2014 Commissioning Energy Conference
Las Vegas, NV
Derek De Jesús, CxA, LEED AP
Jeff Jameson, PE
 Identify
potential conflicts between the
Commissioning Agent and the design/build
team.
 Identify the process implemented, scope
required, and the value added for the Owner.
 Highlight the challenges encountered and
modifications to the Commissioning process
that occurred in order to achieve the project
goals.
 ASHRAE 90.4P review
• How many data centers exist?
– 2011 – 509,147 1
• Electricity Consumption
– Doubled from 2000 to 2005 2
– Increased 56% from 2005 and
2010 2
– Range 100W to 400W /sq ft 3
• Operating temperatures4
– 2004 – 72 deg F
– 2008 – 81 deg F
1 – Emerson Network Power (http://www.emersonnetworkpower.com/enUS/About/NewsRoom/Pages/2011DataCenterState.aspx)
2 – Jonathan Koomey, July 2011, http://www.koomey.com/post/8323374335
3 – Data Center Knowledge, April 2012,
http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2012/04/25/6-questions-for-yournext-data-center-provider/
4 - ComputerWorld, January 2010,
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9144466/Data_center_density_hits_the_w
all
 ACG
Process but Speak up and be heard
 Integrate Commissioning early and often
 Expect the same project goals




PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness)
CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics)
OPR (Owner’s Project Requirements)
Tier rating
 More
meetings; site attention
 Contracting
– Owner or
DB/C?
 OPR, BOD developed?
 Blended phases!
 Fast paced…ambiguous
schedule
 Reduced documentation
trail
 Improved
access to team
and owner
 Eager and attentive
installing contractors

Cooperation
 Identifying
the team!
gaps, supporting
 Design


reviews
How many and when?
Comment responses
 Submittal

reviews
Approved unless otherwise stated
 Schedule
PFC
Acceptance
Integration
Startup
BAS Pt-Pt
TAB
FPT
 Expand


Grounding, lightning protection
Life safety systems




the systems to be Commissioned
VESDA
Pre-Action
Energy management systems
Interface(s) to BAS
 Reliability,
stability for equipment operations
 Electrical


Witness and document NETA testing
Support the scheduling of these tests
 Test




testing support
equipment
Data logging
Trending
IR Scanning
Load banking
 Beyond
vendor startup
PDU Testing and Trending
 57,509


sq ft renovation
6 Pods
4 Pods built out; 2 for
future
 6MW
of electrical power
 N+1 design for all systems
 DB/C = Owner
 Brought

on AFTER final design
Still performed a design review
 Brought
on AFTER equipment had started
getting delivered

Still performed a submittal review
 Immediate

ramp up
Estimated schedule to turnover: 6 months
 Vague
scheduling
 Reviewing
documents AND
developing documents at the same
time

Addressing design concerns
 Electrical
test witnessing not in Cx
scope
 Schedule coordination for startup
 No one had Cx in budget, but it was
a data center…
B
phase CT was broke from
factory


Testing should have found it
Caused breaker to trip at
75% load
 Weather
delays
 Existing building conditions

Leaking roof
 Strike
delays
 No O&M staff on-board during
project


Inadequate service
ground
No training
No witnessing of testing

Two SMARDT 200-ton Oil free centrifugal chillers,
R-134a, 45° CHW, 400 gpm
Each chiller with dual (100-ton each) VFD compressors
 Evaporative Condenser with spray pump
 Economizer pump package


Dedicated chiller primary pumps


Additional spare in case of emergency replacement
Two VFD secondary pumps

Sized for future data center expansion
Chilled water load monitoring (BTU meter)
 Package system controller

 Operational

benefits
Secondary pump speed control set
up to maintain critical branch
temperature (or pressure)
 Reliability

The system has safety modes
of operation to maintain
continuous operation (sump
dump, emergency sump
heating, react to temperature
control problems, emergency
operation, stand-alone
operation, etc.)
 Year
round consistent, cooling capability
 High efficiency using the evaporative
condenser

Dry condenser operation for low outside air
temperature (<40° adj.) operation
Wet condenser operation for warmer OAT (>45°
(adj.) operation
 Monitoring
of system energy consumption
 Spent
more time with contractors completing
the PFCs than just reviewing
 Cx meetings became scheduling coordination
meetings

Cx documents proved readiness
 Maintained
acceptance



FPTs
ISTs
ISOTs
3 levels of testing to prove
 Systems



outside of Scope
Do what you can when you have the time
Show the value, even if its free
Be reasonable
 Greatest




single value for electrical Cx….
Advocate for primary current injection testing
Witness the testing
Document the results
Set the breakers per the FINAL Coordination
Study
 Energy
Standard for Data Centers and
Telecommunications Buildings
 First Advisory Public Review


November 2013
Comments are still in
review
 4.2

– Compliance
Either use 90.4P or 90.1
 4.2.2

– Compliance Documentation
Many of the requirements the CxA can support

Labeling of equipment, O&M, Inspections
 4.2.4

– Inspections
Requires AHJ to inspect







wall insulation after the insulation and vapor retarder
are in place but before concealment
roof/ceiling insulation after roof/insulation is in place
but before concealment
slab/foundation wall after slab/foundation insulation
is in place but before concealment
fenestration after all glazing materials are in place
continuous air barrier after installation but before
concealment
mechanical systems and equipment and insulation
after installation but before concealment
electrical equipment and systems after installation but
before concealment
 Section

5 Building Envelope
No methods or standards except to comply with
90.1
 6.4.1


– PUE
Only provides Mechanical PUE
Defined by cities yet some major metro areas are
missing
1
2
1 – 42U, 2014, http://www.42u.com/measurement/pue-dcie.htm#What-is-PUE
2 – ASHRAE 90.4P, Page 29, 2013
 Summary




No specific mention of Commissioning
No mention of testing to prove energy
consumption
No mention of any Measurement & Verification
Nothing with regards to improving PUE rating
over time

Its all based on Day 0 performance
 Engage
in a discussion to clarify and define
expectation upfront
 Advocate for Electrical Cx beyond “standard”
services
 Understand the potential of 90.4P
Derek De Jesús
National Commissioning Manager
KJWW Engineering
312-931-3703
dejesusdw@kjww.com
Jeff Jameson
Mechanical Commissioning Agent
KJWW Engineering
jamesonjj@kjww.com