Commissioning

data-center-commissioning

CriticalCxE Approach to Commissioning

CCxE understands the critical nature, level of complexity and integration required of today’s Mission Critical Facilities.  Our proven approach to commissioning utilizes six Levels of Commissioning and is tailored to integrate into the design and construction process.  This integration allows us to work closely with the design and construction teams to ensure the equipment and systems are installed and operate properly prior to delivery to the operational staff.

New Building Commissioning is a systematic process of ensuring that all building systems perform interactively according to the Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR) and the design intent.  Ideally, commissioning starts before the design phase with the development and understanding of the Owner Project Requirements (OPR) and rigor of Cx, followed by a review of the design documents and gathering of relevant submittals, and continues through construction, with actual verification of systems performance, and completing with the acceptance and warranty phases.  This approach helps ensure reduced CAPEX and OPEX.

Our proven approach to commissioning utilizes six Levels of Commissioning and is tailored to integrate into the design and construction process as follows:

Design and Construction:

Level 0Design Review for Constructability – Development of the Commissioning Plan, Load Bank Plan, Owners Project Requirements and Cx Design Reviews, Cx Specifications and initial Cx Schedule .

Level 1 – Factory Acceptance Testing – Major equipment meets the specified performance for load capacity, control sequencing, discharge duration, etc.

Level 2Site Acceptance – The formal acceptance of the equipment and components as they arrive on site and verified by checklists completed by the contractor.

Level 3Installation and Start-up Verification – Construction Checklist, TAB, Vendor Startup, EMCS/SCADA point to point and pre-functional testing.

Level 4Functional Performance Testing – Procedures developed and administered by the CxA which test the dynamic function and operation of equipment and systems

Level 5Integrated Systems Testing; Black Start Test – Procedures developed and administered by the CxA to test

the total functionality and redundancy of the building systems under the most realistic designed emergency conditions under fully automatic operation.

Commissioning Close-out Procedures and Post Occupancy:

  • Final Cx Report with Recommendation for Acceptance
  • Training Plan
  • O&M Reviews
  • Systems Manual
  • Seasonal Testing
  • 10 Month In-Warranty Review
  • Retro-Commissioning (RCx)

Retro-Commissioning is the application of the commissioning process to existing buildings that were not originally commissioned, require re-commissioning or are simply exhibiting inefficient operation.  The approach for RCx can range from a Total Building Cx approach to strategic in nature focusing on complex energy consuming systems and occupant comfort spaces.

  • Review current building operations and Sequences of Operations
  • Assess the physical condition of building systems
  • Identify systems (equipment, lighting, controls)  not operating at optimal levels
  • Bring equipment and controls to their proper operational state
  • Increase energy efficiency and reduce OPEX
  • Improve indoor air quality and tenant comfort/satisfaction
  • Improved O&M procedures and overall building operations
  •  Reduced equipment failures/emergency calls