Some still ask: “Why commissioning?”
For prudence and protection and because research shows the payback on commissioning is typically from 1.4 to 4.7 years in energy savings alone.
Commissioning
Protecting What’s at Stake
New buildings promise performance and energy efficiency. But only with truly effective commissioning can owners be sure those promises will be realized. With today’s advanced technologies and building designs pushing the envelope, it takes more than common commissioning to deliver truly successful buildings that perform as promised. The more complex the building, the more an owner has at stake.
To minimize risk, Optimized Systems takes commissioning much deeper – because we can and, as owner reps, we must. As independent, third-party commissioning professionals, owners are assured of an unbiased process with full and transparent accountability from design through occupancy, ensuring owners receive the performance outcomes they are paying for.
Reach out today and learn how Optimized Systems can help you get the project you are promised.
Get in touch“The knowledge base at Optimized Systems is unmatched. Everyone with them has experience in different areas—mechanical, controls, management. And their work is of a higher caliber than most design mechanical engineers. Those engineers may have a basic knowledge of how things go together—but commissioning is where you find the problems. It’s where you see what works and what doesn’t. And when they’re the commissioning agent and something doesn’t work, they have enough experience that 9 times out of 10 their first solution is correct.”
Adam Sawyer, LEED AP
Construction Manager
JACOBS, on behalf of Omaha Public Schools
A Better Kind of Commissioning
Checklists can have a role in commissioning but what good are they if they are filled out in the job trailer after everything is already done? And, if a problem is identified, wouldn’t it be better if the commissioning agent could actually recommend a solution?
Most commissioning today follows a standardized, limited-scope approach that focuses heavily on checklists, observations and functional testing of equipment. And while many commissioning agents may know mechanical systems design, they rarely know building automation controls and have almost never operated a building. By contrast, our specialized team has extensive experience and expertise in all areas essential for truly effective commissioning.
Optimized Systems approach to commissioning focuses more on the ultimate operational success of the building, rather than the administratively-driven processes typical of common commissioning. As former designers, facility operators and owner reps, we use our expertise and experience to truly understand the owner’s project requirements and the design intent from the owner’s perspective. For example, we not only verify that equipment is per plans and specs, but we look for and verify conformity between the design and the capabilities of equipment to ensure that system components are capable of operating as intended, with respect to the specific building and how it will be used. We also verify at the programming level that operational sequences are sound and programmed correctly, verifying that the system will perform as expected before testing even begins. And because we perform all tests ourselves, we can tell you not only if a test passed but if it passed for the right reasons. After all, a poorly running car with its parking brake on can still travel 50 mph; but it will consume excessive fuel and it won’t go very far. Just as important, if a problem or deficiency is identified, we don’t just tell you that you have a problem and “go fix it.” We have the experience and capability to recommend unbiased solutions.
With more than 85 years of experience in design engineering, energy, controls programming, and diverse medical facility operations, our commissioning specialists find important issues early in the process. Issues that others don’t even realize are problems until they surface down the road during building operation, when they are much more costly and embarrassing to correct.
For more information or to discuss commissioning for your project, contact Optimized Systems today.
Get in touch