1. An independent, third-party commissioning agent will ensure unbiased advice. An independent Cx agent works as the owner’s representative, provides best practice advice, and identifies the type of commissioning program that makes the most sense for your particular circumstances.
2. Always utilize a firm (and their personnel) credentialed by a leading industry organization such as the AABC Commissioning Group (ACG) to ensure their expertise, ethics, and process.
3. Take the time to review the new ASHRAE and IES Cx standards so you understand the process and best practices.
4. Document, document, document. If your consultant is lax in this practice, you’ve picked the wrong horse.
5. Verification and compliance throughout the project is mandatory. It’s not a luxury.
6. Training is paramount. Your investment in Cx will uncover opportunities to adjust your building’s systems to optimize operations, energy usage, and costs. If your facilities staff or maintenance personnel aren’t up to the task, you’re throwing your money down a rat hole. Don’t accept operational responsibilities if your staff isn’t up to the task.
7. Commissioning should be an ongoing process. Over time, equipment falls out of sync, building interiors and exteriors are reconfigured, building systems are upgraded, product and process requirements drive change. All these situations cry out for fine-tuning your commissioning and saving yourself money and maintenance headaches.
The cleanroom tip was taken from “The Building Commissioning Maze, Part 2” by Richard Bilodeau. It appeared in the May 2014 issue of Controlled Environments.
