The Ferreira Group, Commissioning


	Commissioning is a systematic process of ensuring that a building performs in accordance with the original design intent, contract documents and the owner’s operational needs. Commissioning professionals evaluate equipment and systems to ensure that they are operating to exact specifications; temperature and flow rates from HVAC devices are calibrated to a known standard and that all equipment interacts properly for the specific controls set. A commissioning authority and team, verification procedures, performance testing and training are all part of commissioning services. Due to the sophistication of building designs and the complexity of building systems constructed today, commissioning should be an integral part of any new project or renovation that involves the environmental systems or building envelope. New Building Commissioning New Building Commissioning is a process that begins prior to design and culminates in the inspection, testing, balancing and verification that new building systems are operating properly and efficiently. Commissioning can reduce operating and maintenance costs, improve the comfort of a building’s occupants and extend the life of equipment. In addition, commissioning new construction projects can reduce construction delays, ensure the correct equipment is installed, reduce future maintenance costs and minimize employee absenteeism. Typically, returns for these commissioning services can pay for themselves in about a year through energy savings and operational improvements. Retro-Commissioning To capture the sizable opportunities that exist within them, commissioning principles are being applied to existing buildings. This process has come to be known as Retro- Commissioning (RCx). When appropriately applied, RCx goes beyond the typical “energy audit” to systematically optimize building systems so that they operate efficiently and effectively, often eliminating the need for costly capital improvements. Not only does RCx identify problems that occurred at construction just as traditional commissioning does, but it also identifies and solves problems that have developed during the building’s life. Retro- commissioning can reduce high energy and maintenance costs, occupant complaints and improve environmental quality and equipment lifespan. Commissioning for LEED® The United States Green Buildings Council (USGBC) is responsible for the development of the Green Building Rating System known as LEED. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is considered the benchmark for sustainability in buildings. Owners and operators of buildings, interested in achieving a LEED rating for their facility are required to go through a stringent comprehensive process that includes building commissioning. Under LEED for New Construction (NC), building commissioning is a prerequisite, without which a building cannot be awarded a rating. LEED EBOM (Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance) offers points for commissioning but does not require it as a staple for the rating. The Ferreira Group will provide commissioning services to end users interested in LEED ratings. We will work with architects, engineers and building owners to ensure the highest level of LEED is achieved through our commissioning process. HVAC Systems Performance Evaluation Energy Systems Analysis and Management - present an updated level of technical information necessary for energy conservation and retrofits of today’s commercial facilities. This new manual provides building owners, facility managers, contractors and system designers with the tools needed to evaluate an existing facility for energy savings potential. Items of special interest include performance contracting, CFC refrigeration regulation and new automation system open protocols. Other topics covered include HVAC heat recovery, energy auditing, operation and maintenance and indoor air quality. Critical Equipment Reliability Evaluation You have HVAC systems (perhaps aging) that serve a critical operation such as a data center, health care facility or manufacturing process. The Ferreira Group will evaluate the operation, control and maintenance of these systems and make recommendations to optimize their reliability and help you plan for future upgrades, expansion and/or replacement.