Commissioning Services
Wilson Jones Commissioning provides full-service commissioning services including design review, commissioning plan development, OPR, development of Basis of Design documentation and systems manuals, writing/review of commissioning specifications, development of controls startup plans and oversight, development of equipment startup plans and oversight, development and execution of Functional Performance Tests (FPTs), Test and Balancing (TAB) verification and oversight, commissioning schedule coordination with General Contractor, Owner training oversight, O&M documentation review, and post occupancy review and follow up.
We can provide either Commissioning Agent services, hired by the Owner as a direct representative, or Test Engineering services, directing and performing testing under the scope of the General Contractor.
Benefits
As Mechanical, Electrical, and Life Safety systems become more complex, some Owners have found themselves with systems that do not function to meet their needs; problems with control systems, maintenance access, long shake-down periods, inadequate documentation, and high operating costs are just a few of the problems encountered.
Commissioning helps ensure that these building systems are functional and maintainable.
The Design team also benefits by helping define, within the contract documents, Contractor participation and deliverables required for successful start-up/testing, and by early identification of problems through design review.
The Contractor team benefits through a systematic approach to quality assurance with the goal of obtaining final Certificate of Occupancy within the construction schedule.
Code Requirements
Many utilities and building organizations have provided incentives for commissioning as reports of monetary savings, energy savings, and Owner satisfaction due to commissioning have been published. In addition, some code jurisdictions are beginning to require commissioning of energy-related systems and equipment.
The 2009 Washington State Energy Code requires commissioning of HVAC, lighting control, and domestic hot water systems, and issuance of the building Temporary Certificate of Occupancy is contingent upon the submittal of the preliminary draft Final Commissioning Report. Utility incentives, such as Puget Sound Energy’s “New Construction Commissioning Grant”, offer reward for additional energy-related commissioning activities, such as building envelope testing and energy sub-metering verification.
Our commissioning activities also count toward the U.S. Green Building Council LEED rating system, providing recognition of “sustainable construction” aspects of a construction project. All projects attempting LEED certification must fulfill the requirements of LEED BD+C v4.
Budgeting
Budgeting for either Commissioning Agent or Test Engineer services varies based on the complexity and size of the project, and the scope of commissioning services desired.
Industry-published costs for commissioning range between 2% to 5% of Mechanical construction cost and 1% to 3% of Electrical construction cost. Historically, our fees range between 1% to 3% of Mechanical cost and 0.5% to 1.5% of Electrical cost.