Commissioner, Heal Thyself

This presentation will describe the experiences of a commissioning company that became a first-time building owner and undertook a major renovation, including gutting and rebuilding the interior and replacing ninety percent of the HVAC system. However, at 30,000 sq. ft. and being a relatively straightforward construction project, it would typically not be one judged to be worth the cost of engaging a certified commissioning authority. Several mistakes were made during the 19-month project that would have been avoided if a formal commissioning process had been instituted during the beginning of the design phase, lessons learned that other small building owners should take into consideration. In addition, this presentation will provide insight regarding the construction process from the owner’s standpoint, which may be of value when marketing services for similar projects that are frequently dismissed as not complex enough to require third-party independent commissioning.