Scoping a Commissioning Job in Terms of Contractor

Involvement ???

Systems to be Commissioned

Or

Contractor Performance Expectations

What do we mean by Scope?

Whose Expectations?• Owner ?

– Doesn’t know what to expect

• Contractor ?– Do less work . . . Make more money

• Design Professional ?– We don’t do means and methods

Whose Should Define Expectations?

• Owner, Architect, CM, GC?

• CxA ?– We don’t define Scope, but we should help.– Just like Owners Project Requirements– Just like Basis of Design

– Should it be in the Cx Spec?

What About Specs.?• So far, the design Community has not paid much attention

to Cx. Specs.• MasterSpec Section 230800 Cx of HVAC (01815) (15995)

– CxA’s Responsibilities• Provide Project specific construction checklists and process

test procedures.• Direct Cx tests.• Verify testing, adjusting and balancing of Work are complete.• Provide test data, inspection reports, and certificates in

Systems Manual.

What About Specs.?• MasterSpec Section 230800 Cx of HVAC (01815) (15995)

– Contractors Responsibilities• Perform commissioning tests at the direction of the CxA• Attend construction phase controls coordination meeting.• Attend TAB review and coordination meeting• Participate in HVAC orientation and inspection as directed by

CxA• Provide information requested by CxA for final Cx

documentation.• Provide measuring instruments & logging devices and provide

data acquisition equipment to record data for the complete range of testing for the required test period.

Not Process or ScopeMasterSpec is “product oriented”

What About Specs.?• ACG specifications• Section 01815 (15995) (230800)

– CxA Responsibilities• 4 pages of criteria• Organize and Lead• Develop schedules, schedule meetings• Develop documentation: RTFs, SVCs, FPTs, Cx Plan• Monitor Point to Point, witness startup• Understand, direct and witness ALL FPTs• Schedule and verify training• Complete report

What About Specs.?• ACG specifications• Section 01815 (15995) (230800)

– Contractors Responsibilities• Evaluate deficiencies• Cooperate with CxA• Attend meetings• Review Cx documentation• Complete Checklists• Accomplish test procedures• Provide Training

This is More Process than Scope

So back to Scope

• What’s the problem?– Interface between trades– Actually completing the project– Making sure the systems function before

functional testing– What if the balancer was not truthful– Who is responsible for making sure the

building is tight.

So back to Scope

• How do we fix it?– Do we help define contract boundary limits?– Do we ask the contractors to write narratives?

So back to Scope

• How do we get to the end?– What happens if the CxA and the owner do

everything right but the contractor won’t finish• If there is only 10% retainage left on the project

and the contractor walks away.

Does anyone have Comments?

Thank you