Starting this month and going through November 2022, I will count down my Top 10 Elements of Commissioning. These are, in my opinion, the most important things for a successful commissioning project. My definition of “success” is twofold: First, the building systems function properly when they’re handed over from the project team to the operations team, and, second, the operations team is equipped with the understanding, documentation, and training needed to sustain that proper operation for the life of the systems.
My No. 10 element is third-party professionals leading the commissioning process. “Third-party,” in this context, means someone not employed by the design engineering or architectural firms and someone not employed by one of the installation contractors or subcontractors. As such, third party can mean a separate firm whose only role on a project is commissioning; an employee of the building owner; an employee of the test, adjust, and balance (TAB) firm (as long as TAB is not contracted under the general or mechanical contractors); or an employee of the construction-manager, as long as the construction manager is not at risk.