Critical Facilities Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx)

Tony DiLeonardo LEED AP, CxAPresident Wick Fisher White

Tracey Jumper CCPPresident Jump Start Building Commissioning, LLC

AIA Quality Assurance

The Building Commissioning Association is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES). Credit(s) earned on completion of this program will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of the Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.

This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

Learning Objectives

1. Explain the tasks in the planning phase of EBCx and the effort involved to get the amount of detail need for a mission critical facility.

2. Identify the tasks that are important in the investigation phase of EBCx for mission critical facilities

3. Calibrate the discrepancies between existing documentation and interviews of operations personnel.

4. Describe how to writing test procedures avoiding risks and remaining reliable during testing.

Case Study for Mission Critical Facility

The Customer asked

• How do I know my systems are operating to the reliability I expect?• How do I find out?• How do I get my facility systems back on track?• How can I maintain them?

Case Study for Mission Critical Facility

Elevation View of Facility (Pictures Prohibited)

• 130K sq. ft.• 2 Data Centers• Support Space• Admin Space• 2N+1 Electrical• N+1 Mechanical

Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx)

• Presented a proposal to provide the EBCx services

• Reviewed the EBCx process with the customer

• They compared Cx Services with other firm proposals

• Called us back to discuss our approach

• Provide Planning and Investigation

• Initial Phase included activities up to Testing

Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx)

Existing Building Commissioning is… A systematic process for investigating, analyzing, and optimizing the performance of building systems through the identification and implementation of low/no cost and capital intensive Facility Improvement Measures (FIMs) and ensuring their continued performance. The Existing Building Commissioning process assists in making the building systems perform interactively to meet the Current Facility Requirements (CFR) and provides the tools to support the continuous improvement of system performance over time.

• Organizing of building information• Knowledge of system performance • Prepare for staying ahead of issues • Structured process to identify, select,

and improve facility based on owner's priorities

• The Tools for Ongoing Cx

Explained the BCA’s definition:

The Project Commissioning Team Goals• Owner – Wants a reliable facility

• Users (Equipment) – Needs to be kept operational 7 x 24

• Operations Staff – A clear understanding and documentation of

the systems

• Commissioning Provider (CxP) – create a EBCx plan to meet the

current facility requirements.My Agenda

Existing Building Commissioning Process

Investigation Phase

Implementation Phase

Hand-Off Phase

Planning/Initial Assessment

Phase

Source: Building Commissioning Association - Building Commissioning Handbook, 3rd Edition

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EBCx Process

Planning /Initial Assessment

Phase

Define objectivesDefine facility requirements (CFR)Define scope and roles. Engage a CxP.

Initial Assessment PhaseReview building documentationDevelop initial EBCx planAnalyze energy data (PUE)Conduct a kick-off meetingPerform initial walk-throughConduct staff interviewsDocument findingsMeet with Owner to focus work for InvestigationUpdate EBCx Plan and scope

Planning Phase – Our Cx Plan Tasks1. Scoping Meeting (Develop Owner’s project goals)2. Conduct initial Interviews, Initial Walk-through

3. Roles, Responsibilities, Process Overview, Schedule4. Create Current Facility Requirements (CFR)

Retro-Cx Plan – Planning & Assessment Phase

5. Description of Owner’s Project Goals6. Current sequences7. Equipment Inventory

8. Current Building Operations Plan9. Existing documents, As-Built Documentation

Retro-Cx Plan – Planning & Assessment Phase

EBCx Process

Investigation Phase

• Run and analyze trends and monitoring• Conduct further document review• Conduct more staff interviews• Conduct deeper field inspections• Conduct functional testing• Document findings• Estimate savings and implementation costs• Review findings with Owner• Select findings to implement• Update Cx Plan for Functional Performance

Testing and Implementation

Investigation Phase – Our Cx Plan Tasks1. In-depth walk-through; Project goal-focused2. Diagnostics and trending as required to meet Owner’s

project goals

BMS trending of temperature

3. Functional Performance Testing Procedures (FPTP)4. Perform baseline measurements 5. Begin a Master List of Findings6. Perform Facility Improvement Measure (FIM) assessment (Next

Phase)

Retro-Cx Plan – Investigation Phase

7. Plan and develop investigation phase procedures8. Installation Checklists9. Functional Performance Testing (Move into Next Phase)10. Integrated Commissioning procedures11. Finalize the Master List of Findings (may include initial

recommendations for facility

Retro-Cx Plan – Investigation Phase

CFR: Define the Owners Goals and Objectives

• Document existing equipment• Document Current Sequence of Operations• Unknowns need to be documented• Functional Performance Test Procedures• FPTPs need to indicate unknown without risk• Integrated Test Procedures

Based on our Interviews & Discussions

Define Current Facility Requirements (CFR)Building-Wide:• Systems overview narrative• General time of day schedule • Preventative Maintenance schedules• Description of O&M staffing, roles and training

program• Owners performance requirements and goals• Energy and efficiency requirements and goals • Primary issues and concerns in O&M, control,

performance and comfort• Recent history of studies and improvements• Future Work• Sequences and Testing Requirements

Define Current Facility Requirements (CFR)

By Zone or Space:• Identification and location of the room or area • Current occupancy/usage information (space category

and type) • Time of day schedule• Prior usage and any change of use documentation, if

applicable • Current required indoor environment requirements with

acceptable ranges (temperature, air changes, return air, humidity, pressurization, noise, lighting, etc.)

Building Operations Plan

• Design Drawings• Mechanical Schedules• One-line/Flow Diagrams• Fan & Pump Curves• Controls Drawings• Sequences of Operations• TAB Reports

Planning/Initial Assessment Phase - Document Review

Interviews

• Series of meetings with Operations staff and Service Contractors

• Each meeting produced more information • Contradictory information• Caused the need for more verification

Gathering Data On-site Walk Thru

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Air-Cooled Chillers

Water-Cooled Chillers

Cooling Towers

24

Mechanical Systems

Gathering Data On-site Walk Thru

Built up StackedAir Handling Units

CRAH Units

25

Gathering Data

Water Mist Fire Suppression System

26

Gathering Data

Water Mist Fire Suppression System Integration

Generators A Generators BWater mist

27

Gathering BMS Data

BMS Graphics

Equipment and Valves –consistent identification

Logic

Gathering Electrical Equipment Data

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UPS

Switchgear

Calibrate the Discrepancies

• How do you make sense of all the contradictory information?• Analysis of Building Management System Data• Review of Trending Information• Survey, Survey, Survey of Existing Conditions• Written procedures of how to get the accurate information

Other Challenges

• Operations Staff had different opinions of how systems operate• Dampers during an event• AHU redundancy• Utility failure

• Incorrect documentation• Equipment locations changed during construction• Not Documented• Building Systems Control sequences • Nomenclature / Naming of Valves / Consistency• Different Bosses (Operations vs Project Manager)

Master List of Findings (MLOF)

• Chiller will take time to change-over to 2N system (Not Automated)

• Will loads be adequately cooled during that time.

• Provide automation to air-cooled chillers, connect to chilled water storage tanks

• Fire/Smoke Damper Testing completed first• Engineering Analysis of PUE• No Arc-Flash Labels on Main Distribution

Panels• UPS Test needs to be completed before

LVSG

Some issues listed:

Master List of Findings (MLOF)

Master List of Findings (MLOF)

Functional Performance Test Procedures

• FPTP had four main partsa. Prerequisites based on Findings

• Testing and Balancing• Further Engineering Analysis• Current Projects• Arc Flash Study and Labeling

b. Pretest Checks (Installation Checks)c. Sequences of Operation verificationd. Failure Scenarios

• FPTP has Description with Expected Response

Functional Performance Test Procedures

Functional Performance Test Procedures

• Heat Exchanger Mode (Stage 1 - Economizer) • NOTE: Verify that chilled water temperature settings can be adjusted safely before performing this simulation. It is best to perform this test on a mild day when economizer would be engaged, simulate a lower chilled water temperature to disengage HX mode/engage mechanical cooling, and then return the original setpoint and allow time for the chilled water temp to increase past setpoint again to observe that HX mode is engaged automatically.

Functional Performance Test ProceduresSuggestion may include:

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Functional Performance Test ProceduresClean Agent & ASSD Systems

Action Response

Functional Performance Test ProceduresClean Agent & ASSD Systems

Action Response

Functional Performance Test ProceduresAccess Control Functionality

Action Response

Functional Performance Test Procedures

COMMISSIONING OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

Medium Voltage Switch Gear

CB

CB CB

CB

A-SideUtility

B-SideUtility

Transformer Transformer

M-T-M

MVSG

Functional Performance Test Procedures

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• To Test MVSG Interlock• Verify that two CB close at one time• To avoid any issues, we will equalize the voltage or

“bypass the voltage regulator” if interlock controls doesn’t work.

• Safe situation even if it doesn’t work• Use of a Human Machine Interface so no-one gets hurt• Keeps out of Arc-flash Zone

• Make sure Coordination Study is completed before testing, if not, CB could be tripped with potential unknown risk to equipment

• We developed a Process that addressed all the discrepancies.

• Next Phase will consist of Testing of the Equipment and Systems using the FPTPs.

• These FPTPs will lead into MOPs• All Overnight / Early Morning Testing Windows• Review Meetings before Each Test

Critical Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx)Conclusion

Tracey Jumper CCPJump-Start Building Commissioningwww.jumpstartbuildings.com

Tony DiLeonardo LEED AP, CxAWick Fisher Whitewww.wfweng.com