Every Building Gets Commissioned

We hear it all the time. If the design is solid and the contractors are trustworthy, we shouldn’t need to spend a portion of our limited resources for a formal commissioning procedure.

Owners and building managers may argue about the upfront costs of this often time-consuming process, but in reality every single modern building that’s been built has also been commissioned. If you doubt this, ask the building occupants six months after they move in how their HVAC system is operating. Or ask the owner how their energy costs are trending. The odds are that occupants have already conveyed their concerns, but the manager doesn’t know that the building is operating inefficiently and their bills should be lower.

Even the saviest of building managers will spend a disproportionate amount of their time dealing with a myriad of  issues from a new construction project, but a sophisticated modern building with highly complicated HVAC, lighting, and water systems can be overwhelming. While some projects’ scopes will dictate the formality of the commissioning procedure, ranging from bio-safety labs down to LEED certification, all building systems can benefit from a less rigid but still organized commissioning effort. The systems installed often involve multiple disciplines which can require a high level of coordination just to achieve a compliant installation. Even a moderately structured commissioning effort will provide educated over-sight to fine-tune these systems to operate as designed to the maximum comfort of the occupant and highest level energy efficiency.

Do you want your next building commissioned by the tenant and building manager as they fight through each occupant complaint? Do you want to ensure that your next building is utilizing the equipment you’ve already paid for and ensure it is being operated efficiently? Your building will be commissioned either way, so consider when you’d like it done – before or after the building is occupied.