The demand for commissioning services for new-building construction projects is experiencing rapid growth. Commissioning (Cx) is touted as being a quality-focused process for ensuring the owner’s project requirements (OPR) are met by design, final construction, and the operations of a building. To an owner this is just what is needed to receive a perfect building at occupancy. However, as many owners have realized, the Cx process does not guarantee the completed building will be what was expected. It should be pointed out that this is typically not caused by the Cx process, but the Cx process should or could have identified, in the early phases of the project, many of the issues that made it through to the completed building. There are a number of reasons why the Cx services received may not be optimal. Often it is poor communication and the transfer of knowledge between project teams. Cx should and can facilitate both communication and the transfer of knowledge from phase to phase. An adaptation of the quality function deployment (QFD) four-phase model can accomplish this by filling the gaps among the major Cx activities and provide a standard approach to the process. The four-phase model effectively links each of the Cx activities to each other and back to the OPR, providing a method for improved communication and knowledge transfer. This paper investigates some potential reasons for inconsistent Cx services, presents an argument for the need of a Cx standard, and proposes a potential standard.
. [J]. Frontiers of Engineering Management, 2015, 2(1): 39-51.
William L. Gillis, Elizabeth A. Cudney. A Standard for the Commissioning Process. Front. Eng, 2015, 2(1): 39-51.
Commissioning Process Management Professional (CPMP)
ASHRAE
3 projects
No
115 questions 2.5?hours
3 years, 45 PDHs
Certified Commissioning Authority (CxA)
AABC Cx Group
3 projects
No
100 questions 3?hours
Annual fee only
Certified Commissioning Professional (CCP)
BCA
3 projects
Optional
125 questions 2?hours
3 years, proof of continued Cx work
Associate Commissioning Professional (ACP)
BCA
None
Optional
125 questions 2?hours
None
Commissioning Process Authority Provider (Cx-AP)
UW-Madison
2-4 projects, square feet, construction cost minimums
40 hours
4 parts 2.5?hours
5 years, fee only
Qualified Commissioning Process Provider (QCxP)
UW-Madison
None
40 hours
4 parts 2.5?hours
Valid for 5 years
Tab.1
Commissioning certification
Range of professional requirements
ASHRAE’s CPMP range of professional requirements
Government-issued license as a professional engineer or architect with at least 3?years’ facilities operation/management, construction, design, or consulting experience
High school diploma or equivalent or construction-related trades training or building operations training from a nationally or internationally recognized trade association with at least 10 years’ facilities operation/management, construction, design, or consulting experience
BCA’s CCP range of professional requirements
Four-year undergraduate degree or higher in a building science field (such as mechanical or electrical engineering, construction science, and construction) and a minimum of continuous 3?years as Cx provider in a lead role within the past 5?years
Two-year undergraduate degree in a non-building sciences field or high school diploma or general educational development (GED) and a minimum of continuous 3?years as a Cx provider in lead role within the past 5?years and a minimum of 12?years of building-related experience
Tab.2
Fig.3
Building
# of RFIs
Cos
# of warranty issues
# of WOs
# of Cx issues
Quantity
Cost ($ million USD)
Design issues
Construction issues
#1
312
173
$ 3.9
—1
752
—3
—3
#2
23
34
$ 0.2
3
—4
263
44
Tab.3
1
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18
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19
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20
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21
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23
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24
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