Index of Terms
Air Barrier
Basis of Design (BOD)
Building Automated Control System (BAS)
Building Commissioning
Building Enclosure
Building Enclosure Commissioning
Building Envelope
Commissioning
Commissioning Agent
Commissioning Authority
Commissioning Team
Drainage Plane
Enclosure Commissioning
Functional Test
Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning
HVAC Commissioning
Issues List
Owners Project Requirements (OPR)
Pre-Functional Test
Retro-Commissioning
Test Adjust and Balance (TAB)
Spray Test

A building enclosure system designed and constructed to separate a building’s interior, conditioned interior air, from exterior, unconditioned exterior air. In building construction, a pre-design document that establishes the performance requirements and compliance standards for the built facility. A distributed control system that, in a typical building application, is used to control and automate interior heating ventilating and air conditioning, lighting, and other major building systems. Sometimes referred to more generally as Commissioning, a quality assurance process of documenting the owner’s requirements for the building and its systems, and verifying that the owner’s requirements have been achieved through review of the design, construction and operation. Sometimes referred to as Commissioning. The building’s systems and components, typically comprising wall, window, door, and roof assemblies, which provide environmental (thermal, moisture, UV, etc.) separation between the interior of the building and the exterior. Sometimes referred to as the Building Envelope. A quality assurance process in building construction of documenting the owner’s  requirements for the building enclosure, and through review of the design, construction and operation, verifying that the owner’s requirements have been achieved. Sometimes referred to Architectural Commissioning or Building Envelope Commissioning. Also known as Building Enclosure. See Building Commissioning. A professional who facilitates and documents third-party verification of building performance as defined by a project’s Commissioning Plan. Sometimes referred to as a Commissioning Authority. The leader of the commissioning team responsible for planning, organizing, and facilitating the commissioning process on behalf of the owner. Often abbreviated as CxA. A regularly updated document documenting the scope of the Commissioning project.  This plan may vary depending on the project scope, but generally includes the Owner’s Project Requirements, Basis of Design, and Commissioning Team.  The plan will ultimately provide verification of the commissioned systems’ construction and performance. The group of required individuals representing the various parties involved in a project’s Commissioning Process.  This team will be defined in a project’s Commissioning Plan, but generally consists of representatives of the building owners, project designers, contractors, and Commissioning Agent. 

Owner
Designers (Architects and Engineers)		Commissioning Authority
General Contractor (Construction Manager)
Sub-Contractors and Specialty Contractors

 

The layer of an building enclosure assembly that does not allow water to pass through. In building enclosure design, the drainage plane of enclosure systems must be continuous, uninterrupted, and integrated with adjacent system's to provide adequate protection from moisture infiltration.  Typical roof systems and some wall assemblies have drainage planes at the exterior face of the wall.  In many applications, the drainage plane and air barrier systems are provided by the same system or material. See Building Enclosure Commissioning. Testing that is witnessed by the Commissioning Team indented to demonstrate the functionality or integrated operation of a building system. Functional Performance Tests are performed after the Pre-Functional Tests. Equipment that works together as a system to provide occupant comfort to commercial buildings. Commonly abbreviated as HVAC, these systems maintain temperature and humidity levels indoors and mechanically provides ventilation to the facility. Mechanical systems that do not provide ventilation, such residential applications, are commonly called Air Conditioning Systems. A quality assurance process in building construction of documenting the owner’s requirements for the mechanical HVAC systems, and verifying that the owner’s requirements have been achieved through review of the design, construction and operation. A document that tracks issues or deficiencies and their resolution and is generally updated throughout the design and construction process. See HVAC Commissioning A document that formalizes the requirements for a project as articulated by the owner. The OPR is typically updated through the design phase.  OPRs range in complexity from very generic to articulating every aspect of the facilities needs.  OPRs typically communicate objectives of the building to the designers and is a mechanism to measure success of the design and construction teams.

ASHRAE’s Guideline 0: The Commissioning Process provides guidance on the creation of useful OPRs.

Observation and documentation of a building system or component that verifies that it is installed according to its design intent and ready for operation. Pre-Functional Tests typically collect operational performance data for energy consuming systems. Functional Performance Tests are performed subsequent to the Pre-Functional Tests. A process of evaluating and ensuring optimal performance of existing building systems.  Retro-commissioning is most typically used on energy consuming systems; however, this practice can also be beneficial when applied to other building systems, including building enclosure systems. 

Retro-Commissioning is often implemented as an energy conservation measure to re-calibrate devices and ensure that systems are operation in an efficient manner. However, Retro-Commissioning often results in an a documented condition assessment of existing of systems, a plan to improve systems over the short term, and a greater understanding of operational and maintenance parameters of the building maintenance staff.

TAB is the process of checking and adjusting mechanical HVAC systems in a building to produce design objectives. This process includes the balancing of airflow devices, process water systems, integrating automatic control with the BAS, and sound and vibration measurement of equipment. TAB contractors generally hold certifications issued by discipline specific professional organizations such as NEBB or AABC. A method of testing building enclosure systems and assemblies by spraying water at a surface.  Various test methods, including industry standards, can be employed, depending on the intent of the test and context within the test is performed.