ashrae refrigeration comissioning guide 2014

Commissioning Refrigeration Systems in

Food Retail and Convenience Stores

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Food Distribution Centers

Industrial Plant Applications

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Refrigeration Commissioning

forCommercialand

GuideThe Essential Guide for Commissioning Refrigeration SystemsThe first of its kind, Refrigeration Commissioning Guide for Commercial and Industrial Systems provides guidance to owners and managers of commercial and industrial facilities that use refrigeration systems to help ensure that project requirements are met and owners expectations are achieved. For commercial facility owners and managers, this means improved profitability through lower operating and service costs as well as reduced product loss.

Because deficiencies in system design found at start-up are not easily resolved, maintenance managers or operators may deal with unnecessary shortcomings and expenses over the life of the facility. Commissioning helps project teams avoid these surprises by establishing a consistent, stepwise process that helps get it right the first time. The commissioning process starts with the initial planning and design and continues through construction, installation, start-up, and the first year of system operation. Commissioning also sets the stage for ongoing servicing and maintenance of performance. The result is refrigeration systems that are easier and less expensive to install and maintain, with lower energy costs, minimized liabilities from refrigeration system leaks, and reduced loss of refrigerated product due to system failures or unreliable performance.

Using this Guide will help achieve cost-effective and cost-efficient refrigeration systems for new projects, expansions, remodels, and existing systems that simply need a tune-up.

ASHRAE1791 Tullie CircleAtlanta, GA 30329-2305404-636-8400 (worldwide)www.ashrae.org

9 781936 504534

ISBN 978-1-936504-53-4

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2013 ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only. Additional reproduction, distribution, or transmission in either print or digital form is not permitted without ASHRAE's prior written permission.


Updates/errata for this publication will be posted on theASHRAE website at www.ashrae.org/publicationupdates.

This publication was developed under ASHRAEs Special Publication procedures and is nota consensus document. It was developed under the auspices of ASHRAE Special Project 137

and was supported with funding from U.S. Department of Energy throughNational Renewable Energy Laboratory subcontract #AGN-1-11923.

Cognizant Committee:Refrigeration Committee

Refrigeration Commissioning GuideProject Committee

Richard RoyalChairWal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Bryan BeitlerSource Refrigeration and HVAC

Doug ScottVaCom Technologies

Jon EdmondsEdmonds Engineering Co.

Scott SmithHillphoenix

Timothy GwynDC Engineering, PC

Paul TorcelliniNational Renewable Energy Laboratory

Larry MeekerTarget

Robert UhlSafeway, Inc.

Scott MoorePECI

Jim VannanWinn-Dixie

Caleb NelsonCTA

Lilas PrattASHRAE Staff Liaison

Bert EtheredgeASHRAE Staff Support

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Refrigeration Commissioning Guidefor Commercial and Industrial Systems

1791 Tullie Circle, NEAtlanta, GA 30329www.ashrae.org

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ISBN 978-1-936504-53-4

2013 ASHRAE. All rights reserved.

1791 Tullie Circle, NE Atlanta, GA 30329 www.ashrae.org

Cover design by Laura Haass

ASHRAE is a registered trademark in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, owned by the American Society of Heating, Refriger-ating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.

ASHRAE has compiled this publication with care, but ASHRAE has not investigated, and ASHRAE expressly disclaims any dutyto investigate, any product, service, process, procedure, design, or the like that may be described herein. The appearance of anytechnical data or editorial material in this publication does not constitute endorsement, warranty, or guaranty by ASHRAE of anyproduct, service, process, procedure, design, or the like. ASHRAE does not warrant that the information in the publication is freeof errors, and ASHRAE does not necessarily agree with any statement or opinion in this publication. The entire risk of the use ofany information in this publication is assumed by the user.

While supported by the U.S. Department of Energy with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, neither the United Statesgovernment nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal lia-bility or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed,or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process,or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recom-mendation, or favoring by the United States government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressedherein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States government or any agency thereof and shall not be used foradvertising or product endorsement purposes.

Except for rights reserved by the U.S. Government, no part of this book may be reproduced without permission in writing fromASHRAE, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credit; normay any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any way or by any meanselectronic, pho-tocopying, recording, or otherwithout permission in writing from ASHRAE. Requests for permission should be submitted atwww.ashrae.org/permissions.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Refrigeration commissioning guide for commercial and industrial systems.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Summary: "Provides how-to guidance for commissioning custom-engineered refrigeration systems in commercial and industrialfacilities to improve and supplement existing design, construction, and operational practices"-- Provided by publisher.

ISBN 978-1-936504-53-4 (softcover : alk. paper)

1. Refrigeration and refrigerating machinery--Industrial applications. 2. Refrigerators--Installation. 3. Commercial buildings--Equipment and supplies--Installation--Planning. I. American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.

TP492.R3785 2013

621.5'6--dc23

2013041539

ASHRAE STAFF SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS Mark S. Owen, Editor/Group Manager of Handbook and Special PublicationsCindy Sheffield Michaels, Managing EditorJames MadisonWalker, Associate EditorRoberta Hirschbuehler, Assistant EditorSarah Boyle, Assistant EditorMichshell Phillips, Editorial Coordinator

PUBLISHING SERVICES David Soltis, Group Manager of Publishing Services and Electronic CommunicationsJayne Jackson, Publication Traffic AdministratorTracy Becker, Graphics Specialist

PUBLISHER W. Stephen Comstock

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Contents

Preface The Business Case for Commissioning: A Message to Owners . . . vii

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Chapter 1 Introduction

The Need for Commissioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Purpose and Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4How to Use this Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 2 Commissioning during Planning and Design

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Forming the Commissioning Team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Developing the Owners Project Requirements (OPR) . . . . . . . . 15Managing the Issues Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Developing the Commissioning Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Developing the Basis of Design (BoD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Requirements for Construction Documents (CDs) . . . . . . . . . . . 32Deliverables and Acceptance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Chapter 3 Commissioning during Construction and Installation

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Installation Planning and Scope of Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Prefunctional Testing and Verification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Construction and Installation Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Final Installation Commissioning and Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Chapter 4 Commissioning during Start-Up and First-Year Operation

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Commissioning Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Start-Up Report and Handoff to Owner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Activities in the First Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

First-Year Final Report and Acceptance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

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vi

Refrigeration Commissioning Guide for Commercial and Industrial Systems

Appendix A Roles and Responsibilities Matrix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Appendix B Example Commissioning Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Appendix C Example Acceptance Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Appendix D Technical Procedures

1 Verifying Control Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 892 Verifying Refrigeration System Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 923 Evaluating Part-Load Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 964 Checking Refrigerant Temperatures and Pressures and

Evaluating Setpoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 985 Verifying Operation of Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1016 Evaluating Refrigerant Piping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1047 Verifying Anti-Sweat Heater Control Operation . . . . . . . . . 1078 Verifying Defrost Adequacy and

Defrost Control Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1099 Minimizing Air Infiltration of Boxes and Cases . . . . . . . . . . 112

10 Evaluating the Use of Energy-Saving Features . . . . . . . . . 113

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

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PrefaceThe Business Case for Commissioning:

A Message to Owners

Refrigeration Commissioning Guide for Commercial and Industrial Sys-tems provides value to owners and managers of commercial and industrialfacilities that use refrigeration systems by ensuring that project requirementsare met and owners expectations are achieved.

Refrigeration systems account for a significant portion of commercialbuilding energy use and are often the largest energy end use in food and bever-age facilities. A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) study estimates commer-cial refrigeration uses 1.23 quads (1.23 1015 Btu) (1.30 EJ) per year, whichis approximately 7% of commercial building energy use. Nearly 70% of thiscommercial refrigeration use consists of supermarkets and other custom-designed refrigeration systems (DOE 2009).

Supermarkets are the largest example: a U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) study estimates that supermarkets typically use approximately3,000,000 kWh of electricity per year, with 60% of that energy use attributedto refrigeration (EPA 2007). Portland Energy Conservation, Inc. (PECI) pre-dicts that commissioning in existing grocery stores would result in 7% to 25%energy savings per year (PECI 2010). Based on these estimates, this commis-sioning guide, if widely adopted, would lead to substantial U.S. nationalenergy savings.

Custom refrigeration systems are complex and individually designed foreach facility. Deficiencies in the system design found at start-up are not easilyresolved and, as a result, maintenance managers or operators deal with unnec-essary shortcomings and expenses over the life of the facility. The value ofcommissioning is to establish a consistent stepwise process that helps get itright the first time, resulting in refrigeration systems that work right andminimize maintenance and energy costs.

Thousands of refrigeration systems are installed every year in facilitiesranging from convenience stores to large, sophisticated frozen food distribu-tion centers. Properly commissioned systems reduce energy costs, are easierto maintain, help minimize liabilities from refrigeration leaks, and reduce lossof product due to system failures or unreliable performance.

Commissioning of refrigeration systems is currently uncommon. One rea-son is the belief that commissioning results in added cost and time without

Preface

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viii


sufficient or measurable value. Certainly, commissioning is an investment, butit provides significant financial value in several ways. First, systems operatemore reliably with lower maintenance cost and lower energy cost when com-missioning is applied as described in this Guide. Second, incorporating com-missioning can reduce first cost through improved understanding of systemperformance and lead to better equipment design and installation methods.

Using this Guide will help achieve cost-effective and cost-efficient refrig-eration systems for new projects, expansions, remodels, and existing systemsthat simply need a tune-up. For commercial facility owners and managers, thismeans improved profitability through lower operating and service costs aswell as reduced product loss. For industrial plants, this means improved uptime and improved labor productivity in addition to reduced operating cost.

The commissioning process is holistic and considers life-cycle perfor-mance, including the long-term operating (utilities and servicing) costs of therefrigeration system. Commissioning is not another term for start-up. Thecommissioning process starts with the initial planning and design and contin-ues through construction, installation, start-up, and the first year of systemoperation. Commissioning also sets the stage for ongoing servicing and main-tenance of performance. This Guide provides the process and methods to helpachieve these desired results: expected performance and reliability with thelowest life-cycle cost.

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Acknowledgments

Refrigeration Commissioning Guide for Commercial and InstitutionalSystems was developed to provide guidance to refrigeration system owners,project/design managers, and refrigeration system service providers. ThisGuide is the result of the collaborative effort of dedicated professionals whounselfishly volunteered countless hours to give refrigeration system ownersand the refrigeration industry consistent validation processes that can be usedto bring order to the unorderly.

The primary authors were the members of ASHRAE Special ProjectCommittee 137 and provided the expertise and experience necessary todevelop the document. They represented manufacturers, contractors, and endusers of refrigeration systems.

The project would not have been possible without the financial support ofthe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and National Renewable Energy Labo-ratory (NREL) as well as the invaluable support of ASHRAE. In addition,DOEs Better Buildings Alliance provided the project committee with thetechnical services of Rebecca Legett and Robert Zogg of Navigant Consult-ing, Inc. I would also like to thank Paul Torcellini of NREL for his supportand help with the development of the document.

I would also like to personally thank all the members of the project com-mittee for their diligence, creativity, persistence, and willingness to take timeto support the development and review of this Guide. They worked extremelyhard to put together practical and fundamental information covering theaspects of commissioning applicable to a holistic approach. Their expertiseand differing views greatly enriched this Guide. The authors brought manydecades of experience, success, and failure to the text to achieve a significantmilestone for the refrigeration system owner and the refrigeration systemindustry. I appreciate the patience of the committee members families duringthe development process, and I gratefully acknowledge the support of thecommittee members employers, including CTA; DC Engineering, PC;Edmonds Engineering Company; Hillphoenix; National Renewable EnergyLaboratory; PECI; Safeway, Inc.; Source Refrigeration and HVAC; Target

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xRefrigeration Commissioning Guide for Commercial and Industrial Systems

Corporation; VaCom Technologies; Wal-Mart Stores, Inc; and Winn-DixieStores, Inc.

Additional thanks go to the ASHRAE staff, including Lilas Pratt and BertEtheredge, whose direction and guidance were invaluable and whose organi-zational skills and dedication helped keep the project committee on track.

Richard RoyalChair, ASHRAE Special Project Committee 137

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1Introduction

Refrigeration Commissioning Guide for Commercial and Industrial Sys-tems provides user-friendly, how-to guidance for commissioning of custom-engineered refrigeration systems in commercial and industrial facilities. Theintended audience of this Guide includes system owners, architects, designengineers, contractors, facility managers, and maintenance service providers,as well providers of commissioning services.

Commissioning is a process for ensuring that a facility or system isdesigned and operated as intended. Commissioning helps achieve larger goalsof sustainable design and operations, life-cycle cost-effectiveness, efficientuse of capital, minimizing overall maintenance costs and utility costs, longequipment life and reliability, and meeting performance expectations.ASHRAE addresses commissioning in two other publications: ASHRAEGuideline 0, The Commissioning Process (2005), describes a general commis-sioning process applicable to any facility or system and ASHRAE Guideline1.1, HVAC&R Technical Requirements for the Commissioning Process(2007), addresses how the commissioning process is applied to heating, venti-lating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, with some discussion of refrig-eration systems.

While Guideline 0 and Guideline 1.1 provide useful information, they donot readily address the needs of refrigeration systems. Refrigerated facilitiesare both numerous and among the most energy-intense commercial buildings.Refrigeration Commissioning Guide for Commercial and Industrial Systemsbuilds on the concepts and process outlined in Guideline 0, providing specificmethods and approaches to achieve comprehensive commissioning of com-mercial and industrial refrigeration systems.

Development of this Guide began after multiple discussions withinASHRAE concerning the value and need for such a publication and after con-sideration of many factors, such as the customized nature of refrigeration sys-tems as contrasted to packaged HVAC systems and the typical methods ofdesigning and contracting for refrigeration work. These are two of the factorsthat have resulted in very limited commissioning of refrigeration systems incurrent practice. The value of commissioning is clear to those designing andoperating for improved sustainability in refrigerated facilities. To meet the

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2Refrigeration Commissioning Guide for Commercial and Industrial Systems

apparent need and demonstrate the value of commissioning in the market-place, it became clear that refrigeration experts should define the needs, deter-mine the appropriate processes, and develop a guide specifically tailored forthe commissioning of refrigeration systems.

THE NEED FORCOMMISSIONING

Refrigeration systems for most commercial and industrial facilities arecustom-engineered for each application, with individual equipment selectedand matched to meet project needs and designer preferences. In contrast, arooftop cooling unit or a packaged water chiller is factory built as a packagesubject to standards and certification as a combined system, with performanceand specifications fully described and catalogued.While factory packages stillneed commissioning, the more customized nature of refrigeration is an impor-tant factor in defining how refrigeration commissioning will be accomplished.Refrigeration system designers choose the type of refrigerant, control valves,compressor technology, method of oil management, capacity control mea-sures, type of condensing (air or water cooled), and control system design andstrategies. Supermarket store-planners determine which display cases will beused, what configuration will be laid out, and what merchandise will be in thecases. Temperature, load, and evaporator layout can be completely uniquefrom project to project, requiring that compressors, condensers, evaporators,valves, and receivers be designed specifically for each project. Various controlsystem providers and programmers contribute their products and services tothe completed system, which adds another layer of customization. There arenot only numerous manufacturers of compressors, condensers, cases, coils,and controllers but also numerous owners and contractors with their uniquespecificationsresulting in the possibility for infinite variations.

As with most construction projects, speed to market is critical. Whilemany companies have well-established specifications and criteria, limiteddesign time can make design coordination difficult. For example, to start pur-suing permits for a new facility, a preliminary refrigeration design may becompleted early in the process. That design is then distributed for bidding andconstruction several months later. When the equipment is received directlyfrom the providers, the contractor must integrate everything on site. This pro-cess can result in the designs intent being lost. The commissioning processcan help to preserve that intent for manufacturers and programmers.

Historically, the design and construction of commercial and industrialrefrigeration systems have not followed the approach where the architect isresponsible for all design engineers and a general contractor is responsible forall contractors. Refrigeration design has typically been separate from thearchitects responsibility. The entire refrigeration scope may be assumed by adesign-build contractor responsible for engineering the systems, providing theequipment, and performing the installation. The owner may have multipledesign, equipment, and installation providers, all under separate contracts.Owners with multiple facilities may establish detailed criteria, design therefrigeration systems in house, rely on an original equipment manufacturer(OEM), or use a design consultant with refrigeration specialization. Becausemuch of the commercial refrigeration business involves repetitive construc-tion (e.g., multifacility operations), refrigeration design often evolves fromone project to the next following a general criteria or relies on the experience




1 ~ Introduction

3

ENERGY SAVINGS FROM COMMISSIONINGAS RELATED TO RETAIL SALES DOLLARSA CASE STUDY

Background: A study of several recently opened stores owned by a large supermarket chainrevealed that each store had major shortcomings in the operation of its refrigeration and controlsystems. The chain has a large development department that includes architects, engineers, proj-ect managers (PMs), construction managers, and others, so the store designs were based on awell-developed set of specifications and criteria drawings and should have all been operating thesame way. Further investigation revealed that the contractors for the subject stores had not fol-lowed the plans and specifications.

Problem: One specific store in California had been open for more than a year at the time ofthe study. The store had been designed to meet California Title 24 standards (CA 2013a, 2013b)and the store design had been evaluated by a leading engineering firm using energy modelingsoftware. The modeling had shown that with all efficiency measures working properly the storeenergy use would be 2,800,000 kWh/year. However, the actual energy use for this store during thefirst year of operation was 3,500,000 kWh/year.

Lessons Learned: The Energy Management team developed and implemented a strategy toretrocommission the store systems. The result was a reduction in annual energy usage of 750,000kWh and annual cost savings of $90,000, bringing the system more in line with the expectationsgenerated by the model (see the figure).

Support for changes to address this issue at other stores and in future new constructionrequired attention from retail management. But, the value of these savings is difficult to graspwhen the focus is on sales dollars. Translating the savings into equivalent sales dollars shows thatthe average supermarket would have to sell approximately $4,500,000 in groceries (or about 10weeks worth of sales) in order to make up the dollar value of 750,000 kWh in energy savings.Additional savings would also result from reduced maintenance and/or a possible increase in salesfrom improved conditions in the store.

The magnitude of the savings demonstrated the cost-effectiveness of a new construction com-missioning process that clearly defines expectations and verifies that equipment and controls areperforming according to expectations. Subsequently, other stores in the chain also experiencedsavings ranging from 4% to 24% after similar retrocommissioning.

Commissioning should start before design so that expectations are met at the start of opera-tion rather than errors being discovered and having to be fixed only after excessive energy con-sumption is realized.

Energy Usage in Kilowatt-Hours as Designed, Before and After Commissioning

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of what works and ensures product temperature requirements are met.Design practice, equipment sizing, and performance expectations are highlydependent on the experience of designers and contractors. Most refrigerationcomponents (unlike HVAC equipment) are not certified to a rating standard,and generally equipment catalogs do not reference a test standard. Rules ofthumb and experience factors are inherent throughout the design, construc-tion, and operation of systems and are related to the built-up nature of nearlyall refrigeration systems and related control systems.

Several retail chains have in recent years changed from reliance on ven-dor- or contractor-provided engineering to employing a refrigeration designconsultant and incorporating refrigeration with the other mechanical engineer-ing responsibilities (e.g., HVAC, plumbing). This approach adds refrigerationto the traditional mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) design consultantsand creates a mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and refrigeration (MEPR)team responsible to the owner and architect. In addition, it has become moreprevalent for the general contractor to assume responsibility for the refrigera-tion subcontractor. To address the fragmentation of the process, commission-ing seeks to provide a common thread with the purpose of creating high-performance refrigeration systems that meet specifications as well as mini-mize energy consumption while increasing reliability and maintainability.

PURPOSEAND SCOPE

The purpose of this Guide is to outline a commissioning process forrefrigeration systems that can be readily adopted by a wide range of owners,designers, and contractors of commercial and industrial refrigeration systemsin the United States and globally. The Guide is designed to start at projectconception and extend through the first year of operation. Moreover, it alsoestablishes a basis for a continuous improvement process lasting throughoutthe life of the facility.

This Guide is intended to improve and supplement existing design, con-struction, and operational practices. Since most companies have successfullyrefined their practices to achieve on-time and on-budget projects, commis-sioning must be carefully considered and adopted such that the existingresponsibilities for design, supplier compliance, and contract completion arenot diminished. Table 1-1 shows the people involved in commissioning a proj-ect and describes their roles or interests in the process.

A key concept in the Guide is that the commissioning work is a process orfunction that entails multiple entities and individuals over the course of a proj-ectcommissioning is not simply the work of a single commissioning author-ity (CxA). The Guide is designed to be flexible and to acknowledge the variedmethods of designing and contracting refrigeration work across industry seg-ments and from company to company. The Guide can be easily adopted in partor in whole, without assuming one contracting method over another. Users ofthe Guide will need to determine the elements that are appropriate to theirprojects, interests, and capabilities and define the responsibilities within avail-able company and project team resources.

This Guide does not attempt to comprehensively address system design,detailed construction specifications, construction methods, or detailed routinestart-up procedures (e.g., oil and refrigerant charging methods), and it doesnot include safety topics.




Table 1-1 Potential Participants in the Commissioning Process

Owner

In general, owner relates to who is paying the bills and has the greatest interest in life-cycle costand getting value from the system. Examples include the following: Individual owner of business who may be very involved with project specifics, such as an

independent store or specialty food manufacturer owner Owner not directly involved with project specifics, such as a property investment/management

firm funding an expansion of a refrigerated warehouse Large company or chain where the owner is represented by an employee or a third-party agent

TenantThe tenant directly or indirectly pays for operating costs. Some projects are built to suit the needsfor a particular tenant based on medium- or long-term arrangements.

EngineeringTeam

Refrigeration design engineer(s), including the following: Consulting refrigeration engineer Engineer(s) for design-build contractor Refrigeration equipment supplier(s) Individual acting as Engineer of Record, as required

Other engineers and disciplines, including the following: Thermal envelope designer, in the case of a refrigerated warehouse Control system designer, vendor, or contractor Electrical engineer, related to refrigeration equipment and controls integration with other

systems

Contractors

Refrigeration contractor(s), including the following: One contractor providing and installing refrigeration equipment and controls A separate controls contractor A separate contractor for walk-ins or thermal envelope and doors

Safety andCodeConsultants

Depending on the type of project, the location, and the type of equipment, additional consultants orspecialists may be responsible for safety concerns and complying with safety regulations. Specialconcerns arise from certain system types (such as ammonia systems).

CommissioningServiceProviders

Commissioning services may be provided by the following: Independent third-party commissioning consultants who manage and coordinate the overall

commissioning process (see the sidebar Best Practices for a Commissioning Authority:Independence, Perspective, and Understanding in Chapter 2 of this Guide)

A member of the design team The design-build refrigeration contractor Technical commissioning specialists who provide third-party testing and verification to

implement the technical aspects of commissioning

Operations andMaintenancePersonnel

Operations and maintenance personnel are responsible for keeping the equipment operating andmaintaining temperature limits. They may be in house or outside contractors and may be differentafter the warranty period. The operations interests for a facility can vary widely: Chain supermarkets often have an operations division that prefers a standardized view of

refrigeration focused on reliability, maintainability, and energy performance. An industrial project may require close coordination by plant operators, maintenance personnel,

and production staff, particularly on an existing facility expansion. For a new facility, the on-site operations staff may be involved late in the process, only as they

are hired or assigned to the location.

Energy andSustainabilityConsultants

Various parties may be involved with energy efficiency and sustainability, including the following: Corporate departments measuring facility performance with metrics such as energy, water, and

sustainability Energy efficiency consultant engaged by owner Utility and related program consultants for incentives and design assistance programs Labeling and certification program consultants (e.g., bEQ, LEED, Green Globes, ENERGY

STAR)

Other

Projects with new or special equipment, systems, or technology may include an associatedrepresentative to assist with design integration and commissioning. An Information Technologyrepresentative may be necessary to support data communications and management of informationresources required to meet commissioning objectives.

1 ~ Introduction

5





The Guide emphasizes refrigeration systems commonly used in commer-cial and smaller industrial facilities (e.g., retail food stores, halocarbon sys-tems for warehouses, and small food facilities, etc.). While the commissioningprocesses outlined will also apply to commissioning of large industrial ammo-nia-based refrigeration systems and large built-up central compressor plants,specific technical procedures related to large industrial and ammonia systemsare not addressed in this Guide.

The phases of commissioning described in Refrigeration CommissioningGuide for Commercial and Industrial Systems are, in order:

1. Planning and Design2. Construction and Installation3. Start-Up and First-Year Operation

This Guide is intended to be used within a variety of construction andcontracting arrangements, including the following:

Design-build projects by refrigeration contractors Owner-designed projects installed by a refrigeration contractor Projects designed by the owners consultant and installed by a refrig-

eration contractor

This Guide is expected to be used frequently by design-build contractors,who manage the commissioning process largely on the owners behalf and/orexecute the technical procedures. While the benefit of an independent third-party perspective may not be achieved with this approach, this reflects thereality of the industry and how many commercial and industrial projects arecontracted as well as the fact that a great deal of the relevant expertise resideswith design-build contractors. For this reason, the Guide is designed toaccommodate a self-managed method as well as apply to commissioningactivities performed by consultants and independent third parties. Additionalperspective on third-party commissioning authorities is provided in the Chap-ter 2 sidebar Best Practices for a Commissioning Authority: Independence,Perspective, and Understanding.

This Guide is designed to address the characteristics of typical refrigera-tion applications and systems, including the following:

Refrigeration systems must perform (maintain temperatures) at allhours of operation, in contrast to air-conditioning systems, whichmay be designed to meet temperatures a certain percentage of hours.The consequences of failing to maintain temperatures are thereforemore problematic in refrigeration systems than in air-conditioningsystems. Thus, safety factors are a practical necessity for refrigera-tion systems, though the amount of safety factor realized by theinstalled equipment and systems is rarely quantitatively tested.

Refrigeration systems are custom built from components rather thanfactory-assembled packages. As such, each system is unique andperformance is greatly affected by component interactions and con-trol methods. Compressors and condensers are selected to meet theneeds of multiple loads and multiple application conditions, withcontrol valves and electronic control systems often selected andapplied by parties different than the provider of the major compo-nents.




1 ~ Introduction

7

Retail chain stores and other large users commonly purchase equip-ment directly from multiple vendors to increase competition andobtain the best-in-class product for each use. Equipment may bespecified and purchased under blanket bidding/purchase agreements.

The owner (or engineer) often defines the manufacturer and the typeof operating controls energy management system (EMS) that will beincluded with the equipment from one or more OEMs and installedby one or more contractors and then addressed by another controlscontractor to include HVAC and lighting. This increases the integra-tion challenges and can contribute to uncertain responsibilities and alack of coordination between system design features, control systemcapability, and programming.

As previously stated, this Guide is intended to address the needs of allcustom-designed refrigeration systems, including those for industrial applica-tions, retail food stores, and other commercial applications. However, retailfood stores provided the largest source of examples concerning design, con-struction, and facility operations, and the examples vary by business size(including national chains, independent chains, and individually ownedstores), responsibility for design and design methods, contracting choices, andtype of maintenance operations. Historically a large portion of refrigerationdesign in this sector has been provided by manufacturers and design-buildcontractors, along with a smaller portion of owner-designed and consultant-designed refrigeration and HVAC systems. Plus, supermarkets are remodeledand expanded over the life of the facility, providing multiple opportunities torealize benefits from commissioning. Using examples from this wide range ofindustry characteristics has resulted in a Guide that is expected to be adaptableto other industrial and commercial refrigeration applications.

Because commissioning is undertaken to achieve a project that meetsowner expectations, this Guide is designed on the assumption that the owner(or owners representative) will provide the assignment, directions, and over-all impetus for commissioning. Commissioning will be most successful whenall project participants fully understand the commissioning process and takeinitiative and action in their areas of responsibility and expertise.

There are two major aspects of the Guide: the commissioning process andthe technical procedures used in commissioning. The process could be consid-ered the business of commissioning while the procedures are the nuts andbolts (i.e., how to commission).

In some cases, these constructs may overlap or not be perfectly separated.Users of the Guide may choose to draw the line between the process and tech-nical procedures in a manner that best suits their businesses and facilitydesigns and construction methods. This Guide provides examples of only themost common technical procedures; individual Commissioning Plans shouldinclude the identification and development of project-specific technical proce-dures to ensure effective component- and system-level commissioning.

HOW TO USETHIS GUIDE

Refrigeration Commissioning Guide for Commercial and Industrial Sys-tems traces the development of refrigeration systems from concept throughdesign, construction, and start-up. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 cover the phases ofcommissioning: Planning and Design, Construction and Installation, and





Start-Up and First-Year Operation. Each chapter includes a flowchart withsteps outlined that users can follow to ensure that the end result will meet theexpectations of the owner as well as a roles and responsibilities table thatbreaks out the possible interested parties and their involvement in the commis-sioning process. Sidebars are dispersed throughout the Guide to offer real-world examples to strengthen points and provide additional ideas and insights.The appendices provide resources for viewing the roles and responsibilities ofpeople involved in commissioning for all phases in one table (Appendix A),an example Commissioning Plan (Appendix B), an example acceptance plan(Appendix C), and technical procedures that describe activities that may beconducted when commissioning refrigeration systems (Appendix D). Alsoincluded is a glossary of terms commonly used in refrigeration commission-ing practice.

During the development of this Guide there was much discussion regard-ing the need for consistent terminology within the refrigeration industry, andthe committee spent some time coming to a consensus on the terminology andacronyms used in this Guide. Though there is no separate acronyms sectionincluded, the acronyms are indicated throughout the text when the terms areused and they are included in the glossary entries.




2Commissioning during Planning and Design

INTRODUCTION

Objectives The core objective of commissioning during planning and design is toensure that a project is designed to be commissionable. Starting the com-missioning process in this phase helps to establish a framework by whichcommissioning is embedded in the project from the beginning. Specifically, itensures that the Owners Project Requirements (OPR) are the foundation ofthe project and that all subsequent phases of the project are based on this well-defined set of requirements. This chapter describes the key documents devel-oped and activities undertaken in this phase to help ensure the project achievesthe goals defined in the OPR and to facilitate commissioning of the project.

Process The main commissioning activities during the Planning and Design Phaseare the development or compilation of several key documents: the OPR, theBasis of Design (BoD), and construction documents (CDs). The Commission-ing Plan is developed and refined concurrent with development of these docu-ments. As explained in ASHRAE Guideline 0 (2005), the OPR describes whatthe owners requirements are for the project, the CDs show how the require-ments are tangibly met, and the BoD ties the two together.

Although these documents are developed during the Planning and DesignPhase, they must be revisited and revised as needed throughout the project.For example, if a requirement in the OPR cannot be met, the designer mustspecify why in the BoD, detail what was done instead, and seek approval fromthe owner to have the OPR revised. In this regard, the OPR, BoD, and CDs,along with the Commissioning Plan, will be living documents throughout thelife of the project. As the project progresses and new team members becomeinvolved in the project, these foundational documents must be made availableand presented with clear expectations so that everyone involved may be heldaccountable.

As much as possible, the procedures, documents, guidelines, and forms tobe used during the construction, start-up, and first-year commissioning activi-ties should be identified during the project design, realizing that some detailsmay change based on final design, equipment, and vendor selections. An




10


important step during planning and design is to define the details and costsassociated with making the facility commissionable and to include informa-tion to define expectations and form a basis of comparison. Examples of com-missionable items include pressure taps, flowmeters, specifications for datalogging and history capacity, etc. These are often relatively minor costs whenincluded in the initial design but can be physically impossible or difficult froma budget standpoint to add after a project is designed and under construction.

Figure 2-1 details activities related to commissioning during the Planningand Design Phase and the order in which they should ideally occur. Activitiesmay vary depending on the nature of the project.

Defining the Scopeof Commissioning

for a SpecificProject

The scope of commissioning for a specific project must be defined at theoutset of the project by the owner, with involvement of the initial design teamand other stakeholders. The owner and executives of the key parties set thetone for commissioning: defining expectations, gaining understanding, andproviding the support necessary for success. Defining the commissioningscope includes describing the roles, responsibilities, technical considerations,and processes necessary to achieve the functional and performance goals ofthe project. Design team members, the owner or owners representatives, con-tractors (in the case of a design-build project), and others involved in planningand design are typically all involved in defining the expectations of facilityperformance and/or how the facility and systems will be commissioned.

Expectations and budgets go hand in hand. Particularly when the commis-sioning process is new, upper-level management support is essential to helpdefine how commissioning fits into the business process, how financial valuewill be determined, and how sufficient budgets and manpower support will beallocated. The nature and extent of the commissioning to be performed as wellas the expectations that define success must be decided and clearly stated.

The areas of design, specification, equipment, construction, and perfor-mance that affect commissioning or are affected by commissioning should bedecided on in order to define responsibility and involvement. Table 2-1 pro-vides an example means of defining scope and involvement.

Roles andResponsibilities

The roles and responsibilities of all entities directly or indirectly involvedin the commissioning process should be established as part of the Commis-sioning Plan. Key roles in the commissioning process include, but are not lim-ited to, the following:

Owner: The entity who owns the building and the project. The ownermay assign a representative to perform commissioning tasks and beresponsible for core project parameters such as budget, schedule, andother project-specific restrictions and limitationstypically this per-son is the owners project manager (PM). The owner may set verydetailed and specific project requirements or, as in the case of adesign-build project, leave more of the means and methods up to themanufacturers and contractors.

Commissioning Authority (CxA): The entity managing the commis-sioning process. The CxA may be a subcontractor to the designer oran independent contractor but should be independent of the designteam so as not to pose a conflict of interest.




Figure 2-1 Planning and Design Commissioning Flowchart

2 ~ Commissioning during Planning and Design

11

Refrigeration Designer: The entity designing the refrigeration sys-tem. Depending on the applicable state and local codes, the refriger-ation designer may be a licensed, professional Engineer of Record.Depending on the owner or specific project, the refrigerationdesigner could be an employee of the owner, a consultant to theowner, or an employee of the contractor, such as in a design-buildproject.




Table 2-1 Example Scope Definition Document

Design Topic Example Details

StandardDocuments

List of standard references and materials used for facility design(e.g., equipment lists, details, specifications) that are to beemployed as part of the basis for overall project design.

Site-SpecificDocuments

List of site-specific development documents (e.g., surveys,planning reports) that are to be employed as part of the basis foroverall project design.

Design andContractingSummary

Definition of intended responsibility for design and construction,including as applicable design professionals, project managers(PMs), consultants, contractors, and how these will be selected ateach phase of the project.

Design andSelection Criteria

Ambient conditions, codes and standards, criteria for systemoptions (air vs. water, refrigerants, direct vs. indirect, etc.),guidelines for future capacity and functional flexibility, and tenantrequirements.

Design OptionsOptions to be developed for owner consideration and requiredanalysis (e.g., first cost, energy analysis, life-cycle calculations).

OperationalRequirements

Temperature requirements in spaces and for equipment,operational hours, traffic peak and hourly assumptions, pull-downloads, and product definitions.

EconomicConsiderations

Facility life expectancy, incremental payback requirement, andbudgets.

LoadCalculations

Definition of responsibility for load calculations, tools to be used(e.g., peak design or modeling), and parameters required forsubsequent commissioning.

System DesignStandard product specifications, acceptable manufacturers andproduct configurations.

HVAC/MechanicalIntegration

Coordination of space conditions, methods of heat recovery, andrequirements for performance measurement and commissioning.

Control SystemIntegration

Network design, integration with other systems, standard vendorsor functional requirements, and functional definitionswhereresponsibilities, required level of detail, and sensor and datarequirements must be adequately defined to support thecommissioning process during system troubleshooting.

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Refrigeration Contractor/Installer: The entity hired to install therefrigeration system or certain aspects thereof.

Refrigeration Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM): Manufac-turer of the refrigeration equipment, e.g., refrigerated cases, com-pressor racks, condensers, etc.

Other Contractors/Specialists: Other entities hired either directly bythe owner or as subcontractors to the designer who are responsiblefor certain aspects of the refrigeration system or its supporting ele-ments (e.g., a control system contractor).

Building Service, Operations, and Maintenance Staff: People whowill occupy, operate, and support the refrigeration system and thebuilding itself throughout the life of the system.

Table 2-2 shows an example of commissioning roles and responsibilitiesduring the Planning and Design Phase. This table is an example for a project




Table 2-2 Example of Roles and Responsibilities Matrixin the Planning and Design Phase for an Owner-Specified Project

Role Responsibilities in the Planning and Design Phase

Owner or OwnersRepresentative

Provide OPR, site information, financial information, andproduct/equipment specifications.

If desired, undertake cost/benefit analysis of energy-saving features.

Provide direction on the extent of required commissioningto be reflected in the OPR and Commissioning Plan.

Review and approve BoD, Commissioning Plan, CDs, andsequence of operations (SoO) and accept deliverables.

Identify which technical procedures must be performed aspart of the commissioning process.

CommissioningAuthority (CxA)

Lead development of Commissioning Plan. Review OPR, BoD, CDs, SoO, and product/equipment

specifications. Work with owner to identify technical procedures that are

relevant to the project.

Refrigeration Designer(Engineer of Record)

Develop the BoD, CDs, and SoO. Review product/equipment specifications and modify as

needed. Provide input on cost/benefit analysis of energy-saving

features, Commissioning Plan, and systems manual.

RefrigerationOriginal EquipmentManufacturers (OEMs)

Provide input on cost/benefit analysis of energy-savingfeatures.

Control SystemContractor

Provide input on cost/benefit analysis of energy-savingfeatures.

Facility Operations andMaintenance Staff

Provide input on site information, OPR, and BoD.


13

that is largely owner specified, with the owner providing many of the systemspecifications to the refrigeration designer and contractors (as opposed to adesign-build project, where the owner may provide minimal detail in therequirements). An example of a full roles and responsibilities matrix for allphases in one table is provided in Appendix A.

FORMINGTHECOMMISSIONING

TEAM

The formation of the Commissioning Team is the first step in successfullyexecuting the commissioning process in the Planning and Design Phase. It iscrucial for the owner to have appointed a CxA prior to the development of anyproject documents or requirements. The CxA can also help the owner decidewhat other entities are required to make up a complete Commissioning Teamand also solicit the appropriate input from the team and the owner to generateproject documents.

Since the activities of the CxA ideally extend from initial design throughthe first year of operation, the owner must contract for these services, whetherfrom one entity or several, separate from the construction contracts. Themeans of contracting for CxA services will vary based on the practice fol-lowed by each owner, but a clear delineation of the CxAs role, responsibili-ties, and authority is essential. Moreover, the CxAs activities must becoordinated with the commissioning-related work to be carried out by vendors




14


and contractors as defined in the CDs. As detailed in Annex L of ASHRAEGuideline 0 (2005), the CxAs role must be considered and refined for eachproject to suit the owners business practices as well as project-specific neces-sities and constraints.

In this Guide it is not assumed that there will be one CxA throughout theentire project. While a single CxA entity is suggested as the best practicemodel, the industry requires time and experience for these skills and capabili-ties to develop and be offered by engineering practitioners and service provid-ers. For some companies (e.g., multifacility operations), other methods maybe more consistent with their business practices.

Contracting forCxA Services

The CxAs role and responsibilities can be defined in a CxA specificationor in a project-specific request for proposal (RFP) describing the tasks theCxA will perform at each phase of the project. Annex E of ASHRAE Guide-line 0 (2005) provides an example format that can be used to define responsi-bilities and request proposals for CxA services.

Depending on the content of the project documents, the commissioningservices may be engaged using one of the following methods:

Solicit proposals from prospective third-party CxAs.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY

The text included in this sidebar is an excerpt fromAnnex L of ASHRAE Guideline 0 (2005).This annex provides an example of how to implement part of Guideline 0; it is not intended to bea comprehensive representation or a best practice example.

2. THE COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY (CxA)2.1 The primary role of the CxA is to verify

achievement of the OPR throughout the project, fromPre-Design Phase through Occupancy and Opera-tions Phase. The Owner should perform this role.

2.2 When the Owner cannot perform the CxAduties with qualified personnel, then the CxAshould have a separate professional services agree-ment with the Owner, as this avoids conflicts ofinterest and provides independence from the otherparties (the Owners project manager, designers ofrecord, construction managers, suppliers, and con-struction contractors). This professional servicesagreement defines the duties, rights, and responsi-bilities of the CxA for each phase of the project.This separate relationship allows the CxA to actindependently as director of Commissioning Pro-cess activities, to focus on achieving the OPR, andto communicate directly with the Owner.

2.3 The CxA is a group of personnel withexpertise and experience in the design, construction,and operations of the various systems and assem-

blies included in the project. These personnel areled by an individual who has expertise and experi-ence in successfully implementing the Commission-ing Process.

2.4 If the CxA is an employee, associate, orpartner of the same organization as the designer ofrecord or construction management firm, there is aconflict of interest. While not a recommendedapproach, in these instances the CxA must have aseparate professional services agreement, be organi-zationally separate from the design team or con-struction management team, and define and managethe conflicts of interest to provide the Owner withthe independence required for the CommissioningProcess to be successful.

2.5 The CxA does not perform testing; it directsthe process and directs the recording of the results.The CxA plans, schedules, and supervises Commis-sioning Process activities to verify achievement ofthe OPR. The Contractor completes constructionchecklists, performs tests, and accomplishes otherCommissioning Process activities.





15

Include commissioning responsibilities in the refrigeration contrac-tors scope of work.

Usee the owners predetermined internal commissioning resources. Use a prenegotiated third-party CxA.

SpecifyingCommissioning

Activities

The construction contract documents should include the commissioningprocess activities the contractors are expected to perform during the construc-tion work and through their warranty period. The contract specifications shoulddescribe the CxAs role in each area of responsibly to avoid duplication ofeffort and cost and to maintain intended responsibilities. Other sources, such asthe Commissioning Plan or the technical procedures, which become part of theCDs (described in more detail later in this chapter), may also be leveraged tohelp define and delineate the CxA and contractors scopes of work. Additionalinformation on project bidding and contract placement is outlined in Chapter 3.

DEVELOPINGTHE OWNERS

PROJECTREQUIREMENTS

(OPR)

The commissioning process for any system must begin by defining theOwners Project Requirements (OPR). As per ASHRAE Guideline 0,the Owners Project Requirements form the basis from which all design, con-struction, acceptance, and operational decisions are made. An effective Com-missioning Process depends upon a clear, concise, and comprehensive

BEST PRACTICES FOR A COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY:INDEPENDENCE, PERSPECTIVE, AND UNDERSTANDING

Commissioning is best achieved when the commissioning authority (CxA) is an independentand impartial third-party entity with the technical skills and process experience to achieve thecommissioning objectives while creating value through coordination with all project participants.

The greatest independence is achieved when the CxA is not involved in the project design,construction, or ongoing maintenance and operations. This way, not only is the CxA able to bringa fresh perspective to the project but the responsibility for managing the commissioning scope,content, and deadlines is more clearly defined.

Being realistic about the starting point. At the present time, given both the very limiteduse of commissioning for commercial and industrial refrigeration systems and the common prac-tice of design-build construction for many commercial and industrial projects, it remains to beseen if and when qualified service providers (who are independent and unrelated to the project)will be available to provide refrigeration commissioning. Most importantly, and the biggest chal-lenge, is that this is a highly technical undertaking. Although the CxA is not the design engineer,the nature of refrigeration commissioning requires that the CxA be highly skilled and experiencedin refrigeration system and control technologies in order to work with designers, contractors, ven-dors, and the maintenance team.

If the work of the CxA is performed by the project engineer, project contractor, or design-build contractor, the commissioning work should be performed by a separate department and staffwithin that persons organization. The CxA should not report to the person responsible for theproject design, the construction work, or the start-up team. Achieving the desired independenceand impartiality will be largely dependent on how the firm is organized and manages their com-missioning business.




16


Owners Project Requirements document. It includes information to help theproject team to properly plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain sys-tems and assemblies (ASHRAE 2005, p. 6).

The CxA facilitates the development of the OPR, and in order to success-fully develop an effective OPR, the Commissioning Team must be engaged inthe processincluding the owner or owners representative, who is responsi-ble for core project parameters (budget, schedule, etc.). It is also recom-mended that the building operators, facility managers, store directors, andmaintenance personnel be involved in the OPR development. Many timesthese individuals have valuable insight into the actual operation of the systemand facility and can help point out issues that can be addressed during designby influencing the OPR. For example, a supermarket store manager may knowfrom experience that the capacity of the typical ice flaker used may not pro-duce enough ice for the type of service fish cases that are planned to beinstalled in the store. The OPR could then require the designer to address thisparticular capacity issue.

Depending on the owner, a technical representative (often a mechanicalengineer or other technical individual employed by the owner) may be avail-able to represent the owners internal goals and directives. For example, theowners project manager (PM) may know that certain refrigerants exhibit aglobal warming potential (GWP) and that it is the goal of their company toreduce their environmental impact by reducing the GWP of their refrigerationsystems; however, this person may not personally know what strategies toemploy to best deal with the issue. The owners technical representative,therefore, would set requirements in the OPR such as what refrigerant shouldbe used, what type of system it should be used in, what charge minimizationstrategies should be used, what leak prevention efforts should be made, andhow the commissioning process will validate the companys overall environ-mental strategy. If an internal technical representative does not exist, theowner may rely on the CxA to help effectively communicate the requirementsin the OPR. (Refer to the Roles and Responsibilities section of this chapterfor more detailed information on how the various team members can contrib-ute to the development of the OPR.)

Other examples of key items that should be contained in the OPR are dis-cussed in the following sections. Many of the requirements can be consideredproject specific; however, many of them reflect owner-specific requirementsthat may not change from project to project, such as the additional require-ment of quality for materials and construction. It is important to leverage pre-established owner requirements that may already exist in the form of equip-ment and installation specifications, owner-developed design and installationguides, or even CD criteria sets. Many owners use these types of documents asa platform to administer their internal goals and directives in a consistentmanner, so simply referencing these documents in the OPR can be an effectiveway of including the requirements they contain.

Key Items toInclude in the OPR

Project Budgetand Schedule

Sufficient detail should be included to document the project budget andschedule so that the entire project team knows the limitations. Depending on





17

the type of system to be installed, sufficient budget and time must be allocatedto allow for proper design, installation, start-up, and commissioning. Sincemany refrigeration systems are custom built for the application, input from thedesigner and/or manufacturer may be necessary to accurately adjust the bud-get and schedule on a project-by-project basis.

CONDENSER STACK ATTACKA CASE STUDY

Background: Many grocery stores are built fairly close to residential areas and have toaddress noise issues in order to be good neighbors. Some cities have noise ordinances with spe-cific requirements to keep equipment noise below the established threshold during evening/night-time hours. Various design solutions may be employed to accommodate these noise abatementrequirements.

Problem: One design resolution to accommodate noise issues is the stack attack optionshown in the figure. In this design, condenser fan stacks are installed on top of the condensingequipment. Unfortunately, this particular design solution creates service issues and increases costsassociated with changing out the condenser fan motors. It is unlikely that these issues will be real-ized until problems arise associated with condenser fan motor failures (e.g., high head pressures).When that occurs, it is likely that a crane will be required to safely lift the stacks so the condenserfan motors can be replaced and to reset the stacks onto the condenser when the work is completed.The need for a crane greatly increases the both the costs and time required for what should be rou-tine maintenance. In this particular case study, the cost was increased by $5000 for local cranefees and the replacement took all day.

Lessons Learned: Reviewing the OPR and BoD early in this project should have enabled theidentification of alternate design options to meet site noise abatement requirements that do notcreate costly service situations. This design solution created a very expensive service challengeand an unsafe maintenance process. In addition, once installation is complete, retrofitting thistype of situation can be expensive, and the process of reviewing information and evaluating sup-porting systems may impact the operation of the store.

Photograph courtesy of NREL; credit John de la Rosa

Why are Those Stacks on the Condenser Fans?




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CommissioningProcess Scope

and Budget

Identifying the equipment, components, and systems to be commissionedand assigning a budget to carry out the commissioning tasks is essential.Depending on the size of the scope and budget, commissioning could befocused on just the control and operation of the equipment in the compressorroom, or it could also include condensers, evaporators, piping systems,pumps, peripheral controls, etc.

TechnicalProcedures

All technical procedures that will be conducted for commissioning, asspecified in the Commissioning Plan (see the section Developing the Com-missioning Plan in this chapter), must be reviewed, and the CxA must ensurethat any information or data necessary for fulfilling a given technical proce-dure is included in the OPR.

SubmittalRequirements

Specify how the submittals will be coordinated, reviewed, and approvedand who will be responsible for these functions.

ProjectDocumentationRequirements

With input from the owners technical representative and the CxA, specifywhat documentation will be required for effective commissioning, who will beresponsible for providing it, and in what format it should be provided. Depend-ing on the nature of the facility and the owners preference, the documentationmay include only refrigeration-related content or may address all aspects of thefacility. Additionally, the owner should specify a method for retaining, storing,and/or displaying these documents in order to preserve them for the life of thesystem and to allow for updating as changes, additions, and improvements aremade to the documents or the facility itself (see Figure 2-2).

Photographs courtesy of NREL; credit John de la Rosa

Figure 2-2 Examples of Displayed Project Documentation

As a best practice, documentation retention should include, at a minimum,the following:

Owners Project Requirements Basis of Design documents Issues log Construction record documents, specifications, approved submittals,

and the construction checklist Control requirements





19

Start-up records Commissioning report Systems manual (including operations and maintenance manuals) Training materials and optimization guidance Ongoing operating data

Ongoing operating data may include the following: Refrigerant leak and recharge records Oil usage log (additions and removal history) Maintenance and emergency repair records Equipment logs (periodic manually prepared forms and/or computer

printouts)

TrainingRequirements for

Owners Personnel

The CxA and all parties who will provide training information should beinvolved in the development of training requirements and expectations. Inputfrom those who will be responsible for using the training materials is alsoimportant.

The expectation for sufficient training should be documented and commu-nicated directly with the expected trainer or included within any applicableRFP. Typically, system manufacturers will offer some sort of training forequipment that is considered unique or a new technology. For example, refrig-erated display cases may require training on how to properly load the cases oroperate various features of the cases.

In addition, the training process and timing must be defined. While multi-ple entities may be involved with aspects of training, particularly on a largeproject or with new technologies, training coordination is necessary to ensureinformation is fully and effectively made available on a timely basis to theindividuals who need it. Chapter 4 discusses how to review the training activ-ity during the Start-Up and First-Year Operation Phase.

Developing training requirements and implementing training for a projectinvolves the following actions:

Identifying who requires training, when, and how frequently Defining who will provide training (e.g., vendors, engineers, training

or subject specialists, etc.) Establishing a training calendar for the project Identifying additional requirements for new technologies or special

installation conditions Identifying certifications required of operating staff or contractors Specifying safety-related requirements per company policy and gov-

ernmental agencies (e.g., local codes, Occupational Safety andHealth Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, etc.) Providing safety training before start-up or change activities Providing safety training after completion, with hands-on inter-

action Providing individual safety qualification on standard operating

procedure (SOP), when applicable Providing training on remote access, control interface, and other data

systems Defining the responsibility for maintaining and administering ongo-

ing references and training support




20


WarrantyRequirements

The terms of warranty for all systems and components to be commis-sioned should be collected and included in the OPR for reference so that allwarranties may be preserved throughout the project. Chapter 4 discusses howto review warranty requirements during start-up and through the first year ofoperation.

BenchmarkingRequirements

Beyond requiring that benchmarking must be part of the CommissioningPlan, the owner must specify what the benchmark targets will be, when thebenchmarking should happen, what the means of measurement are, and whatthe benchmark deliverable needs to look like. The CxA should help developthese requirements to ensure that the commissioning work performed and thegenerated deliverable is as meaningful as possible. For example, if weatherdata and facility conditions are not recorded when the system benchmark isrecorded, then the information cannot be used to its full potential. Chapter 4discusses the documentation of performance benchmarks during first-yearoperation.

Operation andMaintenance

Requirements

Include expectations regarding the yearly maintenance budget and theexpected capability of the service contractor. To realistically set these require-ments, collaboration with the service technician may be required.

Load and SizingCalculations

Designate the responsibility for performing load calculations and definethe operational parameters, derating or safety factors, and related system-siz-ing criteria. Adherence to these design parameters and responsibilities shouldbe maintained during the development of the design. Once the systembecomes operational, commissioning feedback should be provided regardingthe efficacy of the load and sizing calculations and methods.

EnvironmentalSustainability andEnergy-Efficiency

Goals

Environmental goals can be expressed in the OPR in many ways, such asdictating what type of refrigerant to use, what the total refrigerant chargeshould be, how much energy the refrigeration system should use, or even whatthe systems total equivalent warming impact (TEWI) or life-cycle climateperformance (LCCP) number should be. As previously discussed, dependingon the level of internal technical representation available to the owner, the spe-cifics of how to achieve these environmental goals may or may not beincluded in the OPR. The requirement should still be firm, but it may leavemore of the means and methods up to the designer to achieve the end goal.

Any requirements for obtaining building ratings or certifications (e.g,bEQ, LEED, Green Globes, GreenChill, or ENERGY STAR) should bespecified. The targeted level of awarded certification should also beexpressed.

The energy goals of a project are directly related to the environmentalgoals and, similarly, there are many different ways to address the require-ments. Some of the ways to set the energy requirements are

requiring equipment to meet a specified payback period,

referencing an industry energy baseline and requiring that the systemeither meet this baseline or achieve a certain percentage deviationfrom it, or

requiring that the equipment meet a certain preset performance spec-ification that can be verified through kilowatt-hour monitoring.





21

System Type The system type is requirement that cannot necessarily be set until afterthe environmental and energy goals have been identified. Sometimes, theenvironmental and energy goals will require the use of a type of system thatthe owner has no experience with. While some owners may give the designerthe authority to simply pick a system type and manufacturer that fits theirdesign, many owners have a selection of approved manufacturers and systemtypes that they will require to be used.

CommunityRequirements

The owner should understand the surrounding community and setrequirements to make sure that the team and the installed systems do not neg-atively impact that community. Sometimes community engagement will benecessary to successfully complete a project. For example, projects where vis-ible and/or audible rooftop equipment will be installed may require approvalfrom surrounding neighbors. With the use of some natural refrigerants, theEmergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA)may come into play and require that certain steps are taken to properly engagethe community.

Refrigerant ChargeCalculations and

RefrigerantManagement

The OPR should clearly define the responsibility for calculation of refrig-erant charge(s), confirmation of actual system charge, and identification ofany leaks or adjustments needed to accurately define the proper operating sys-tem charge. In order to improve future designs, also define the responsibilityfor investigating variances from the expected charge and report reasons.Define the management systems for tracking refrigerant use from start-upthrough the first year of operation, including continuity between constructionand maintenance record keepin