My July column addressed the fact that some design engineers are nonresponsive or inconsistently responsive to commissioning design review comments. This can diminish the value of design-phase commissioning for the building owner. The following are some reasons design engineers do not engage.
Design engineers may not believe their contracts require them to participate in the commissioning process, whether it’s attending meetings or responding to comments. This is an issue that should be raised immediately upon introduction of the commissioning professional to the project team. It is not something a commissioning professional has control over, but the commissioning professional can help an owner understand the scope of the designers’ role in the commissioning process so that the owner can work with the A/E team to clear up any contractual concerns.