Resource
Commissioning Owner's Guide
What building owners should expect from commercial commissioning, including roles, testing, and closeout documents.
Reviewed by
Michael K. Frempong, PE, LEED AP
President & Principal Engineer, BEED Engineering
Michael K. Frempong is a professional engineer and LEED AP accredited professional with over 20 years of experience in consulting engineering. As President & Principal Engineer at BEED Engineering, he leads the firm’s MEP design and consulting work for laboratory, healthcare, industrial, data center, education, commercial, municipal, and other building projects throughout Florida.
View BEED team profileOwner decisions to make early
- Which systems will be commissioned (HVAC, controls, lighting, emergency power)
- Whether the commissioning authority is independent
- How issues will be closed before occupancy
Read What is commercial commissioning?.
What good commissioning tests
- Equipment start/stop order
- Setpoints and resets
- Humidity and outdoor-air modes
- Alarms
- Emergency power interfaces where included
A contractor start-up that only confirms the unit runs is not functional testing.
Closeout you should receive
- Issues log
- Completed test scripts
- As-operated sequences
- Training support materials
This pairs with the HVAC design guide for owners who want systems that operate after turnover, not only on paper.
BEED provided LEED Fundamental Commissioning for the Harris Student Design Center at Florida Tech.
Related BEED projects
All projects →Examples of completed work that show how BEED applies this kind of engineering in practice.
Higher Education
Florida Institute of Technology
Harris Student Design Center
Melbourne, Florida
Mechanical + Plumbing Engineering
Mechanical and plumbing design, project administration, and LEED Fundamental Commissioning for the 8,000-square-foot Harris Student Design Center at Florida Tech in Melbourne, Florida.
View Project →
Education
Reserve Center
West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach, Florida
Mechanical + Plumbing Engineering
Mechanical and plumbing engineering, LEED energy modeling, and project administration for a 60,000-square-foot Reserve Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.
View Project →
Higher Education
Florida Institute of Technology
Fume Hood Modernization
Melbourne, Florida
Mechanical + Electrical Engineering
Mechanical and electrical engineering for a 40,000-square-foot laboratory fume hood modernization at the Olin Physical Science Building in Melbourne, Florida.
View Project →Related Questions
What Is Commercial Commissioning?
Commissioning is a quality process that verifies building systems are installed and operating according to the owner’s project requirements.
What Is Building Automation?
Building automation is the control system that starts, stops, sequences, and monitors HVAC and related equipment so a building operates as designed.
Commercial HVAC Design: A Guide for Building Owners
A practical owner’s guide to commercial HVAC design decisions, from system type and humidity control to controls, maintenance access, and when to hire an engineer.
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