COMMISSIONING: LIMITED BY DESIGN

COMMISSIONING: LIMITED BY DESIGN By Erik Rottman, CxA

What exactly is the purpose of the commissioning process? And why are commissioning agents required to refrain from providing solutions to the problems they uncover? A response from one of our Commissioning agents to some of the most frequently asked issues about commissioning restrictions is presented below.

What are the benefits of putting in a commission order?

Building commissioning refers to the process of bringing in a third party that was not involved in the design or construction of the project in order to verify that the systems and equipment that were installed live up to the expectations of the design. Building owners generally collaborate with architects and engineers in the beginning phases of a project to develop a strategy for the construction endeavor. The contractors are responsible for putting that strategy into action. It is the responsibility of the commissioning agent to ascertain whether or not the final product of the project complies with the plans that were created and meets the objectives that the owner set for the undertaking.

To what extent does the inclusion of commissioning in a project provide value?

The level of attention to detail—or lack thereof—that everyone participating in a project demonstrates may have a significant impact on the project's overall level of success. In the end, the owner is the one who pays the price if there are mistakes in the design elements or if the contractors do not follow the blueprints. Commissioning service providers contribute value by recognizing and diagnosing these faults, as well as by facilitating communication between the design team and the installation contractors, with the goal of reducing the amount of problems that the owner inherits upon completion of the project.

Why don't those in charge of commissioning simply address the problems they uncover?

After the highlighted problems have been addressed, the commissioning provider may be asked for their stamp of approval or for some instruction by the contractors. As a supplier of commissioning services, you should be eager to assist in the search for a solution; but, it would be irresponsible of you to take authority in making judgments that are better left to the design team or other specialists. In the event that the purpose of the design does not seem to be met, it is essential that the appropriate individuals be included in the process of decision making. The commissioning process has been restricted on purpose.

Do you have a commissioning project question? For more information, please get in touch with us at Connect.