1. U.S. Green Building Council Cascadia Chapter
Presentation on Commissioning
Craig Hawkins, CHDS Commissioning and Engineering
Todd McGuire, Engineering Economics, Inc.
Bryan Welsh, Keithly Welsh Associates, Inc.

2. Outline Introduction to Commissioning - Bryan
LEED Commissioning - Craig
Case Studies - Todd

3. Company Profile
Established in 1996, Exclusively Commissioning Services
Unique focus on the owner’s perspective.
Team with extensive facilities engineering, construction, maintenance and commissioning experience.
Over 100 commissioning projects of various sizes and types around the world including LEED and CHPS projects
Founding and active member of Building Commissioning Association
Member USGBC

4. Why
Commissioning?

5. Design Related Issues

6. I’ll take what’s Behind Door #1…

7. At least they won’t mess with the thermostat….

8. No problem, let me get my saw…..

9. Look, someone has a fire alarm pull station for sale on the bulleting board….

10. I guess we’ll assign old “Slim” to service that unit.6”

11. Oh Shucks!

12. Construction Issues

13. Dirt & Construction Debris
Arrows are animated.

14. Equipment Without Lubrication

15. Missing Insulation Above Ceiling

16. Maintenance Access Prevented

17. Filter Access Problems
Arrows are animated.

18. Actuators Missing or Fallen Off
Arrows are animated.

19. Improper Condensate Drains

20. The Code Official Fallacy
290K Sq. Ft. Facility
162 Smoke and Fire/Smoke Dampers
103 of them had problems
Fire sprinkler system had problems
System had been accepted by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (Fire Marshall)

21. Control System Problems
Arrows are animated.

22. The Commissioning Continuum
Post
Occupancy
Post
Construction
Design
Construction
Full Scope Commissioning
Coordination
Review Submittals
Site Observations
Start-ups
Pre-Functional Checks
Planning
Design Intent
Constructability
Maintainability
Peer Review
Integration into Specs
Commissioning Plan
O&M Review
Re-Commissioning Manual
Owner Training
Seasonal Testing
Final Report
Warranty Testing
O&M Review
Re-Commissioning Manual
Owner Training
Seasonal Testing
Final Report
Warranty Testing
Verify Install
Functional Test
TAB Verification
Coordination
Review Submittals
Site Observations
Start-ups
Pre-Functional Checks
Planning
Design Intent
Constructability
Maintainability
Peer Review
Integration into Specs
Commissioning Plan
Planning
Design Intent
Constructability
Maintainability
Peer Review
Integration into Specs
Commissioning Plan
Verify Install
Functional Test
TAB Verification
O&M Review
Re-Commissioning Manual
Owner Training
Seasonal Testing
Final Report
Warranty Testing

23. Design Intent Speaks in terms of the Owner’s needs and desires
Contains the Basis of Design, which speaks more to numbers and design conditions
Quantifiable goals are important
Required by LEED
Responsibility of the design team and Owner, reviewed by Commissioning Consultant
Critical to the program and commissioning, yet often not fully developed

24. Commissioning Specifications
Outlines scope of commissioning
Roles and responsibilities
Methodology
Should be provided by Commissioning Consultant
Relates to Design Intent
Required by LEED

25. Monitoring and Verification
M&V for extra LEED point
Can integrate with many of the building control systems
Should be included in commissioning plan

26. Cost of Cx Services Oregon Office of Energy: USGBC LEED: PECI:
$0.40 to $0.80 per square foot
USGBC LEED:
0.5 – 1.5% of total construction cost for whole-building commissioning
1.5 – 2.5% of mechanical contract for mechanical only
1.0 – 1.5% of electrical contract for electrical only
PECI:
2.5% of the mechanical contract
1.5% of the electrical contract
$0.50/ ft. sq. $ / ft. sq.
Offices
Classrooms
Correctional
Lab Classrooms
Hospitals
Research

27. Cost of CX Services Cost The Works
Involved in Planning, Value Engineer, Constructability Review, Site Observations, Verification, Testing, Training and Project Closeout on a limited group of systems.
The Works
Verification and Testing on a wide range of systems.
Depth – Scope and Extent of Services
Verification and Testing on a few systems.
Cost
Breadth – Extent of Systems to be Commissioned

28. Early Involvement Cx Lessons Learned
Get the commissioning consultant on-board early.
Inform the design team early that LEED is a goal and what the score card will look like.
The Owner needs a clear idea of the scope of commissioning work, desired and required, in terms of, depth, breadth and cost.
Put an emphasis on the Design Intent early.
Develop at least a rough M&V plan early.
Early Involvement

29. Requirements for Commissioning to achieve a LEED Rating
The USGBC’s Green Building Rating System L E E DTM LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
Requirements for Commissioning
to achieve a LEED Rating
Craig A. Hawkins

30. Presenter Craig A. Hawkins,
President, CHDS Commissioning & Engineering, Auburn, WA
Over 25 Years of Building Mechanical Systems experience, including:
Manufacturing Engineering, 3 years
Design-Build Contracting, 8 years
Consulting Engineering, 14 years
Specializing in Whole Building Commissioning since 1993
Founding Member of the Building Commissioning Association (BCA)
Current Member of BCA’s Board of Directors
Co-Authored BCA’s “Essential Attributes of Building Commissioning”

31. LEED Prerequisite (1 of 7):
Fundamental Building Systems Commissioning

32. Fundamental Building Systems Commissioning
Implement ALL of the following six fundamental best practice commissioning procedures:
Engage a Commissioning Authority
Develop design intent and basis of design documentation
Include commissioning requirements in the construction documents
Develop and utilize a Commissioning Plan
Verify installation, functional performance, training and documentation
Complete a Commissioning Plan

33. #1 “Engage a Commissioning Authority”
The project shall have a Commissioning Authority (CxA) designated as early as possible. The CxA should be an objective advocate of the Owner, independent from the design team, and should possess the following qualities:
Qualified, professional firm regularly engaged in the performance of Building Commissioning
Experienced with providing:
Managerial and organizational leadership
Excellent communication skills
Technical aspects of the particular projects systems, components, and elements
Construction management
Hands-on field experience with:
Start-up Procedures
Testing
Troubleshooting
Operation & Maintenance
Active member in related professional organization, such as the BCA

34. #2 “Collect and review design intent and basis of design documentation”
For all commissioned elements as well as those that significantly interact with commissioned elements:
Identify the primary design assumptions in the basis of design
Occupancy
Space and process requirements
Codes, policies, standards
Load and climatic assumptions
Document the design intent that was considered to be important in the development of the design
Ideas
Concepts
Criteria
Review the design concepts narrative describing how the designer is planning to meet the design intent, using the basis of design information

35. #3 “Include commissioning requirements in the construction documents”
Drawings: Include on cover sheet for each effected discipline:
Cx Agents Name and contact information
List of systems/equipment to be commissioned
Reference Cx Plan and Cx Specification Section
Specifications: Include a specific Commissioning Section (CSI: Section 01810) including:
Scope of Commissioning
Detailed requirements for:
Submittal Review
Construction Phase Observations
Start-Up and TAB
O & M Documentation
Owner Training
Warranty Period Activities
Scope, Rigor and Schedule of all Functional Performance Testing

36. #4 “Develop and utilize a Commissioning Plan”
A comprehensive document detailing all aspects of the commissioning effort for the project:
Overview of the commissioning process
Roles and responsibilities of each team member involved with commissioning
Management and communications between all involved with commissioning
Procedures for:
Submittal review
Construction Phase Observations
Pre-FPT and FPT Procedures with associated FPT Checklists
O & M Review
Owner Training
Warranty Period Activities
Reporting Forms
Schedule of all commissioning events
The Cx Plan is written and maintained by the Commissioning Agent, ideally completed and published prior to the bid period. At a minimum, publish prior to installation of any commissioned element

37. #5 “Verify installation, functional performance, training and documentation”
Construction observations to ensure proper installation in compliance with Design Documents, Cx Plan, Mfg.'s installation instructions, and to ensure that other building systems and components are not compromising the efficacy of the element
Functional Performance
FPT’s to ensure that commissioned element performs as intended under all sequences of operation (start-up, shutdown, reset, occupied, unoccupied, manual, automatic, modulation range, power failure, alarms, staging, redundant, interlock with other systems, sensor calibration, etc)
Appropriate sampling on numerous like units
Seasonally deferred testing (cooling system in summer, heating system in winter)
Owner Training
Documented verification that training by qualified individuals was provided to the project’s operational staff for a sufficient duration to ensure that the staff has all the information needed to optimally operate, maintain and replace all the commissioned elements
O&M Documentation
Documented verification that the O&M materials for each commissioned element have been provided to the operational staff complete and clearly are accessible

38. #6 “Complete a Commissioning Report”
Final report by the Cx Agent to the Owner at the end of all FPT’s, except any seasonal deferred testing, including:
List of all commissioned elements:
Disposition of element (FPT results)
Design intent
Product specification
Installation data
O&M documentation
Owner training documentation
List of all outstanding commissioning issues (such as any deferred testing)
All outstanding environmentally responsive feature deficiencies corrected and noted
All completed FPT’s and associated FPT Checklists

39. Energy & Atmosphere Credit 3:
Additional Commissioning

40. Additional Commissioning
In addition to the Fundamental Building Commissioning prerequisite, implement ALL of the following five additional commissioning tasks:
Conduct a focused review of the design prior to the construction documents phase
Conduct a focused review of the construction documents when close to completion
Conduct a selective review of contractor submittals of commissioned equipment
(Note: The three items listed above must be performed by someone other than the project’s designer)
Develop a system and energy management manual
Have a contract in place for near-warranty end or post occupancy review

41. #1 “Conduct a focused review of the design prior to the construction documents phase”
A qualified party (other than the design team) shall review the design prior to the release of the construction phase documents to ensure that:
Each commissioned element meets the design intent relative to:
Functionality
Energy Performance
Maintainability
Sustainability
System costs
IAQ issues
Local environmental impacts

42. #2 “Conduct a focused review of the construction documents when close to completion”
A qualified party (other than the design team) shall review the construction phase documents prior to release to ensure that:
Commissioning is adequately specified
Each commissioned element can be commissioned
Each commissioned element meets the design intent relative to:
Functionality
Energy Performance
Maintainability
Sustainability
System costs
IAQ issues
Local environmental impacts

43. #3 “Conduct a selective review of contractor submittals of commissioned equipment”
A qualified party (other than the design team) shall review the commissioned elements submittals for compliance with the commissioning requirements, including:
Design intent
Environmentally responsive characteristics
Maintainability

44. #4 “Develop a System and Energy Management Manual”
A comprehensive document (in addition to the O&M’s) delivered to the Owner along with the Final Cx Report, which includes:
Description of each commissioned element including:
Final design intent
System narrative
Sequence of operation
Seasonal & normal start-up, shutdown and restart procedures
Control drawings
Description and rationale for energy savings features including:
Operating Instructions
Caveats about functions
Maintenance relative to energy use
Recommendations and methodology for whole-building energy accounting (as applicable) including:
Guidelines for establishing and tracking benchmarks for whole-building energy use
Guidelines for establishing and tracking benchmarks for primary plant equipment efficiencies
Schedule and procedures for continuous and/or re-commissioning of elements
Specific recommendations regarding seasonal operational issues
A list of all user adjustable setpoints that includes:
Discussion regarding the purpose of each setpoint
Range of reasonable adjustments with energy implications
Frequency schedule for review of setpoints
Reset schedule to ensure current relevant and efficiency values
Guidelines for ensuring that future renovations and upgrades will not decrease energy efficiencies or compromise design intent
A list of all diagnostic tools, with description of use, that will assist operational staff in use and maintenance of commissioned elements

45. #5 “Have a contract in place for near-warranty end or post occupancy review”
Cx Agent shall return to project site at the 10th month of the first 12-month warranty period to review the following with the buildings operational staff:
Review condition of all outstanding issues related to the original FPT’s and deferred testing
Identify problems or concerns related to building operation
Assist staff in developing reports, documentation, and requests for services to remedy outstanding problems
Cx Agent to follow-up the return visit with a written report to the Owner that includes:
Findings from the warranty period review with operational staff
Suggestions on problems identified during warranty period review with operational staff
Items that may be under warranty or appear to be construction related
Documentation that assists staff in requesting services to remedy outstanding problems

46. Case Studies

47. Company Profile Established in 1984, 12 years Cx
26 employees in 5 branches nationwide
Cx’d 10,000,000 SF of space for 163 clients
23 LEED projects, 18 by Seattle branch
Founding member of BCA
Member USGBC for 3 years

48. LEED Cx Case studies Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center
LEED Cx Prerequisite
Renovation, historical bldg
Smaller bldg, simple systems
Seattle Central Library
LEED Cx Prerequisite & Credit w/ M&V
New construction (early LEED adoption)
Large bldg, complex systems

49. Ecotrust Natural Capital Center
LEED V2.0 Gold
70,000 SF
Completed Sept. 2001
Private sector
Rooftop gas fired packaged VAV units, occ sensors
Cx Authority Scope of Work:
Energy & Atmosphere Prerequisite 1 only
Cx Plan, Cx Report, letter of achievement
Energy & Atmosphere Credit 5 M&V
Measurement and Verification Plan

50. Ecotrust Natural Capital Center
Cx Challenges & Rewards
Later adoption of LEED & engagement of CA
Limited to Cx Prerequisite only
Extra work for design documentation awareness and requirements for contractor support of Cx

51. Ecotrust Natural Capital Center
Cx Challenges & Rewards
Increased A/E and CM team awareness, support and interaction w/ Cx process
Reliance on Cx Plan, ECM documentation for M&V
Design intent, Pre-functional documentation, Start-up and functional testing support

52. Ecotrust Natural Capital Center
Lessons Learned
Early decision on LEED Cx (budget, roles)
Full Cx scope more economical, early team awareness
Cx integration with design documents enhances achievement of energy and operational savings
Importance of CM & team acceptance to LEED
CA/CM teaming is cost effective & comprehensive
3rd party, Owner based Quality Assurance enhances contractor Quality Control

53. Seattle Central Library
LEED V2.0 Silver
400,000 SF
Completion late 2003
Public building
Chillers, City steam, under floor air, atrium, fire alarm, security, multi-site DDC
Cx Authority Scope of Work:
Energy & Atmosphere Prerequisite & Credit Cx
DD & CD Review, Re-CX Management Manual, broader scope of services
Energy & Atmosphere Credit 5 M&V
Measurement and Verification Plan

54. Seattle Central Library
Cx Challenges & Rewards
Cx Review of Design
Timing, scope and budget
Design team support and documentation review
AHJ’s, smoke management and energy savings

55. Seattle Central Library
Cx Challenges & Rewards
Design Development Assistance
O&M advocacy and Value Engineering
IAQ Management Plan review, Fire Alarm and security system support

56. Seattle Central Library
Lessons Learned
Define level and role of CA involvement in design development process
Involve CA with operations advocacy and Value Engineering exercises
Enhance CA scope to address complex systems (life safety, low voltage, electrical)
Integrate Measurement and Verification early for best design support of M&V capability

57. U.S. Green Building Council Cascadia Chapter
Thank You
Questions?
Craig Hawkins, CHDS Commissioning and Engineering
Todd McGuire, Engineering Economics, Inc.
Bryan Welsh, Keithly Welsh Associates, Inc.