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CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS STAGE:
Prior to the start of the construction documents stage, we will meet with the architects and engineers responsible for the preparing these documents, and discuss the Owners Project Requirements, and assist in developing a Basis Of Design, (BOD). The Basis of Design will describe how the designers plan on meeting the previously established Owners Project Requirements. With your approval, we will adjust the OPR as necessary to meet budgets or other constraints that arise as the design develops. We will perform spot checks of progress documents to be sure that the results will meet the OPR and will meet with the design team as needed to discuss their designs and these goals. We will also review the plans and specifications for unnecessary or excessive requirements that will cost you money but will not improve the quality of the project.
Before the bid documents are released to the contractors for bidding, we will tailor specifications for inclusion in the bid documents detailing the requirements for the installing contractors regarding the work they are to perform as part of proper building commissioning. This will assure that the contractors know that they will be required to assist in commissioning the building upon completion of construction, and that they won't be allowed to just install the work and go home as frequently happens on projects without a formal commissioning specification.
CONSTRUCTION STAGE:
Once construction begins, we will visit the job site often, for the sole purpose of verifying that the various building systems that effect building operations and efficiency are being installed as designed. We will look not only at the installation of the mechanical systems, but will look at the total building construction, with an eye out for shortcomings in workmanship or installation details that may compromise the building envelope and defeat the promise of energy efficiency that is included in the design.
COMMISSIONING STAGE:
As the construction work is nearing completion, we will work with the various contractors on site to commission the systems, physically verifying that every sensor and control sequence is operating correctly, and that every piece of equipment has been checked out per the manufacturer's installation instructions and is fully functional and working as intended by the Basis of Design. Only by fully and completely commissioning a building can it operate in a manner that meets the goals for efficiency and comfort that were established at the outset of the project.
PROJECT COMPLETION:
Before finishing, we will put together complete owner's manuals that fully explain how all of the various building components are supposed to operate as a system. We will include construction documents that have been corrected to show the "as built" conditions, and not just the "as designed" condition shown by the building's designers. You will not just receive a 3-ring binder with individual owner's manuals on the boilers, pumps and other system components, but a fully detailed building manual that describes how the building systems are supposed to function and the recommended operating parameters that will assure the best performance. As every building owner knows, it can be extremely frustrating to try to understand how a building HVAC system, temperature control system or fire alarm system is supposed to work when there is no documentation available to learn from. We can provide both written and electronic documentation that will assure that future employees understand the building's design and that they continue to operate it in the proper manner.
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