Building Commissioning (Cx)

 

Commissioning, or Building Commissioning, is a systematic process that can be applied to new or existing buildings.  It focuses on the proper operation of equipment and systems to assure that buildings operate in accordance with a building owner’s requirements. Often associated as perquisite component of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, it has been around for much longer.  Commissioning has its origins in ship building, where if a system did not operate properly it wasn’t easily fixed.  This same type of process was then used by manufacturing and chemical industries, where a malfunctioning system resulted in a costly waste of product and time.  Today with complicated building automation systems and fast-track delivery methods, building commissioning has made its way down to the commercial level and many owners would not think of constructing a building without the services of commissioning authority.  Even for existing building owners commissioning can also beneficial, think of it as a building tune-up.  According to research studies, buildings start to run inefficiently within 3-5 years from when they were last commissioned.

Commissioning should not be thought of as a single service but rather a menu of services that any owner can choose from depending on their needs.  As commissioning authorities, we can help you navigate this menu of selections.  First is the type of building that you have, followed by the types of systems that you need to have commissioned.  The following are the types of commissioning services that we offer but if you are confused or unsure please call us and we can explain this service so that you can understand.

 

New Buildings

  • Whole Building Commissioning
  • LEED Building Commissioning

Existing Buildings

  • Retro Commissioning
  • Re-Commissioning
  • Ongoing Commissioning

Sample of Possible Systems to Commission

  • HVAC
  • Building Envelope (or Exterior Enclosure)
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Renewal Energy (Solar, Wind)
  • Technology
  • Process
  • Specialty Systems
  • Transportation (Elevators)