The work of a commissioning authority doesn’t get over until building turnover is successfully achieved. Here are some key practices and deliverables that help make sure that the turnover process remains in line with the expectations of the owner.

1. Construction Commissioning
Best Practices during
Turnover

2. Introduction
The work of a commissioning authority doesn’t get over until
building turnover is successfully achieved. Here are some key
practices and deliverables that help make sure that the turnover
process remains in line with the expectations of the owner.

3. The Turnover Phase
With respect to construction, the turnover phase involves the organised
transition of a building’s operational activities to the operation and
maintenance (O&M) team from the commissioning team. The transition is
completely physical – denoting the completion of commissioning-specific
activities – and it usually entails knowledge transfer as documentation. This
transition is said to be successful when commissioning documentation is fully
organised and complete, and most importantly, the building’s systems
continue to operate as per the O&M team and design personnel are trained to
operate them.

4. Updated As-Built Documentation
Design documents often guide construction projects that not only explain, but
also detail the myriad working components that require being integrated to
ensure a successful turnover. During the construction phase, design
documents are revised as per the site’s conditions and/or unforeseeable
problems. In the field, construction drawings are “red-lined” by contractors,
who install equipment, providing details specific to the installation of
equipment, physical location of the equipment and other relevant updates.

5. The commissioning management company should be aware of any changes since
they might impact the equipment commissioned – and it may receive or request
updated documents from the project team.
Note that the commissioning manager doesn’t have the responsibility of updating
any design documents, but he/she is required to ensure that “red-lined” updates
are shown in as-built drawings from the owner – particularly, controls and
mechanical as-builts.

6. Well Structured Commissioning
Documentation
Similar to design documents, commissioning-specific documentation should
highlight the real-world situation of the systems commissioned. At the least,
the final report of commissioning should have the Commissioning Plan,
Commissioning Performance Verification Criteria, a letter of acceptance, Pre-
Functional (PFC) notes, the Commissioning Issues Log and FPT notes – along
with supporting documents like testing-specific balancing and adjusting
report, visit reports, etc.

7. The FPT and PFC documents are crucial details that might help the existing
and future building operations team for the creation of a systems manual (if
not given at the time of turnover) and also for re-commissioning, three to five
years post turnover.

8. Provide a Systems Manual
The systems manual may not be needed as a component of turnover; as long
as the project is not following LEED Enhanced. Having said that, it is another
kind of resource, which can guarantee the success of turnover. Commissioning
documentation and as-builts can have overlapping resources and information,
but this manual can act as an exhaustive guide that ideally describes control
sequences, commissioned systems and the best practices for equipment
maintenance.

9. Moreover, a systems manual should also include riser diagrams,
control drawings and highlights of control sequences. All in all, a
systems manual is an important tool, which O&M personnel can make
use of in order to identify and troubleshoot issues as well as operate,
maintain and monitor building performance.

10. Create a Re-Commissioning Plan
Any plan to maintain operational performance gets overlooked (except when the
building construction project follows LEED Enhanced Commissioning) during the
phase of turnover. Similar to the documents mentioned above, a comprehensive
plan is critical to maintaining optimal operational performance and to getting re-
commissioning done every 3 to 5 years. The plan should ideally enable the O&M
team to instantly understand the re-commissioning process, re-commissioning
goals, and the desired results of re-commissioning. Ideally, your re-commissioning
plan should include the following:

12. • An overview of the ongoing commissioning process
• The commissioning team’s roles and responsibilities
• Schedule for re-commissioning
• A systems’ list
• Detailed instructions for replicating FPT notes used by the commissioning team
during acceptance.
• Re-commissioning documentation to monitor outcomes
• Instructions and recommendations to set and track benchmarks for facility
performance

13. To take re-commissioning a step ahead, the O&M team can leverage the Building
Automation System (BAS) by creating a bespoke building performance
monitoring system to keep the building owner informed of building expenses in a
better way. The BAS can also be used to track and adjust the metrics below:

14. • Energy use, which you can benchmark further as Energy Use Intensity
• Quality parameters for indoor air
• Key system parameters, including humidity, temperature and static pressure set
points
• Automated problem diagnosis

15. Takeaway
• The final phase of a successful project is a “lessons learned” meeting with the
owner, O&M tem and some members of the project team. Lessons learned can
help enhance the building owner’s understanding of commissioning value, along
with what worked (and what didn’t). As a professional, no one can ever grow
without assessing their previous performance.
• The best commissioning practices discussed above can aid in ensuring that the
O&M team as well as the owner has complete understanding of all building
systems and understanding of the lessons learned during the commissioning
phase, and that they have the key documents to maintain and operate the
building optimally.

16. Contact Us
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Whitstable | Kent
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