CH-89-13-6 -- Commissioning: An Owner's Approach for Effective Operations PDF

This paper outlines the approach to building systems commissioning that has evolved at a major British Columbia building owner/operator. The goals of this corporation for commissioning are twofold: first, to reduce construction deficiencies so systems actuallyfunction as designed, and second, to improve operator familiarity with systems to keep them working properly.

This approach to commissioning requires the owner, the designer, and the contractor to all assume certain responsibilities. The owner must define the overall scope of work, including commissioning, with his designer. The owner also has a responsibility to ensure that operators obtain the knowledge necessary for effective ongoing operation. The designer must properly define commissioning work in the tender documents and follow through with verification. The contractor must be responsible for the total installation, which includes carrying out functional performance tests of systems to allow verification of proper functioning.