Next in my list of Top 10 Elements of Commissioning is No. 5, owner support. Last month’s column, No. 6, owner’s operation and maintenance (O&M) participation, touched on the importance of the owner’s O&M management team making participation in the commissioning process and new equipment and systems training a priority for their teams. This month, I want to emphasize the importance of the owner’s project management team’s support of the commissioning process.
There are a number of facility owners who are desperate for help with their building construction projects, typically due to a long history of one nonfunctioning new building after another. These facility owners are also overworked, understaffed, and constantly trying to “put out fires” in their buildings. When they learn a little about commissioning, they may charge ahead with hiring a commissioning professional to solve all of their problems.