Building Commissioning Services

Commissioning is a quality-focused, systematic, and organized process to verify and document that the performance of a facility’s MEP systems perform as the design intended. Essentially it is a “test drive” of the building’s systems to make sure they operate as intended. Training of the facility’s personnel who operate and maintain the building’s equipment also takes place during the commissioning process.

A report prepared for the California Energy Commission, “Public Interest Energy Research Program,” found that “commissioning is arguably the single-most cost-effective strategy for reducing energy, cost, and greenhouse gas emissions in buildings today. Energy savings tend to persist well over at least a 3 to 5-year time frame…”

The report goes on to say, “Commissioning is more than ‘just another energy-saving measure.’ It is a risk-management strategy that should be integral to any systematic approach to garnering energy saving or emissions reductions. Commissioning ensures that building owners get what they pay for with construction or retrofitting buildings, it provides insurance for policy makers and program managers that their initiatives meet targets, and it detects and corrects problems that would eventually surface as far more costly maintenance or safety issues.”

Citation: Mills, Evan, Ph.D. “Building Commissioning: A Golden Opportunity for Reducing Energy Costs and Greenhouse-gas Emissions.” (2009): 2. 30 Dec. 2009. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

Properly commissioned buildings have lower energy demand and consumption, which results in extended equipment life and reduced energy usage. For end users such, as tenants and clients, an appropriately commissioned building provides better environmental comfort due to a reduction in temperature discrepancies.

OCI’s Commissioning Team, led by Art Munns, CxA, who offers over 33 years of HVAC design, project management, and commissioning experience, understands how to conduct positive environment collaborative peer reviews so that the project team can get clarification and have a full understanding of the review comments. We work closely with the owner’s representative, facility operations managers, the design team, and the general contractor to ensure everyone is in concert with the owner’s goals of optimal building operational performance.