TABLE OF CONTENTS Commissioning is the process by which the facility owner and design team ensure that an HVAC system performs according to its design intent. The term "commissioning" is sometimes used in reference to the start-up and performance-testing phases of a project. However, a comprehensive commissioning process spans the entire project, from concept development in the program phase through operation of the system after it is accepted.
This comprehensive approach to commissioning is described in ASHRAE Guideline 1-1996, The HVAC Commissioning Process (ASHRAE 1996) which provides additional detail on specific requirements for each step of the procedure and on the roles and responsibilities of the parties to the process.
Any HVAC system will benefit from some level of commissioning. For complex systems, a thorough commissioning process is essential to ensure that all subsystems and components function together in the manner intended by the design.
Commissioning is particularly important for cold-air distribution systems, which differ in many ways from conventional designs. Most designers, contractors, and operators are not familiar with the particular design parameters, installation requirements, control sequences, and operating requirements of cold-air distribution systems. Without this knowledge, these project team members are less likely to detect errors and potential problems throughout the design and installation process, to the detriment of the efficiency and effectiveness of system operation. The commissioning process provides a systematic method for the project team to avoid these problems.
The commissioning process, as described in the ASHRAE commissioning guideline, consists of the following phases:
Program
Design
