SAFEGUARDING BUILDING PERFORMANCE & OWNER SATISFACTION
A Q & A WITH COMMISSIONING GROUP LEADER DAVID HOWARD
DAVID HOWARD Cx Group Leader
Building Commissioning ( Cx ) is a third-party quality service that ensures buildings are delivered according to the owner ’ s design intent . Even simple buildings have multiple interconnected systems with numerous components that all have the potential for sub-optimal operation , which can impact overall building performance . Commissioning Professionals verify and document building system performance to adhere to owner ’ s project requirements and basis of design . Commissioning has become widespread in new construction and renovation projects because it ’ s a proactive process that seeks to prevent issues before they occur . David Howard leads P2S Cx , our commissioning division . P2S Cx is active in projects throughout the many sectors we serve . Current projects include airport terminals , K-14 and university campuses , healthcare facilities , government buildings , commercial buildings and more . We spoke to David about the compounding benefits of commissioning ( including some lesser-known benefits ), current trends in the commissioning profession , recent notable commissioning projects , and why P2S Cx is so well positioned to provide a range of commissioning services to clients across multiple industries and facility types .
As a commissioning provider , what would you say your primary function is ? What goals do you seek to achieve ?
David Howard : The primary function of a commissioning provider is to ensure that the building operates according to the engineer of record ’ s design intent and the owner ’ s project requirements that were outlined even before the design . The goals that we seek to achieve at the end , when we usually get to do our work , is to ensure that the building operates the way it was intended to operate from day one . That there are no malfunctions in the systems and that the occupants have a comfortable and safe building .
During what phase of a project does the Cx team usually begin ?
DH : Ideally , we ’ re supposed to be brought in during the predesign and schematic drawing phases of a project to assist in the design and ensure that the Owner ’ s Project Requirements ( OPR ) are adhered to during the design process . Sometimes we ’ re brought in during the construction phase ; at that point , we have to do a lot more work where we have to look back into the design phase to ensure that we can get identify issues and get them resolved before moving forward . The process is much more difficult when we ’ re brought in late . Commissioning is a requirement in most jurisdictions throughout the United States ; it ’ s been codemandated in nearly every state . Some even have code mandates for retro-commissioning .
How has commissioning changed during your time in the industry ?
DH : I ’ ve been in construction for 33 years and commissioning for 12 years . I first started seeing building envelope commissioning in Seattle , where it rains almost every day . Buildings get water intrusion , so that type of commissioning was a big deal there . Then LEED commissioning came into the picture , which was concerned only with energy systems . Over the years , many different processes have been added to the commissioning scope . For example , the VA ( Veterans Affairs ) has the Whole Building Commissioning Process Manual that goes through every system within a VA hospital or medical office . Their Cx requirements go way beyond just MEP systems into technology , medical gas , pressurization and more .
Cx has morphed in this way over the years . The scope has gone beyond just building envelope or MEP and into basically any system or component found within a building . There are some owners who want everything in their building tested before it ’ s turned over .
Building owners have different priorities for their projects . How do your Cx teams go about achieving objectives that can vary widely from project to project ?
DH : We do that through training and experience . We have a very experienced Cx team , and we have a very extensive and detailed training program . We also have an internal training manual , which all my commissioning providers are required to go through , even those that may come into the team with more seniority . Also , we ’ re very well-read
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Issue 04 / 2021