State of UtahDivision of Facilities Construction and Management

DFCM -- Our MissionTo provide professional services to assist State entities in meeting their facility needs for the benefit of the public.

The Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM) is the building manager for all State owned facilities and is responsible for:All Aspects of Construction and Maintenance of State Buildings Assisting the Utah State Building Board in Developing its Recommendations for Capital Development Projects and Allocating Capital Improvement FundsOverseeing all Non-Higher Education and Non-Judicial Branch LeasesControlling the Allocation of State Owned Space

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New Building Key Components• OWNER – DFCM• AGENCY OR INSTITUTION–

– Higher Education includes all State Universities and Colleges

– Correctional facilities– State Parks– Office Space– Courts– Hospitals– Museums

• FACILITY MAINTENANCE GROUPS– HVAC Shop– Electrical Shop– Carpenter Shop

• DESIGN PROFESSIONALS (A/E’s)– Architects– Engineers– Consultants

• GENERAL CONTRACTOR – Sub-contractors– Suppliers– manufacturers

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Reasons/Goals for Building Commissioning• Energy Efficiency to minimize utility costs• Ensure building components performance• Documented demonstration of system performance• Improve equipment life cycle costs• Improved construction schedule management• Improve building start-up and turn over• Warranty claims are reduced• Improve building occupant thermal comfort levels• Improve indoor air quality (IAQ)• Requirement for LEEDS • Documentation for applying for Utility Rebates

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Utilizing a Cx Agent to meet the Goals

• Identify a scope of work• Timing for a Cx Agent’s involvement• Selection • Costs

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SCOPE OF WORK• Owner must identify the expectations for the

project• What basic systems are included – HVAC,

Electrical, Fire Alarm, Emergency Power

• Expanded Cx Required – Elevators, UPS, Envelope

• Who Contracts the Cx Agent – Owner, Agency, General Contractor

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Timing

• Pre-design Phase (programming, Owner/Agency Project Requirements)

• Design Phase• Construction Phase• Occupancy and Operations Phase

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Selection Process

• Selection Committee (DFCM, Facility Maintenance, Architect, Contractor)• Qualification Based Selection• Cx Team Member Qualifications• Cx Documentation Process• Communication/interactions • Past Experience and References

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• National report 2009 Median Cost $1.16/sf• DFCM Costs:

– Classroom, tunnel, Central Plant - $2.08/sf– Housing Unit - $1.14/sf– Housing Unit - $1.68/sf– Housing Unit - $1.85/sf– Science Bldg. - $3.75/sf

– Library/classroom/Admin. - $1.49/sf

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Cx Costs

Cx Agent’s Areas of Impact Cx Agent’s Impact to Project

• Quality• Schedule• Value• Communications

Owner’s Goals• Energy Efficiency• Ensure building performance• Documented performance• equipment life cycle costs• Improved schedule management• Improve building start-up and turn over• Reduced Warranty claims • Improve thermal comfort levels• Improve indoor air quality (IAQ)• Requirement for LEEDS • Applying for Utility Rebates

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Quality

• Meets Requirements of Construction Documents• Good tracking and reporting process• Training is done timely and completely for Facility

Staff• Facility Understands system better• Input during programing and design will improve

project

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Schedule• Work to project schedule• Input to GC’s Schedule for commissioning• Identify problem areas in schedule• Improve system start-up • Ready for occupancy to end user with a fully

functional bldg.• Problems identified early before they impact project

schedule

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Communications• Timely notification of problems• Be a part of the system flow • Attend project meetings and coordination

meetings• Anticipate and inform• Follow-up proceedures

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Value

• Energy efficiency is improved (8% - 20%)• Optimizes value received for each construction dollar

spent• Early involvement in project has greatest impact• Properly operating equipment improves life cycle

cost and decreases maintenance costs• Good/Bad for suppliers and contractors – level field• Simplifies utility rebate process

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INVOLVING A COMMISSIONING AGENT DURING THE EARLY PHASES OF A PROJECT’S DEVELOPMENT MAXIMIZES THE BENEFITS THAT COMMISSIONING AFFORDS AT THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE VALUE.

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PROGRAMMINGDOS• Speak English• Establish a quality process• Develop the OPR within the framework

of the AE’s program• Develop the scope of commissioning• Assist in the development of your

commissioning team: the AE, user’s project construction manager, the user’s operating and maintenance personnel, vendors of complex and/or specialty equipment, etc.

DON’TS• If you’re lucky enough to be hired at this

stage, don’t stand idly by and let the opportunity slip away.

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DESIGNDO• Speak English• Update the OPR • Review the basis of design documents• Prepare detailed commissioning specifications• Participate in design reviews at the SD, DD, and CD

phases• Develop the commissioning plan and define the

contractor’s related responsibilities• Be involved with the interstitial space planning and the

AE clash detection process• Assist the designers to include elements in the

design/construction documents that meet both good engineering principles and are maintenance/operations friendly

• Be certain you’re working on the most current set of documents and specifications

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• Provide a detailed description of the responsibilities of all parties

• Specify that the training will be filmed and by a professional filming firm

• Some tests are very expensive, be specific as to what the tests are and their procedures

• Review equipment specifications and control sequence requirements before documents are put out for bid to assure compatibility of requirements between pieces of equipment – often what’s requested is not possible to achieve with the equipment , this is especially true in remodel or addition projects where some systems already exist

DESIGN DOS cont

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DESIGN DON’TS

• Don’t think of yourself as the design engineer• Do not develop an adversarial relationship with the engineers‘ of

record• You do not approve the design or design criteria• You are not responsible for code compliance• Don’t forget to keep the user’s maintenance and operations staff

involved as well as all of the members of your commissioning team

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CONSTRUCTION DOS

• Speak Eng. . . . . you get the picture, it’ needs to be communication that’s clear, concise, understandable

• Begin your work shortly after the ductwork, mechanical lines, etc. are being installed• Stay involved with the review of the contractor’s BIM coordination drawings and make

certain that the contractor included all work scopes in the BIM review.• Visit the site frequently (especially if you’re from out-of-state):

• Bring up issues early on so they don’t become major issues at the end of the project – the sooner the contractor knows the problem, the sooner it can be resolved

• Be a problem solver, not just a problem reporter• Develop a relationship with all project shareholders rather than just furnishing a

report• Encourage the contractor to walk the site with you

• Your shop drawing reviews must be timely and should be coordinated with the engineers’ of record

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CONSTRUCTION DOS CONT

• Insist on coordination meetings with the subs, engineers, architect, etc. – attend as many MEP meetings as possible

• We like consistency and seeing the same face – we need a go-to-guy even though you may have specialists

• When it’s your responsibility to wear the black hat, then do it and don’t try to pass it off to the owner unless the contractor refuses to respond to you

• Keep the user’s maintenance and operations staff informed and involved

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CONSTRUCTION DON’TS• Don’t start late on the project and then play

catch up• DO NOT BLOW PAST DIFFICULT ISSUES

because they are controversial – tough problems need time to be resolved

• The owner/architect/contractor meeting is not the time to surprise the contractor with an issue – it should be brought to the contractor’s attention so they have time to respond before it comes to the attention of the owner/architect.

• Do not wait for multiple incorrect practices or installations before raising a concern

• When the engineer and commissioning agent have not agreed on an approach to an issue, there’s trouble and it’s difficult to know who controls

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POST CONSTRUCTION DOS• Complete your final commissioning report• Stick with the problem until it’s correctly resolved• Complete the deferred and seasonal testing when applicable• Assure that the performance of the facility is maintained

especially before the warranty period expires• Prepare with the owner/user, AE, and contractor a lessons

learned list for future use• Provide the owner with any recommendations for changes to

our design standards• Be there for the one-year warranty walk through

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POST CONSTRUCTION DON’TS

• We don’t want to be the ones to remind you that it’s time for your seasonal testing/commissioning

• Don’t write a final report and disappear

• Don’t forget to review the O&M’s for completeness

• And finally, If you really want us to be satisfied with your performance . . .

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DON’T ASK US TO SPEAK AT A COMMISSIONING

CONFERENCE/WEBINAR!