Building Commissioning Deepens trust and Proves Value

As a contractor, this means the commissioning agent is not our friend. Nor should they be. Their job is quality-assurance on top of anything we’ve already done. They’re making sure systems operate correctly, checking the finer details of the construction work and ensuring correct settings, program codes and more. They then write a report that becomes public to all parties with a “punch list” of items that need to be handled. In other words: they’ll air our dirty laundry.

That said, just because the commissioning agent isn’t our friend doesn’t mean they can’t be a valuable ally. Commissioning records are absolutely critical for future service. Having a record that equipment met specifications during commissioning makes it a lot easier to identify issues that happen afterward, whereas without those records pinpointing the cause becomes a nightmare of back and forth with the client trying to diagnose a problem.

It Begins at Start-up

The way we smooth the path for commissioning is through well executed start-up. At Harris, this can look like walking the building to trace piping and ductwork (mapping it, essentially):  does the layout make sense, does everything look correct on sight? As an example, recently we had a project that was plan and spec, and during one of these walk-throughs something looked questionable. Upon further investigation it was, in fact, assembled incorrectly. Never doubt the amount of catches a skilled professional can pick up sometimes just by having a look.

Following a visual examination, we move to pre-functional checks to confirm that all equipment and systems are safe to operate, then to functional checks, following behind electricians as they confirm that equipment is ready to be turned on. Ideally, the building automation professionals work alongside us with point-to-point checks as we move throughout the project getting everything up and running, at which point balancing comes in to do their checks. This process gets everything ready so that by the time the commissioning agent arrives on scene, we’ve worked through and addressed as many problems as we can identify beforehand. That translates to fewer mechanical punch list items in their report and ultimately fewer headaches under pressure when the deadline is coming in hot.

Extra 10 Percent

Obviously, the aim of every job, whether it’s for new construction or an existing building, is to get the work done right the first time. The more successful you are, whether that’s as an industry-leading organization or as the best-in-class independent contractor in your area, the easier it is to trust your work so much you stop checking it as often as you once did. Many contractors come in, install the equipment, turn it on and leave, but you cannot oversell the value of putting in an extra 10%. It not only builds, maintains and enhances your reputation as a contractor with unimpeachable capabilities, your relationships with general contractors, clients, subcontractors and even employees within your organization become deeper and more valuable.

Advocating for more quality assurance no matter the size or scope of the project isn’t about your faith in the work or your people’s ability to execute. It comes down to being more committed to getting it right than you are to just getting it done, which is a reputation that will never stop bringing in business.