A New Paradigm: Commissioning as a Delivery Methodology

Michael L. Weiss, WorkingBuildings, LLC

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is commissioning more projects than any other DOE site, and WorkingBuildings remains their independent Commissioning provider of choice with 7 projects to date. Recently ORNL has been asked to submit a Best Practice Guide to DOE on commissioning.

ORNL has used commissioning in various types of projects including the following:

• Design, Bid, Build
• Design-Build

ORNL has used independent commissioning authorities as well as in-house commissioning teams. Representatives of WorkingBuildings and ORNL would like to present a case study on a recent Design Build Project consisting of 386,000 sf of laboratory and office space complete with a new Central Energy Plant. The project is awaiting its LEED™ Silver Rating.

The panel will discuss their involvement in the major phases of commissioning, problems encountered with the process, how they were resolved, and the benefits achieved in each phase. The panel will also discuss solutions/lessons learned which will be adopted in future projects on both the Owner and Contractor sides. Comparisons of pre-commissioning building programs vs current commissioning will be referenced throughout this topic.

The goal of the presentation is to explore the benefits of the commissioning process from a delivery and planning side. The success of the process is one of the reasons that ORNL has expanded commissioning to all their line item projects, and also the reason DOE has asked ORNL to write the Best Practices Guide.

We propose that the topic could provide a real world look at the various phases of commissioning and how it has impacted ORNL.

Findings:

Commissioning must be fully understood and supported by the owner and started in the design phase. When commissioning is started after design, a potential for conflict exists and it is the owner's responsibility to determine appropriate lines of communication and responsibility of the contracted parties. During Construction, Commissioning is not just an inspection service. We have learned that commissioning is a complicated process combining the skills of technicians and facilitators. We have demonstrated at ORNL that the commissioned buildings operate at a lower cost and have substantially fewer start-up issues. This also translates to a higher level of occupant satisfaction. We have determined that the benefits of commissioning are most cost effective when begun at the start of the project. We have also determined that while we thought we could commission our own projects, (line item major capital projects), we have found that a qualified independent CxA that augments our abilities is well worth the cost.

Labs21 Connection:

Commissioning has expanded our ability to manage our capital, labor, and natural resources to a much higher standard. Through the use of Operational Performance Workshops, in-depth commissioning reviews, and LEED™ participation through our commissioning provider, we are building better facilities, have higher user satisfaction and are using less natural resources. The adoption of the Commissioning Process has assisted us in transforming our institution into a living example of a the Labs21 Approach on a campus level.

Biographies:

Michael Weiss has concentrated on developing improved Operations and Maintenance and Building Commissioning procedures for laboratories, high tech buildings, and complex facilities for the last 12 years. Of special interest is the disciplined and comprehensive approach on Total Building Commissioning used in the design and construction of complex facilities. The approach is a whole building process which is not limited to HVAC systems as practiced in most commissioning efforts, and includes thermal envelope, life safety, electrical systems, networking and security. Michael has developed a vigorous quality control process that has been implemented through Commissioning and Construction Quality Control Programs in projects throughout the United States, both new construction and major renovations. The particular approach was evolved from the practical experience in applying the ASHRAE Guideline for Commissioning and actual field experience in building operations.

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