Commissioning Codes, Standards and

Guidelines
Gerald J. Kettler, PE, CCP
Managing Principal
Facility Performance Associates, Dallas, Texas

AIA Quality Assurance

The Building Commissioning Association is a Registered Provider with

The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education
Systems (AIA/CES). Credit(s) earned on completion of this program
will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of
Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available
upon request.
This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional
education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed
or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any
material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using,
distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be
addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

Course Description

This session describes some of the

basic commissioning guidelines,
standards, and codes.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the basics of the commissioning process and the
evolution of the industry guidelines and standards
2. Recognize the similarities and variances of some of the
commissioning process guiding documents
3. Relate to the contents of the proposed ASHRAE Standard 202,
The Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems
4. Utilize the commissioning process under code requirements

Commissioning Process Definition

Commissioning Process: A quality
focused process for enhancing the
delivery of a project. The process
focuses upon verifying and
documenting that the facility and all of
its systems and assemblies are
planned designed, installed, tested,
operated and maintained to meet the
Owners Project Requirements.

History of Commissioning Guidelines

1982 ASHRAE forms committee
1989 ASHRAE Guideline 1 first published
1996 First revision ASHRAE Guideline 1
2000 ASHRAE joins with NIBS to develop
a universal process for commissioning
2005 ASHRAE/NIBS Guideline 0 published
2007 ASHRAE Guideline 1 revised
2007 Existing Building Guideline
committee formed.

Current ASHRAE Commissioning Documents

Guideline 0-2005, The Commissioning Process
- under continuous maintenance
Guideline 1.1-2007 HVAC Commissioning
Guidelines 0.2 and 1.2, Existing Buildings
under development
Guideline 1.3, Training of Building Staff
under development
Guideline 1.4, Systems Manual, under
development
Guideline 1.5, Commissioning Smoke Control
Systems being published

ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005

Pre-Design- Owners Project Requirements
(Design intent), Commissioning Plan, Scope and
Budget for Commissioning
Design- Basis of Design, Plans and
Specifications, Commissioning Plan for Specific
Project, Training Requirements.
Construction - Procedures, Submittals,
Verification, Functional Testing, Documentation,
Systems Manuals, Training
Occupancy and Operations- Retesting,
Remodeling, Maintenance, Seasonal Testing

ASHRAE Standards vs Guidelines

ASHRAE Guidelines = Best Practices
ASHRAE Standards = Minimum
Requirements, often in Code Language
Note: Guidelines cannot be utilized in
other ASHRAE standards

ASHRAE Standard 202

ASHRAE Standard 202
The Commissioning Process for
Buildings and Systems
- Minimum Requirements for the
commissioning process using ASHRAE
Guideline 0-2005 as the base
- Process Document
- Consensus Development

ASHRAE Standard 202

What Standard 202 will NOT do:
- Define specific types of projects
such as existing building projects
- Define qualifications of commissioning
providers
- List building size, type or usage
- List systems or assemblies
- Include enforcement provisions

ASHRAE Standard 202

Standard 202 Organization:
- Process listed by functional steps and
not by project phase
- Each of 13 functional steps has
deliverables
- The main body of the standard has 17
chapters
- There will be approximately 15 annexes
showing outlines of the deliverables.

ASHRAE Standard 202

Standard 202 Main Chapters:
1
2
3
4
5.
6
7
8
9.

Purpose
Scope
Definitions
Contents, Organization and Utilization
Owners Responsibilities
Owners Project Requirements
Commissioning Plan
Basis of Design
Contractor and Supplier Commissioning
Requirements

ASHRAE Standard 202

Standard 202 Main Chapters:
10. Contract Document Verification
11. Submittal Review
12. Construction Observation and Testing
13. Issues Documentation and Resolution
14. Systems Manual
15. Training
16. Commissioning Process Report
17. Post Occupancy Operation Verification

ASHRAE Standard 202

Activity

Deliverable

a. Owner Responsibilities

Contract Requirements

b. Project Requirements

c. Develop Commissioning
Plan

Owners Project Requirements

(OPR)
Commissioning Plan (CxP)

d. Design Approach to
Requirements

Basis of Design (BOD)

ASHRAE Standard 202

Activity

Deliverable

e Set Contractor Commissioning

Requirements

Construction Documents
(CD)

f. CD Verification to Requirements

CD Verification Report

g. Contractor Submittals Review

Submittal Verification
Report

h. Construction Observation
& Testing

Construction Checklists
& Reports

ASHRAE Standard 202

Activity

Deliverable

i. Issues Resolution

Issues Log

j. Assemble Systems Manual

Systems Manual

k. Training

Training Plans and

Records

l. Commissioning Process
Report

Commissioning Process
Report

m. Post Occupancy Operation

Verification

End of Warranty Cx
Report

ASHRAE Standard 202

Annexes:
Annex A Contracting the Commissioning
Process
Annex B. --Commissioning Process
Documentation Matrix and Flowcharts
Annex C Roles and Responsibilities
Annex D - Owners Project Requirements
Annex E Commissioning Plan

ASHRAE Standard 202

Annexes:
Annex G Construction Documents and
Specifications
Annex H Construction Document Verification
Report
Annex I - Submittal Verification Report
Annex J Construction Observation and
Testing Checklists and Reports

ASHRAE Standard 202

Annexes:
Annex L
Annex M
Annex N
Annex O
Annex P

Issues Log
Systems Manual
Training Plans and Records
Commissioning Process Report
End of Warranty Commissioning
Report

gjkettler@att.net
Facility Performance Associates
Dallas, Texas