New-construction Building Commissioning - Building Management Systems (BMS) or Building Automation Systems (BAS)

Building Management Systems (BMS) or Building Automation Systems (BAS)

Building management systems (BMS) or building automation systems (BAS) provide control of the building systems. These typically include heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R), electrical power, lighting, fire suppression and alarm, and security systems, etc. Building controls also have the ability to monitor and control systems to improve performance, conserve energy, conserve water, and control lighting. The greater control provides the ability to improve a buildings performance, environmental impact, and the user/occupant's environment. Direct digital controls (DDC) with real time monitoring and history provide the ability to acquire system data realtime or with trend-logging, or trending, (over a predetermined period of time) to observe performance, issues/troubles, and identify possible improvements to operations and maintenance.

Building systems and equipment (HVAC, electrical, etc.) operate via the control systems (BAS, BMS, and similar) based on a designed sequence of operations (SOO) typically developed by the design engineer (specification) and modified during the submittal process by the trade contractors and reviewed and approved by the design engineer). This SOO is also reviewed by the CxA who utilizes the SOO to develop the functional performance test procedures. The functional performance test procedures are typically developed by the CxA with assistance of the trade contractors, vendors, and manufacturers, reviewed by same, and the design engineer. 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, and the commissioning specifications and commissioning plan. The commissioning specification and commissioning plan are typically developed by the CxA during the design phase of the project.

The CxA works closely with the controls contractor to verify the control programming and identifies corrective issues during reviews and the functional performance testing. By performing the functional performance testing it is often, if not always, found where there are difficiencies in the systems or control and identifies items for improvement. Each and every point and sequence is typically not required to be tested by the CxA. The contractors typically hold the responsibility of testing and verifying each and every point and sequence, and the CxA performs a test of a sample of the items after the contractors have tested, repaired and verified. Re-Testing of the same, or another sampling, by the CxA is often required to re-verify deficiencies identified during the initial testing.

The integrated operations and performance of the many building systems such as HVAC, life/fire safety, domestic water, power, CO2 ventilation, and similar provide a complex and important performance for the facility and it's occupants. Functional performance testing to verify proper operation prior to occupancy it extremely important. Testing of existing facilities is performed similarly by re-commissioning (commissioning of a building/system/equipment that has been previously commissioned) and retro-commissioning (commissioning of an existing building/system/equipment that has not been previously commissioned). Assurance of performance and operation by the CxA's commissioning verification of the facility typically provides a better operating, performing, and comfortable environment for the owner and occupants.