Commissioning

							Office of the Chief Architect / Capital Construction Programs
                   Public Buildings Service

              General Services Administration




  Opportunities in Commissioning




                  Martin Weiland, P.E.




                               1
                 Opportunities in Commissioning
                      General Services Administration



What does GSA mean by “Commissioning”?
• GSA has adopted the definition of the National Conference on
  Building Commissioning (NCBC):
   – “Systematic process of assuring by verification and
      documentation, from the design phase to a minimum of one year
      after construction, that all facility systems perform interactively in
      accordance with the design documentation and intent, and in
      accordance with the owner’s operational needs, including
      preparation of operation personnel”




                                       2
                 Opportunities in Commissioning
                      General Services Administration



What does GSA mean by “Commissioning”?
• GSA has adopted the definition of the National Conference on
  Building Commissioning (NCBC):
   – “Systematic process of assuring by verification and
      documentation, from the design phase to a minimum of one year
      after construction, that all facility systems perform interactively in
      accordance with the design documentation and intent, and in
      accordance with the owner’s operational needs, including
      preparation of operation personnel”




                                       3
                Opportunities in Commissioning
                     General Services Administration



Other Definitions for Commissioning?

• ASHRAE Guideline 0:
  A quality-focused process for enhancing the delivery of a project.
  The process focuses on verifying and documenting that the facility
  and all of its systems and assemblies are planned, designed,
  installed, tested, operated, and maintained to meet the Owner's
  Project Requirements. The Commissioning Process begins at
  project inception (during the pre-design phase) and continues for the
  life of the facility through the occupancy and operation phase.




                                     4
                Opportunities in Commissioning
                     General Services Administration



Other Definitions for Commissioning?

• ASHRAE Guideline 0:
  A quality-focused process for enhancing the delivery of a project.
  The process focuses on verifying and documenting that the facility
  and all of its systems and assemblies are planned, designed,
  installed, tested, operated, and maintained to meet the Owner's
  Project Requirements. The Commissioning Process begins at
  project inception (during the pre-design phase) and continues for the
  life of the facility through the occupancy and operation phase.




                                     5
                Opportunities in Commissioning
                     General Services Administration



Other Definitions for Commissioning?

•   AIA:
    A systematic process of ensuring that all building systems perform
    interactively according to the contract documents, the design intent,
    and the building’s operational needs.




                                     6
                Opportunities in Commissioning
                     General Services Administration



Other Definitions for Commissioning?

•   AIA:
    A systematic process of ensuring that all building systems perform
    interactively according to the contract documents, the design intent,
    and the building’s operational needs.




                                     7
                 Opportunities in Commissioning
                      General Services Administration


What is GSA’s Policy on Commissioning?

PBS DIRECTIVE FOR ASSISTANT REGIONAL ADMINISTRATORS, PBS
   DIRECTORS, PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS, PORTFOLIO
   MANAGEMENT
FROM: F. JOSEPH MORAVEC, COMMISSIONER SUBJECT:Release of The
   Building Commissioning Guide
Summary. Each Prospectus level project team -whether on new construction,
   major repair and alteration, or modernization -shall use “Total Building
   Commissioning” practices beginning with the project planning phase, and
   concluding at one year after tenant occupancy.




                                       8
                 Opportunities in Commissioning
                      General Services Administration


What is GSA’s Policy on Commissioning?

PBS DIRECTIVE FOR ASSISTANT REGIONAL ADMINISTRATORS, PBS
   DIRECTORS, PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS, PORTFOLIO
   MANAGEMENT
FROM: F. JOSEPH MORAVEC, COMMISSIONER SUBJECT: Release of The
   Building Commissioning Guide
Summary. Each Prospectus level project team -whether on new construction,
   major repair and alteration, or modernization -shall use “Total Building
   Commissioning” practices beginning with the project planning phase, and
   concluding at one year after tenant occupancy.




                                       9
           Opportunities in Commissioning
               General Services Administration



Old Scope of Commissioning:
   HVAC Systems and Equipment
   Startup, Testing, and Turnover

Total Building Commissioning
   Defines all project performance goals (Programming)
   Proactively supports project goals during design (QA)
   Validates performance in construction (QC)
   Revisits performance goals after tenant occupancy (POE)




                              10
        Opportunities in Commissioning
             General Services Administration




Where Does Commissioning Come From?

   Nautical: Ships commissioned for Active Service
Architecture: Ancient Roman Architects and their
Arches




                            11
           Opportunities in Commissioning
                General Services Administration


Why Does GSA Commission?
   Design Excellence buildings are complex
   Our tenants include judges, congresspeople, heads of
    federal agencies, and others who we would rather not
    disappoint
   In all buildings, O&M and utility costs are closely linked to
    FFO
   In all buildings, tenant labor costs far exceed rent, O&M,
    and utilities, so productivity is crucial for tenant satisfaction




                                12
Opportunities in Commissioning
   General Services Administration



Our Definitive Policy Document:




                  13
 Opportunities in Commissioning
     General Services Administration


The Building Commissioning Guide




                    14
Opportunities in Commissioning
   General Services Administration



Our Definitive Policy Document:




                  15
Opportunities in Commissioning
   General Services Administration



Our Definitive Policy Document:




                  16
Opportunities in Commissioning
   General Services Administration



Our Definitive Policy Document:




                  17
Opportunities in Commissioning
   General Services Administration



Our Definitive Policy Document:




                  18
Opportunities in Commissioning
   General Services Administration



Our Definitive Policy Document:




                  19
Opportunities in Commissioning
   General Services Administration



Our Definitive Policy Document:




                  20
Opportunities in Commissioning
   General Services Administration



Our Definitive Policy Document:




                  21
Opportunities in Commissioning
   General Services Administration



Our Definitive Policy Document:




                  22
Opportunities in Commissioning
   General Services Administration



Our Definitive Policy Document:




                  23
               Opportunities in Commissioning
                     General Services Administration


What is Recommissioning?
  According to the GSA Building Commissioning Guide, Recommissioning
     shall generally include:
• Establishing that original basis of design and operation is still appropriate
     for use, occupancy, tenant agencies and GSA goals, and modify the
     operations/controls sequencing as appropriate for optimum operations
• Reviewing and benchmarking key systems operations/performance
     against the Basis of Design
• Evaluating envelope tightness/pressurization by infrared or other methods
• Performing energy analysis
• Recommending repairs/modifications to optimize building performance




                                      24
               Opportunities in Commissioning
                     General Services Administration


What is Recommissioning?
  According to the GSA Building Commissioning Guide, Recommissioning
     shall generally include:
• Establishing that original basis of design and operation is still appropriate
     for use, occupancy, tenant agencies and GSA goals, and modify the
     operations/controls sequencing as appropriate for optimum operations
• Reviewing and benchmarking key systems operations/performance
     against the Basis of Design
• Evaluating envelope tightness/pressurization by infrared or other methods
• Performing energy analysis
• Recommending repairs/modifications to optimize building performance




                                      25
             Opportunities in Commissioning
                  General Services Administration



What is the Difference between Total Building
  Commissioning and Recommissioning?
   Total Building Commissioning starts at planning stage and
    continues through design and construction to post-occupancy
   Recommissioning is done while the building is occupied. It
    starts with validation of program, continues through validation of
    building performance and recommendations for systems and
    operations changes, and may end with post-occupancy
    evaluations. Ideally, it should be done every 3-5 years.




                                 26
      Opportunities in Commissioning
          General Services Administration


Why does GSA Recommission?

   Some buildings have never been
    properly commissioned
   Buildings are a moving target
      Space usage changes
      Equipment changes
      Systems change
      Original design intent is usually no
       longer completely valid




                         27
          Opportunities in Commissioning
               General Services Administration



Why does GSA Recommission?
   O & M is imperfect
      Inadequate budgets
      Incomplete or erroneous understanding of
       design intent and how to run the systems
      Training of personnel
      Incomplete documentation on building
      Retrofits, and no single plan of how to run the
       systems as modified
      Systems are too complex for operators




                              28
        Opportunities in Commissioning
            General Services Administration



Why does GSA Recommission?

   Objectives Change
      Expectations of building performance
      Intensity of space usage
      Energy efficiency
      Financial performance
      IEQ




                           29
            Opportunities in Commissioning
                 General Services Administration


Recommissioning of Donohue Federal Building &
Courthouse, Worcester, MA
   Project Background

   105,000 GSF 6 story FB & CH in Worcester CBD
   1932 granite structure is eligible for National Register

   Last renovated 1995

   Decreasing FFO due to increasing energy costs

   ME Group/CxGBS is Recommissioning agent
   Major energy savings potential by better controlling ventilation

   and winter economizer operations
   Tenant issues such as “mystery smell”




                                30
         Opportunities in Commissioning
             General Services Administration



Recommissioning of Courthouse
White Plains, NY
Project Background
150,000 GSF CH on edge of White Plains CBD
Steel and Masonry structure completed 1995

Declining FFO due to utility and O&M costs

Many MEP and Controls projects w/o a single design
intent
Setty and Assts./E-Cubed is Recommissioning Agent

Savings potential in ventilation control

The limits of excellent O&M




                            31
             Opportunities in Commissioning
                General Services Administration




Recommissioning of Courthouse
Laredo, TX
Project Background
153,000 GSF 4 Story Courthouse in Laredo CBD

Steel and Limestone structure completed 2004

Extraordinary Customer Satisfaction in incomparable space

GC fired during construction, latent quality issues?

Chillers going bad after 4 years

Air never balanced right, controls unsatisfactory?

Mold in courtroom – air balance, poor construction?

Savings potential in utilizing controls, reducing ventilation




                               32
             Opportunities in Commissioning
                  General Services Administration



  Recommissioning of Federal Building/Courthouses
                         Youngstown, OH

         Jones FB-CH                           Lambros FB-CH
   52, 000 GSF on 4 Floors                 45,000 GSF on 3 Floors
Brick and metal exterior, built in        Concrete frame & panelized
            2002                             stone, built in 1995
    Utilities up, FFO down                  Utilities up, FFO down
      CxA-Setty/E-Cubed                      CxA-Setty/E-Cubed




                                     33
              Opportunities in Commissioning
                   General Services Administration


What is the status of GSA Commissioning IDIQ contracts?
   Commissioning and Expert Professional Services FedBizOpps
    Announcement on June 30, 2005
   75 firms submitted proposals, 48 responsive, 27 unresponsive
   16 firms short-listed and interviewed
   7 firms selected
        Three small business consultants
        Four unlimited size consultants
   Contracts awarded Sept. 29, 2006 with POP ending Sept. 28, 2011
   One base year with four renewal option years
   Max $3M/YR for Small Business, $6M/YR for Large Business




                                  34
              Opportunities in Commissioning
                     General Services Administration



Who are the current GSA Commissioning IDIQ contractors?

       Everton Oglesby Architects            Small
       M.E. Group                            Small
       Setty & Associates                    Small
       DMJM                                  Unrestricted
       Leo A. Daly                           Unrestricted
       Jacobs Facilities Inc.                Unrestricted
       Carter & Burgess                      Unrestricted




                                    35
              Opportunities in Commissioning
                  General Services Administration



What is the status of GSA Commissioning IDIQ contracts?

   Next FedBizOpps announcement probably in mid 2010

   www.fedbizopps.gov




                                 36
          Opportunities in Commissioning
             General Services Administration



Who do GSA’s Commissioning Agents Work For?
   GSA

   CMa




                            37
               Opportunities in Commissioning
                   General Services Administration



    Where are all these GSA’s Commissioning Projects?
     About 200 active projects throughout the United States
     Cx required for all projects – Early Planning through
      Construction and into post-occupancy




                                  38
           Opportunities in Commissioning
                General Services Administration



What is GSA’s Commissioning Budget?
   Regions
      GSA’s commissioning practice is expected to cost
       approximately 0.5% of the construction budget for
       federal buildings and border stations
      About $12.5 Billion in active construction projects

   Office of the Chief Architect/Capital Construction
    Programs
        $300,000 for pilot ReCx in FY 2007
        Asking $750,000 for ReCx in FY 2008




                               39
           Opportunities in Commissioning
               General Services Administration



New Drivers for GSA Cx and ReCx

   EPACT 2005
      Design buildings to be 30% more efficient than a
       reference ASHRAE Std. 90.1 building, if life cycle
       cost effective
   Executive Order 13423
      Reduce energy consumption for the entire portfolio
       by 3% per year (referenced to 2003) for 10 years
      No excuses
   More stringent legislation in the pipeline!




                              40
        Opportunities in Commissioning
            General Services Administration



                   Resources
•www.gsa.gov/commissioning
•www.wbdg.org/commissioning
•http://pbsportal.pbs.gsa.gov:7777/portal/page?_pagei
d=79,290711&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
•www.gsa.gov/smbusforecast
•www.ccr.gov
•GSA PBS “The Building Commissioning Guide”
available today in paper copy

•Contact me at martin.weiland@gsa.gov




                           41
Opportunities in Commissioning
   General Services Administration




    Questions?




                  42