Commissioning HVAC Systems

In this episode Nick, Jim, Mark, and Clay discuss how although there are ASHRAE commissioning guidelines that should always be followed in the commissioning process, specific care should be taken to ensure the commissioning plan is project specific. Often times, commissioning documents are re used from job to job and do not fully reflect the systematic requirements of the facility. Our team of experts discusses the commissioning process in general, the copy and past trap, and much much more. Tune in for a great episode on commissioning!

In this episode Clay, Mark, Nick, and Jim discuss some common overlooks by commissioning agents that should have been caught during the commissioning process. Our team of experts outline what they think the number 1 cause of missed items in commissioning is, cover some horror stories caused by seeming simple misses, and discuss why attention to detail is critical in the commissioning process. We break the discussion down by systems, and outline the critical items to check and verify in the commissioning process along the way. Tune in for a very fun and informative episode!

Mark, Nick, and Clay discuss the world of performance contracting in this episode. We break down what a performance contract is in the ESPC (Energy Savings Performance Contract) world, compare and contrast to internally funded energy projects, and cover the risks involved (for the ESCO and owner) in a performance contract. We also dive into some common causes of performance contract failures, outline some cases, and break down the path forward to remediation. Performance contracts can be very successful, but when there are failures, it takes a team of skilled individuals to do the forensic analysis of the project, and help paint the path forward. Our subject matter experts Mark and Nick have many years of experience with performance contracts and provide their opinions and expertise throughout the episode! As always, for more information on us check out our websites https://www.vsenergy.us/ or https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/.

In this episode Mark, Nick, and Clay discuss the importance of Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing in the Commissioning process. TAB plays a critical role and acts as the foundation for the commissioning process. Through the episode we cover the basics of TAB, how TAB is performed, what some common mistakes are caught in TAB, when the TAB process occurs, and much more. Tune in for a great discussion on the TAB process and relevance to Commissioning. For more information on our companies check out our webpages https://www.vsenergy.us/ and https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/.

In this episode Mark, Clay, and Nick take a dive into the world of retro commissioning. Retro commissioning is defined as a process to improve the efficiency of an existing building's equipment and systems. It can often resolve problems that occurred during design or construction, or address problems that have developed throughout the building's life as equipment has aged, or as building usage has changed. There are some similarities to re commissioning and even an energy audit but we outline the key differences in all of these. We also cover when retro commissioning should occur, best practices for it, and outline the good, bad, and ugly of retro commissioning. Tune in for a great discussion and to learn about retro commissioning from our industry professionals! For more information on us check out our websites https://www.vsenergy.us/ or https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/.

Join Mark, Clay, and Nick for a dive into the re-commissioning process for HVAC systems. Re-commissioning can be thought of as very similar to the commissioning process, just re-done after a facility has been in operation for some time to ensure a building is operating per original design. We also discuss how critical it is to draw the distinction between re-commissioning and its counterpart retro-commissioning. The re-commissioning process can be done when the facility has not mechanically or functionally changed form the original intention/design. Throughout the episode we cover this process in detail from start to finish, outline what a successful re-commissioning project is, and dive into the do's and dont's of the process. For more information on VS Energy or Applied Facility Science check out our websites https://www.vsenergy.us/ (https://www.vsenergy.us/) or https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/ (https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/).

In this episode Mark, Clay, and Nick dive deep into the design and application of the functional test in the HVAC commissioning process. This is a very involved process and attention to detail is very critical to ensure the functional tests are thorough to ensure the system(s) are operating per the spec, per the owners project requirements, to code, and to protect the commissioning firm from any possible legal repercussions. We also cover the proper application of the functional test while discussing specific examples and situations. There is so much to be said about functional testing in the HVAC commissioning world and we try to cover as much as possible in this episode! For more information on VS Energy or Applied Facility Science check out our websites https://www.vsenergy.us/ (https://www.vsenergy.us/) or https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/ (https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/).

In this episode Mark, Clay, and Nick discuss two critical parts of the commissioning process....pre-functional and functional testing. This as the episode title says is where the rubber meets the road. We dive into what each is, how to conduct each, what to include in each, and much more. Our subject matter experts Mark and Nick give their personal opinions and outline how they believe the process should go in these stages of commissioning. Tune in for a great conversation and for more information about VS Energy or Applied Facility Science check out our web-pages https://www.vsenergy.us/ (https://www.vsenergy.us/) and https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/ (https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/).

Mark, Clay, and Nick discus the importance of the commissioning agent presence during construction. This goes far past arriving on site periodically or for just functional testing and we get into more detail from our previous episodes discussion about the installation phase responsibilities of the commissioning agent. Some building owners do no see the need to pay for CX involvement at this level but in this episode we discuss some common mistakes caught by CX agents that can be easily remediated during installation but can be very costly after the fact. We also discuss the importance for the commissioning agent to be knowledgeable about the installation of equipment and have the ability to communicate effectively to the owner and contractors to ensure a successful project.

Check out this short audio clip from our Virtual Commissioning podcast episode! If you want to tine into the rest of this episode and others tune into more Commissioning podcast episodes!

Mark, Clay, and Nick discuss the installation phase responsibilities of the commissioning agent. This phase, like the others is a critical phase for commissioning agent involvement to help ensure a successful project. We will dive into how much time the CXa should spend on site, what issues can be found by the CXa, what a pre-functional/construction checklist is, and the process of functional testing.

Mark, Clayton, and Nick discuss the design phase of commissioning. In this phase the owner, commissioning agent, and the A&E have critical roles to ensure a project is successful. The involvement of the commissioning agent in the phase can often be overlooked and cause problems further down the road in a project. We will discuss what can happen and why the commissioning agent plays a critical role in this phase.

Mark, Clayton, and Nick discuss the process of writing the OPR (Owners Project Requiements) in this episode. This document is often overlooked or forgotten about during a project an can cause some undesirable outcomes for a project that could have been easily avoided. Through the series we will refer to the importance of the OPR and in this episode we cover the process in detail from start to finish and provide personal and professional insight to generate a thorough and effective OPR.

In this episode Mark, Clayton, and Nick discuss virtual commissioning and the risks and benefits involved in the process. With modern technology and advanced Building management Systems more people and businesses utilize aspects of virtual commissioning, but can it totally substitute for boots on the ground? Tune in to hear our professional opinions on the topic.

Mark, Clayton, and Nick discuss the Commissioning process from start to finish. Many people think this process starts once a project is completed, but the commissioning process begins at project inception with the OPR (Owners Project Requirements) document and carries through the entirety of the project. We also discuss the ASHRAE 2005 guideline and the importance of it along with some personal and professional opinions regarding commissioning and best practices during the process.

VS Energy along with our subject matter expert guest Nick introduce the Commissioning podcast series. We start off with some personal and business introductions and then dive into discussing what commissioning is, how it has evolved, and why it is so important to have quality commissioning agents part of the project from the start.