Owners are spending more and more on building systems than ever before, yet they are not getting the performance they expect.

Evidence exists indicating that fully functional building systems are not usually delivered to building owners.

New technologies are increasing the complexity of building systems.

A study of 60 newly constructed building revealed that:

• 50% suffered from control systems problems

• 40% had HVAC equipment problems

• 15% had missing equipment

• Almost25% had energy management systems, economizers, and/or variable speed drives that did not function correctly.

Commissioning is necessary because of failures in traditional start up methods and increased building complexity. Commissioning is required in order to achieve the intended performance that was set forth by the engineer in the planning and design period. Once the intended performance has been established, it is necessary to train the owner’s operations staff and provide them with the proper documentation to ensure future operational performance.