria to
guide operators in monitoring and evaluating their
operating systems
• Provide training, O&M, performance and RCx
documentation that will allow a facility to maintain an
effective operations team for the life of the facility
Commissioning Best Practices
The Commissioning Process
The Commissioning Process involves steps that are
integrated into every phase of the project:
PRE-DESIGN
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
Commissioning is NOT just testing at the end!
OPERATION
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Pre-Design Phase
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Document/Review Owner’s Project Requirements
Select Commissioning Authority
Define Scope & Budget for commissioning
Create Initial Commissioning Plan
Define the Cx team members (identify Owner’s team)
Define Target Incentive Programs
Include Cx requirements into RFP documents for design
services!!! - see attached file
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Design Phase
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Document/Review Basis of Design
Refine scope of commissioning
Perform Design Reviews
Update Commissioning Plan
Include commissioning requirements in construction
documents
– Including pre-functional checklists and functional
performance test procedures
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Design Phase Deliverables
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
Commissioning Team Organization Chart
Owner’s Project Requirements
Cx Specifications and Cx Plan
Systems to be Commissioned
Design Development Review Documents
Construction Development Review
Basis of Design
OPERATION
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Design Phase Deliverables
PRE-DESIGN
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
Commissioning Team Organization Chart
See attached sample file
OPERATION
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Design Phase Deliverables
PRE-DESIGN
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Owner’s Project Requirements
• ASHRAE 0-2005 provides template for generating
OPR and proposed content.
• Usually assembled at the project workshop session.
• Desired performance criteria for energy, water use,
thermal comfort, indoor air quality, lighting/daylighting, acoustics specified in this document
See attached sample file
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Design Phase Deliverables
PRE-DESIGN
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Cx Specifications and Cx Plan
• Master Cx Specifications shall be included in General
Division 1.
• All other equipment and services sections shall
include specific commissioning requirements.
• Cx Authority shall coordinate Cx Specifications
across all Specifications Divisions
See attached sample file
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Design Phase Deliverables
PRE-DESIGN
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
Systems to be Commissioned
See attached sample file
OPERATION
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Design Phase Deliverables
PRE-DESIGN
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Design Development and Construction Documents
Commissioning Review
•Commissioning review is not a peer review !!
•Responsibility for design remains with design team
•Credentials of Cx Authority Performing Review
Commissioning Review Scope of Work - See attached
sample file
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Design Phase Deliverables
PRE-DESIGN
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Basis of Design
– Design documentation is presented in narrative
form at the schematic project phase.
– The schematic design narrative form represents
the foundation for the final basis of design
document.
– Commissioning Authority updates Basis of
Design documents as the design progresses
from the inputs provided by the design team.
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Design Phase Deliverables
PRE-DESIGN
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Basis of Design
– Basis of design document is primarily assembled
for the OPERATOR GROUP needs.
– Construction documents are prepared to allow
contractors to erect the building and building
systems and NOT TO DEFINE BUILDING
OPERATION.
– The operator cannot get all the information from
the construction documents.
Commissioning Best Practices
• BD Case Study: St Mary’s Hospital Expansion
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Construction Phase
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Commissioning Team
Roles and Responsibilities - Cx Authority versus Cx Agent
Cx Kickoff Meeting
Construction Cx Plan
Cx Schedule Facilitation and Integration
Construction Phase Meetings
Cx Construction Observation Visits
Submittals review, RFI’s, CO and Change Directives
Pre-Functional Checklists (see attached file)
Preliminary Systems Functional Performance Test Procedures
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Acceptance Phase
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Construction Meetings
Cx Construction Evaluation Visits
Equipment/System Startup Observation and Review
Pre-functional Check List Verification
Systems Functional Testing (Season 1)
O&M Manuals
Systems Manuals
Training Verification
Cx Issues Follow Up and Resolution
Final Cx Report
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Commissioning Team ??
First year operation - performance verification phase
Post Occupancy Evaluation (CSA Z8000)
Performance Measurement Protocols
LEED 2012 Draft Document
Monitoring Based Commissioning
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Post Occupancy Evaluation (CSA Z8000)
“POEs are intended to obtain feedback on facility usability and
performance from the Health Care Facility users (i.e., patients,
families, or caregivers), designers, builders, funding agencies,
organizational leaders, and staff (clinical and non-clinical).
This process can be facilitated through the establishment of
performance indicators early in the design process and then
measuring against the completed facility. Using performance
indicators will help to focus the planning and evaluation towards
desired outcomes”..
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Performance Measurement Protocols for Commercial Buildings
(ASHRAE, USGBC, CIBSE) 2010
• Energy Use (basic, intermediate, advanced)
• Water Use (basic, intermediate, advanced)
• Indoor Environmental Quality (IAQ) – Thermal Comfort
(basic, intermediate, advanced)
• IAQ – Air Quality (basic, intermediate, advanced)
• IAQ – Lighting/day-lighting (basic, intermediate, advanced)
• IAQ – Acoustics (basic, intermediate, advanced)
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
• LEED 2012 Draft Document
• Cx and Measurement and Verification process outside of
Energy and Atmosphere section.
• Dedicated “Performance” section containing
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Water Metering – Prerequisite
Building Level Metering – Prerequisite
Fundamental Commissioning and Verification – Prerequisite
Enhanced Commissioning – Credit
Monitoring Based Commissioning – Credit
Advance Metering – Credit
Advanced Energy metering – Credit
Reconcile Projected and Actual Energy Performance – Credit
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Monitoring Based Commissioning (MBCx)
– MBCx expands the Enhanced Cx process and includes:
1. Permanent energy information systems (EIS) and diagnostic
tools at the whole-building and sub-system level;
2. Cx based on the information from these tools and savings
accounting emphasizing measurement as opposed to
estimation or assumptions; and
3. On-going Cx to ensure efficient building operations and
measurement-based savings accounting.
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Monitoring Based Commissioning (MBCx)
– Activities during design stage: Monitoring-based procedures in Initial
Commissioning Plan:
1. Roles and Responsibilities
2. Measurement requirements: meters, points, metering systems,
data access
3. List of points to be trended with associated frequency and
duration for trending
4. Limits of acceptable values for tracked points and metered
values
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
•
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Monitoring Based Commissioning (MBCx)
– Activities during design stage:Monitoring-based procedures in Initial
Commissioning Plan :
5. Review elements that will be used to evaluate and identify
performance of monitored points and associated systems,
including but not limited to:
– Conflict between systems
– Out of sequence operation of systems components
– Energy and water usage profiles
6. Action plan for correction of operational issues and deficiencies.
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
Monitoring Based Commissioning (MBCx)
OPERATION
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
•
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Monitoring Based Commissioning (MBCx)
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Activities during project acceptance phase
1. Configuration of data acquisition system
2. Cx, validation and calibration inspections of the M&V system
equipment, devices and sensors
3. Functional verification of the DDC system interfaces with M&V
system equipment, devices and sensors.
4. Set up of the EMIS host server (base building energy model
configuration, database server, application server, user
authorizations).
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
Monitoring Based Commissioning (MBCx)
OPERATION
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
•
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Monitoring Based Commissioning (MBCx)
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Activities during project occupancy phase
1. Development of custom energy reports
2. Initial metering data calibration with water and utility bills.
3. Review of building systems operation from energy consumption
and efficiency perspective
4. Verify that points are being trended in accordance with the
Plan’s monitoring requirements and prepare a report on the
verification results.
5. Frequency of analyses in the first year of occupancy; analyses
must occur at least quarterly.
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
Monitoring Based Commissioning MBx
OPERATION
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
•
DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
Monitoring Based Commissioning MBx
OPERATION
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
OPERATION
Monitoring Based Commissioning MBx
– In California, MBCx was tested on 33 Universities and Campuses.
– The MBCx program represented $5.2 million of the total program
budget and was performed on 37 building projects and 9 plant
systems, representing over seven million gross square feet.
Commissioning Best Practices
Commissioning: Operation Phase
PRE-DESIGN
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DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
ACCEPTANCE
Monitoring Based Commissioning (MBCx)
OPERATION
Commissioning Best Practices
• BC Hydro NC Program Cx Incentive
• Enhanced Commissioning Offer in development Tentative launch Jan 2012.
Commissioning Best Practices
• BC Hydro New Construction Program –
Commissioning Incentive
– BC Hydro is preparing a contract offer for owners/facility group
for specific commissioning activities incentives.
– The program requirements will include in simplified terms:
• Generation of the energy focused basis of design
document during project design stage.
• Regular interval energy performance review sessions
during first year of operation between Cx Authority and the
facility operators utilizing energy metering and
management software installed as part of the construction
project.
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Economics
– Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has built the
world’s largest compilation and meta-analysis of Cx
experience in commercial buildings.
– The database includes 643 buildings (all located in the
United States, and spanning 26 states), 100 million
square feet of floor space, and $43 million in Cx
expenditures.
– The recorded cases of new-construction Cx took place in
buildings representing $2.2 billion in total construction
costs.
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Economics
– The median normalized cost to deliver Cx
• $0.30/ft2 for EB
• $1.16/ft2 for NC (or 0.4% of the construction cost).
– Energy Savings
• 16% for EB, Payback 1.1 Years
• 13% for NC, Payback 4.2 Years
– Projects with a comprehensive approach to Cx attained
nearly twice the overall median level of savings and fivetimes the savings of the least-thorough projects
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Economics
– Thanks to energy savings originated from Cx process,
associated reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
come at “negative” cost.
– In fact, the median cost of conserved carbon is
negative—
• -$110 per tonne for EB
• -$25/tonne for NC
as compared with market prices for carbon trading and
offsets in the +$10 to +$30/tonne range.
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Economics
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Economics
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Economics
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Economics
Commissioning Best Practices
• Commissioning Catch All Phrases
– Cx – project delivery quality control
– Cx starts during project planning stage and takes place in
all project phases
– On a typical project Cx process stretches over 5-6 years
– Design engineers do not practice full scope cx services
– Cx budget cost (project delivery quality control) ~ 1% of
the total construction cost
THANK YOU!
Boban Ratkovich, P. Eng. CEM, BESA, LEED AP ID+C
#220 – 4211 Kingsway
Burnaby, BC V5H 1Z6
Ph.604.221.8715
bratkovich@cesgroup.ca