When building control systems began the transition from pneumatic to digital control methods, a compelling need for commissioning began to take shape. Building commissioning slowly became a regular practice in the industry; however, standardizing who can perform these services and what the qualifications skill set should be has taken many years to address. For more than ten years, the Building Commissioning Association and its Building Commissioning Certification Board have envisioned what that skill set should be, and have worked to achieve the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) accreditation for Certified Commissioning Professionals. It now has officially earned this distinction, and is the first in the industry to do so.

Having ANSI accreditation means there's finally a standardized certification commissioning professionals can obtain that offers an accredited minimum skill set to commissioning buyers. This signifies an overall maturing of the commissioning market that major providers have desired for many years, allowing differentiation to those who have striven to deliver unbiased, owner-direct commissioning to their clients.

The Value of Commissioning

Making sure a building is energy efficient and maintains a comfortable environment for occupants is a challenge our energy solutions team focuses on in all projects. We aim to maximize cost savings by being a part of a new building's design and construction process from the very beginning. We work alongside the owner and design team as they plan out the facilities, and then we confirm that the newly installed equipment is performing properly. When working on a project, our commissioning agents are contracted directly to the building owner. Acting as a third-party, independent representative certifies unbiased work by the commissioning professional, who holds all other parties and contractors to the owner's project requirements, a guiding document that sets out the requirements from project conception.

A large, complex building is expensive in the upfront price, but even more so in the overall cost to run and maintain it throughout its lifespan. Focusing on optimizing the energy performance and verifying it functions properly at the completion of construction will save a substantial amount of money, especially when coupled with re-commissioning or persistent commissioning℠ over the building's life cycle.

Leading the Industry

One way we maintain our status as leaders in the industry is by having a voice. In August, two members of our energy solutions team presented at the 2016 Energy Exchange. Their presentations focused on building controls and automation, and integrated building performance. Last year, two team members published an article explaining how the Commercial Workforce Credentialing Council provides a foundation for the training of commissioning providers in order to consistently meet today's building challenges. Actively sharing our expertise is one of the many reasons we are ranked 32 in the nation on the 2016 MEP Giants list.

Recently, we performed persistent commissioning as a pilot program for North Carolina State University to help address problems that are hindering their building system performance.

When we align our practices with industry shifts, we give clients and partners confidence that they're receiving high-quality service that's in accordance with national standards. As the industry grows, it's possible this certification for commissioning professionals will become a requirement on all projects. Whatever the next certification, trend, or shift is in the commissioning world, we'll be right there with it. For now, though, we're celebrating this accreditation achievement.

WHAT IS NEW BUILDING COMMISSIONING?