Consulting-Specifying Engineer - September 2008 - (Page 44)

Casting call for Cx BY RONALD WILKINSON, PE, LEED AP, AKF Group LLC, New York ike the rest of the design-build team, the commissioning service provider, often termed the commissioning authority, commissioning agent, or CxA, is contracted to perform a service for the owner. Unlike the mature disciplines of architecture and engineering, the services of the CxA are new and often misunderstood. The CxA can be a person or firm contracted directly by the owner, or it may be subcontracted through any of the conventional players. Like the casting director of a screenplay, owners must understand the product, know its players, and cast the lead personality that will deliver the best final product. Although price is not mentioned in the above criteria, it is of course a consideration. That being said, the smart consumer will conduct a qualifications-based selection first and consider the commissioning (Cx) finances only in the context of all other factors. Price is a criterion, but it is not the only one. Editor’s note This article was developed in collaboration with the Building Commissioning Assn. (BCA); however, the views expressed in this article are not those of the BCA. As the media sponsor for the BCA Convention and Expo, ConsultingSpecifying Engineer encourages readers to attend the BCA Convention and Expo, Oct. 5-7, Long Island, N.Y. For more information about commissioning and the convention, visit www.bcxa.org. Casting the right commissioning delivery method for each project is critical. L Cx qualifications Contrary to popular belief, the CxA is not an agent of the owner, but a quality issues advisor that arms the owner with the knowledge needed to enforce correction through the project’s existing design and construction contracts. In order to choose the optimal CxA provider, it’s important to consider its technical systems, testing and equipment knowledge, relevant experience, availability, communications skills, certification, and industry involvement, as well as its objectivity on each project. Technical systems knowledge is critical, for the CxA needs to know how the equipment and systems work. This includes both theoretical (engineering) and practical (operational) knowledge. The two are vastly different, and few excel at both. Testing knowledge and equipment or the ability to define testing scenarios is different from the ability to install and safely start up a piece of equipment. The ability to run the equipment is different from the “systems” mindset required to test and report on it. The CxA must have relevant experience as well, in designing, installing, and/or operating the specific equipment and systems being installed. Although there may be overlap between similar building types (for example, institutional facilities like hospitals, offices, and schools), the closer the CxA’s experience is to the project at hand, the better off the owner will be. Staff availability at the place and time of the project’s design and construction is a must. Since the commissioning process is the longest in the project timeline, the CxA frequently needs to be 44 Consulting-Specifying Engineer • SEPTEMBER 2008 http://www.bcxa.org http://www.bcxa.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Consulting-Specifying Engineer - September 2008

Consulting-Specifying Engineer - September 2008 Contents Viewpoint Letters News M/E�Roundtable Selecting Appropriate Egress Strategies Commissioning On-Site Electrical Systems Mentoring Control Engineers and Technicians Casting Call for Cx Case Study New Products Equipment Lifecycles Advertiser Index Green Space

Consulting-Specifying Engineer - September 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.