New-construction Building Commissioning - Commissioning Authority (CxA) or Commissioning Agent (CxA)

Commissioning Authority (CxA) or Commissioning Agent (CxA)

The Commissioning Authority or Commissioning Agent (CxA) is generally (and preferably) contracted directly to the building owner as a third-party independent representative to ensure unbiased performance of the CxA. The CxA may be (but not preferred) a subcontractor (or employee) of the building owner, architect, design engineer, test and balance contractor, or other trade contractor (i.e. HVAC/mechanical, electrical, Plumbing, fire protection, security, etc.) for specific trade testing. It is highly recommended by most all industry experts and standards that the CxA be an independent third-party consultant directly contracted to the building owner, and reporting directly to the building owner. It is also highly recommended that the CxA be contracted early in the project planning stages, included in design charrettes, and maintained throughout the design, construction, and final acceptance of the project at a minimum. Having the CxA on the team early provides opportunity to identify possible operation, installation, testing, and performance issues long before they become a construction issue. The CxA works closely with the owner's representative, building/facility operating engineer, architect, design engineer, general contractor, and all trade subcontractors. The CxA typically is responsible for leading and managing the project commission process (design and/or construction) and works closely with the design, construction, and operation teams in a co-operative work environment that focuses on teamwork throughout the building's design, construction, and post construction.

A CxA's ability to add value to a project is rooted in their ability to create positive working relationships with all parties involved and not pointing fingers when issues arrise. It is important that the CxA clearly identifies the communication processes/streams, the project goals and expectations (from the OPR), and the team member responsibilities. A CxA has to be able to give open constructive criticism while also being able to listen attentively. The CxA's primary goal is to provide a completed and properly operating product to the building owner and occupant/user.

The CxA's work and performance of service is equally or primarily in the background performing design, submittal, O&M Manual reviews and development of testing and commissioning processes for the project, as well as documenting the commissioning efforts. The CxA attends design and construction meetings, performs site construction observations, observes factory equipment testing, directs and observes functional performance testing of systems and equipment. The CxA typically does not actually perform the hands-on testing, as these are actually performed by the manufacturer, vendor, or trade contractors, and directed and observed by the CxA utilizing testing procedures and expected performance outcome previously identified by the CxA during the commissioning document development process.

The CxA typically prepares a commissioning specification and commissioning plan during the project design phase. The design engineer also may develop the commissioning specification (and rarely the commissioning plan) in situations where the CxA has not been so contracted, or brought into the design team during the design process. The commissioning plan is a live document that outlines the commissioning processes and expectation based on the Owner's OPR, the design engineer's basis of design (BOD) and the project construction document (drawings and specifications). The commissioning plan is modified as the commissioning process progresses throughout the design, construction, and final acceptance of the facility. The functional performance test procedures are typically developed by the CxA with assistance of the trade contractors, vendors, and manufacturers based on the design engineer's contract documents. These same parties and the design engineer, and owner's representative (typically the facility operating engineer) review the functional performance test procedures and expected outcomes prior to testing. The systems, equipment, items, processes, modes, and sequences of operations to be tested by the CxA (contractors or others) should be detailed and identified in the design engineer's construction documents (drawings and specifications), the construction request for proposal (RFP), the contractors bid submission, the commissioning specifications, the commissioning plan, and the contractors submittals. Of utmost importance, often neglected by contractors, are the equipment/systems "installation and operations manuals" (IOM or IO&M) "specific to the project" (not generic). The IOM's along with complete, and very detailed, sequence of operations (SOO) and control drawings/documents submittal "specific to the project" (not generic) are of utmost importance to the CxA to perform the review and develop proper testing procedures. Timely delivery of these documents to the CxA is important to facilitate the CxA ample time to review, develop test, obtain reviews, and implement changes prior to scheduling of any testing.