A PUBLICATION FOR PUBLIC POST-SECONDARY …€¦ · · 2012-04-27the safety precautions to follow, ... blasting media, such as baking soda, is used to remove graffiti. While pressure

M A Y 2 0 1 1 V O L U M E 7 4

Public facilities and institutional buildings are unfortunately often a favourite target and therefore, have been waging an ongoing battle to keep their buildings free of “street art.”

Graffiti is best dealt with through a multi-pronged approach of (a) planning, (b) design strategy & priority setting, and (c) developing tactics for removal.

A PUBLICATION FOR PUBLIC POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION FACILITIES MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL OF B.C.

Continued on page 2

Graffiti has been around since the dawn of time and for almost as long, someone in authority has been trying to stop it, cover it, change it, legislate it and remove it.

Waging the Ongoing Waging the Ongoing

Across British Columbia Across British Columbia Graffiti War Graffiti War

PLANNING

IDENTIFICATION OF SURFACE TYPE AND SUBSTANCE

REMOVAL

Plan for easy graffiti repair by choosing surfaces that can be repainted or are easy to clean, such as tiles or polished masonry. Dark colours are less attractive to graffiti vandals. Keep any surplus paint when decorating in case you want to paint over graffiti in the future. Anti-graffiti coatings can also help to prevent absorption, making graffiti easier to remove. Apply coatings to a minimum height of three meters.

Most graffiti occurs on exposed walls and fences. Restrict the available surface and create a barrier by planting vegetation against solid surfaces to make them less attractive canvases, using landscaping instead of fencing, limit the amount of solid surface by using mesh, grilles or lattice and using highly-textured or uneven materials.

Installation of vandal-resistant sensor lights may help to reduce graffiti. Make sure they are out of reach.

Consider asking a community group or professional artist to apply a mural to your premises. Public art can beautify an area and help prevent graffiti.

Work with your local police and neighbours to make your community safer. Some cities have established removal and restoration guidelines to maintain the structural integrity of the city's architecture, especially for buildings or other structures that are old or made of material that requires special care. Be familiar with any local guidelines.

Brick, stone, concrete, aluminum siding, utility boxes and poles, street signs, bus shelters, pavement, wood, and glass are just some of the materials that can be defaced with graffiti. These surfaces can be smooth or textured. Some are painted while others are unprotected.

While most graffiti is applied with spray paint, graffiti vandals also use markers, adhesives (stickers), shoe polish, lipstick, stencils, and etching products. The length of time graffiti has been on a surface usually impacts how easily it can be removed--the longer, the more difficult.

Many graffiti removal and restoration efforts can leave surfaces looking as bad, or worse, than

PLANNING









REMOVAL


before the work began. To ensure successful removal and protect surfaces from further graffiti, it is necessary to identify the surface type and substance to be removed followed by selecting the appropriate removal method. Lastly and maybe most importantly, apply a protective coating. This last step is often overlooked at a critical component to your graffiti program as an unnecessary expense but the future time and financial savings are significant.

Most anti-graffiti removers are specialty industrial products and are not available at local home improvement, hardware, or paint stores.

Paint is used to cover over graffiti painted surfaces and sometimes bare concrete. It is fairly low cost and paint is a relatively safe product compared to removing graffiti with some chemical solvents.

Avoid the patchwork effect by painting new random square blocks. This provides graffiti writers with a new, bright canvas. Poor paint selection may also lead to bleed-through of graffiti due to poor durability. When painting over graffiti, color match the paint to the original surface color. If this cannot be done, repaint the entire surface. If limited by time and/or paint, paint the entire surface from ground level up to a certain height (about 3 meters).

Choose "breathable" paint, such as acrylic latex (paint manufactured so that moisture can pass through the product) when painting over surfaces like wood, concrete and concrete block. Multiple paint coats can prevent surface pores from breathing, causing structural and maintenance

SELECTING A REMOVAL METHOD

1. PAINT OUT



1. PAINT OUT





problems. Painting over a surface that already has several coats of paint may require using a pressure washer or scraping and sanding to properly prepare it for a new coat of paint. Consider applying anti-graffiti protective coatings so that pressure washing becomes a viable alternative.

Chemical removers are falling out of favour due to worker safety and environmental concerns. These are being widely replaced by non-toxic, non-VOC (volatile organic compounds) graffiti removers. These environmentally friendly products typically cost more than chemicals and while quite effective, they often take longer to work. Chemical removers can still be considered in small, localized areas where a particularly difficult graffiti problem exists.

Chemical removers vary, but typically the stronger the solvent, the faster it will dissolve or remove. A solvent or cleaner that is poorly matched to a particular construction material may create aesthetically unappealing results.

There are five basic types of solvent graffiti removers, available as gels, creams, and liquids. These solvents contain:

chlorinated hydrocarbonsmonoglycol ethers and glycol acetatesdiglycol etherspolar solventsmiscellaneous solvents

Obtain a material safety data sheet (MSDS) from the distributor of any hazardous chemical. The MSDS will show chemical make-up and any health and safety risks associated with use. Carefully consider who will be using the product, the safety precautions to follow, and any training or specialized equipment required for the product user. Chemical removers have the potential to pose dangerous safety risks for workers. VOC (volatile organic compound) refers to the level of fumes emitted into the air. VOCs should be kept as low as possible and proper clean-up and disposal is critical.

Pressure washing equipment uses water or water in combination with a cleaner or solvent to remove graffiti from a surface. Sometimes a blasting media, such as baking soda, is used to remove graffiti. While pressure washing is effective, it can wear down the surface being treated.

2. CHEMICAL REMOVERS

•••••

3. PRESSURE WASHING






• chlorinated hydrocarbons• monoglycol ethers and glycol acetates• diglycol ethers• polar solvents• miscellaneous solvents


3. PRESSURE WASHING


a publication for public post-secondary education facilities management personnel of b.c. a publication for public post-secondary education facilities management personnel of b.c.2 3

May 2011 - volume seventy four

Continued from page 1

Continued on page 3



Pressure washing a surface to remove graffiti can be accomplished with four types of equipment:

High Pressure Cold Water WashersHigh Pressure Hot Water WashersLow Pressure Steam WashersHigh Pressure “Sand” Blasting

Pressure washing with cold water is the most economical graffiti removal method and is quite effective on textured surfaces and with recent graffiti. Often, spot cleaning followed again by washing can remove much of the graffiti. Hot water equipment is much more expensive to buy and operate but the speed and results are superior to cold water washing. Steam units are highly effective, especially with spot cleaning and have the added bonus in removing chewing gum from floors and walkways. Steam units with vacuum auxiliary are an excellent choice for indoor applications as they use very small amounts of water and the vacuum unit retrieves almost all water and graffiti residues. However, steam units are considerably more expensive than pressure washers and this is reflected in higher contractor rates.

During the past decade, alternatives to conventional sandblasting have evolved that are effective and environmentally friendly.

Walnut shells offered one of the first viable options to silica sand. The shells are softer than sand and less abrasive to walls and structures. Costs are higher than for sand and removal rates are somewhat slower.

Baking soda crystals are softer than both sand and walnut shells. Upon impact, the baking soda crystal shatters to a dust. Using water with the blasting equipment, the soda crystal dust is dissolved and rinsed into the drainage system as a non-toxic residue. This type of blast method, is not designed for repeated use as some surface damage is done after each blast. Consider an anti-graffiti protective coating as soon as possible to eliminate blasting damage.

Dry ice pellets are discharged via an air delivery system, disintegrating on impact. Both the graffiti

••••

Blasting Media

Ground walnut shells

Baking soda crystals

Dry ice


• High Pressure Cold Water Washers• High Pressure Hot Water Washers• Low Pressure Steam Washers• High Pressure “Sand” Blasting


Blasting Media






Dry ice


residue and the dry ice are shattered, with the dry ice returning to the atmosphere. Dry ice is available in different size pellets. The size of the pellet containers and the need for specialized blasting equipment limit this method to cleaning large areas of graffiti. The cost for using the dry ice pellet method is much higher than traditional blasting. Costs may not be the primary consideration when removing graffiti from a historic building.

Ground rubber, carbon flint, corn cobs, etc. are also used for blasting purposes but knowing the substrate and the equipment/ costs are key to making an informed choice for graffiti removal.

Protective coatings are either sacrificial or non-sacrificial and permanent. Sacrificial coatings are protective, but come off when graffiti is removed and must be reapplied. Non-sacrificial anti-graffiti coatings are unaffected by the graffiti removal process.

Available in clear or pigmented form, clear coatings maintain the natural appearance of the substrate while pigmented coatings perform the dual function of covering existing graffiti and providing a surface from which graffiti may readily

Other media

PROTECTIVE COATINGS


Other media


PROTECTIVE COATINGS



be removed. While these coatings can be brushed or rolled on, spraying is usually encouraged, especially for larger areas.

A sacrificial coating is a removable, protective film that acts as a barrier to defacement materials. It is often referred to as a catcher-coat, as it catches would-be defacement inks, dyes, and resins and prevents surface penetration. These coatings can be solvent-based or water-based. They often eliminate the need for a solvent or chemical graffiti remover in subsequent graffiti clean-ups.

Graffiti removal from a sacrificial coating involves removing the graffiti and the coating underneath it. Therefore, these coatings must be re-applied after each graffiti clean-up.

Non-sacrificial coatings are basically chemical resistant paints. They allow solvent blends to dissolve defacement paints, inks, and dyes, while leaving the non-sacrificial paint or coating unaffected by the cleaning or removal process. Most of these hard, impervious anti-graffiti coatings are polyurethane resin systems and some have been enhanced with silicone, polyethylene or Teflon. The graffiti is unable to adhere to these additives so that the graffiti can be easily removed.

An Anti-Graffiti Program requires planning and documentation. Documentation as to where and when your facility has been defaced. Photos and timelines can assist local police with their efforts in the apprehension of the perpetrators. Knowing the key areas of your facility that have been or likely to be targeted can drive decisions as to what anti-graffiti options such as lighting, shrubbery, etc. are appropriate.

Knowing the substrate and what kind of defacement materials was used is key to effective removal. A consistent, fast response to graffiti is the best method for deterrence. A competent, professional contractor can assist you in all these areas.

Sacrificial

Non-Sacrificial

Summary

Source: Lorne Chomos, President, Vandelay Contracting Ltd. (604-773-9092; email [email protected]). Vandelay is an “approved contractor” to the BC Government that specializes in concrete/masonry solutions.


Sacrificial



Non-Sacrificial


Summary




a publication for public post-secondary education facilities management personnel of b.c.a publication for public post-secondary education facilities management personnel of b.c. a publication for public post-secondary education facilities management personnel of b.c.a publication for public post-secondary education facilities management personnel of b.c.

PLANNING


REMOVAL









PLANNING









REMOVAL








1. PAINT OUT



1. PAINT OUT









chlorinated hydrocarbonsmonoglycol ethers and glycol acetatesdiglycol etherspolar solventsmiscellaneous solvents




•••••

3. PRESSURE WASHING






• chlorinated hydrocarbons• monoglycol ethers and glycol acetates• diglycol ethers• polar solvents• miscellaneous solvents


3. PRESSURE WASHING





Continued on page 3




High Pressure Cold Water WashersHigh Pressure Hot Water WashersLow Pressure Steam WashersHigh Pressure “Sand” Blasting






••••

Blasting Media



Dry ice


• High Pressure Cold Water Washers• High Pressure Hot Water Washers• Low Pressure Steam Washers• High Pressure “Sand” Blasting


Blasting Media






Dry ice






Other media

PROTECTIVE COATINGS


Other media


PROTECTIVE COATINGS









Sacrificial

Non-Sacrificial

Summary



Sacrificial



Non-Sacrificial


Summary





As the world strives to reduce energy consumption and Greenhouse gas emissions in building mechanical systems, alternative energy systems like geo-exchange and municipal wastewater heat recovery are gaining attention.

These systems extract heat by cooling. Cooling is simply the removal of heat. Geo-exchange and wastewater heat recovery both use heat pumps to get the job done. The process is similar to your refrigerator, which cools food by removing heat and then expelling it out of the back of the fridge.

Heating and cooling systems for buildings have been designed independently of each other and optimized to maximize efficiency at peak loads. Until now, engineers reduced the capacity of heating equipment by installing ventilation recovery (VR) units that recover heat from exhaust. We also ‘free cool’ any load that occurs when it’s cold outside, and finally we look for opportunities for heat reclaim within the building.

But it turns out there are very few such opportunities. Why? Because we don’t run the cooling system when it’s cold outside, therefore there’s nothing operating from which to take heat. We assume we’ve optimized the energy from exhaust because we have an efficient VR unit. But in reality, because VR is efficient only during peak heating, most of the time thermal energy is being . . . well . . . exhausted.

There’s a different and more effective way to approach these issues. If we simply treat the building as a thermal resource, a typical

commercial building can provide about 75% of its heating needs by reclaiming its own inherent thermal energy—by cooling itself. We need to stop free-cooling and using ventilation recovery units, which don’t take full advantage of a building’s own thermal energy during heating.

Thermenex is a system that optimizes thermal energy exchange for buildings. Rather than looking for heat reclaim as an afterthought to building design, heat reclaim becomes the driving concept for design. Anytime something needs heat, it gets it by cooling—just like that heat emerging from the back of your refrigerator. Anytime something needs cooling, it provides heat. With Thermenex, the building heats and cools itself by moving the heat from where you don’t want it to where you need it.

Not only does Thermenex maximize the quantity of heat reclaim, it also maximizes efficiency . . . think about refrigeration again. Your refrigerator is more efficient than your freezer. That is because it’s easier to take heat from something that’s warmer. Your refrigerator is also more efficient if it’s in a cold room, because a cold room can more easily accommodate the heat. This concept is extremely important! The temperature difference determines the efficiency of the process: therefore, the warmer the thing you cool and the cooler the thing you warm, the more efficient the entire process will be.

With that in mind, let’s focus on the heating demands of a building.

We only heat three things: Domestic Hot Water (DHW), building envelope losses, and ventilation


of outside air (OSA). These can all be heated with different grades of heat. DHW requires the highest grade of heat, but it can be preheated with low-grade heat. Envelope losses typically require a medium grade of heat at peak winter months but can often be satisfied during off peak with a low-grade heat. Tempering OSA can be satisfied with the lowest grade of heat.

This is where Thermenex shines: we only make heat at the grade required, based on building demand. Since we do not make water any hotter than required to satisfy the load, we minimize the input energy. This makes Thermenex about twice as efficient as geo-exchange. Plus any time you need cooling, the heating is free. BTW, if you think about it, your building outfitted with Thermenex also becomes a solar collector.

Now here’s the best part: Thermenex, when considered during design development, is typically less expensive than any other sustainable building design and, using the system will improve the efficiency of ANY building. No matter how ‘green’ your current concept is, Thermenex will make it greener. It will even improve large ‘passive’ buildings. Unless you are designing a tent or an igloo, Thermenex increases the sustainability of the building.

While this article provides an overview of Thermenex, Facilities Managers may wish to avail themselves of more detailed information, which can be obtained by contacting IMEC Mechanical at [email protected] or [email protected]

Campus Buildings as Thermal Resources . . . A Unique Approach to Energy Management


May 2011 - volume seventy four May 2011 - volume seventy four

The LEED Commissioning Process for Buildings in BCLEED was introduced to us several years ago and has been gaining momentum ever since. Currently, there are several hundred certified or registered projects in Canada alone. LEED has been the primary driver in motivating engineers and architects to build better, greener and more efficient buildings, resulting in some truly unique and inspiring designs. The Vancouver Trade & Convention Centre, the Olympic Athletes Village and several buildings at Langara College are to name a few.

But what is the down side of this desire to push ahead and build that state of the art monument to sustainability? In my experience, it has been the advanced level of complexity, particularly in the mechanical systems. Reliable and easy to control constant volume re-heat systems are a thing of the past and have no place in our energy efficient world. Geo-exchange systems, heat recovery heatpumps and radiant slab cooling and heating systems are becoming more and more commonplace.

How does commissioning fit into our green world and more specifically, what is LEED Commissioning? ASHRAE (from ASHRAE Guideline 0, The Commissioning Process) defines commissioning as:

"A quality-oriented process for achieving, verifying, and documenting that the performance of facilities,

systems, and assemblies meets defined objectives and criteria".

From the California Commissioning Collaborative, commissioning is defined as:

“When a building is initially commissioned it undergoes an intensive quality assurance process that begins during design and continues through construction, occupancy, and operations. Commissioning ensures that the new building operates initially as the owner intended and that building staff are prepared to operate and maintain its systems and equipment.”

For buildings registered under both the United States Green Building Council and the Canadian Green Building Council LEED certification programs the following systems, at minimum, must be commissioned:

• HVAC&R systems and associated controlsLighting controls

• Domestic hot water systems• Renewable energy systems (e.g. wind, solar)

The USGBC and the CAGBC both have minimum commissioning requirements for any building applying for LEED certification. Fulfilling these fundamental commissioning requirements does not reward the building with any LEED points but is what is referred to as a Prerequisite. If this

•

District Thermenex

Continued on page 6

Jeff Weston, a Mechanical Engineer with a passion for building, invented the revolutionary Thermenex system. By studying physics and engineering, Jeff has acquired a strong scientific background and in 1995, he partnered with Ian Hall to create IMEC Mechanical, a mechanical contracting firm. They built their reputation by making improvements on traditional HVAC design and methodology, tackling a wide range of technically challenging projects. They have installed Thermenex in three buildings to date.

Source: Jeff Weston, P.Eng., email: [email protected]

“Fundamental Commissioning” is not performed, the building will not be awarded any points, regardless of any green strategies that are being employed in the design. Currently, in order to meet the requirements of fundamental commissioning, the following steps must be completed

• Engage a commissioning authority that does not include individuals directly responsible for project design or construction management.

• Review the design intent and basis of design documentation.

• Incorporate commissioning requirements into the construction documents.

• Develop and utilize a commissioning plan.• Verify installation, functional performance,

training and operation and maintenance documentation.

• Complete a commissioning report

Coquitlam's Poirier Sport and Leisure CentreLangara College, First Thermenex Installation, Zero GHGContinued on page 5


As the world strives to reduce energy consumption and Greenhouse gas emissions in building mechanical systems, alternative energy systems like geo-exchange and municipal wastewater heat recovery are gaining attention.

These systems extract heat by cooling. Cooling is simply the removal of heat. Geo-exchange and wastewater heat recovery both use heat pumps to get the job done. The process is similar to your refrigerator, which cools food by removing heat and then expelling it out of the back of the fridge.

Heating and cooling systems for buildings have been designed independently of each other and optimized to maximize efficiency at peak loads. Until now, engineers reduced the capacity of heating equipment by installing ventilation recovery (VR) units that recover heat from exhaust. We also ‘free cool’ any load that occurs when it’s cold outside, and finally we look for opportunities for heat reclaim within the building.

But it turns out there are very few such opportunities. Why? Because we don’t run the cooling system when it’s cold outside, therefore there’s nothing operating from which to take heat. We assume we’ve optimized the energy from exhaust because we have an efficient VR unit. But in reality, because VR is efficient only during peak heating, most of the time thermal energy is being . . . well . . . exhausted.

There’s a different and more effective way to approach these issues. If we simply treat the building as a thermal resource, a typical

commercial building can provide about 75% of its heating needs by reclaiming its own inherent thermal energy—by cooling itself. We need to stop free-cooling and using ventilation recovery units, which don’t take full advantage of a building’s own thermal energy during heating.

Thermenex is a system that optimizes thermal energy exchange for buildings. Rather than looking for heat reclaim as an afterthought to building design, heat reclaim becomes the driving concept for design. Anytime something needs heat, it gets it by cooling—just like that heat emerging from the back of your refrigerator. Anytime something needs cooling, it provides heat. With Thermenex, the building heats and cools itself by moving the heat from where you don’t want it to where you need it.

Not only does Thermenex maximize the quantity of heat reclaim, it also maximizes efficiency . . . think about refrigeration again. Your refrigerator is more efficient than your freezer. That is because it’s easier to take heat from something that’s warmer. Your refrigerator is also more efficient if it’s in a cold room, because a cold room can more easily accommodate the heat. This concept is extremely important! The temperature difference determines the efficiency of the process: therefore, the warmer the thing you cool and the cooler the thing you warm, the more efficient the entire process will be.

With that in mind, let’s focus on the heating demands of a building.

We only heat three things: Domestic Hot Water (DHW), building envelope losses, and ventilation


of outside air (OSA). These can all be heated with different grades of heat. DHW requires the highest grade of heat, but it can be preheated with low-grade heat. Envelope losses typically require a medium grade of heat at peak winter months but can often be satisfied during off peak with a low-grade heat. Tempering OSA can be satisfied with the lowest grade of heat.

This is where Thermenex shines: we only make heat at the grade required, based on building demand. Since we do not make water any hotter than required to satisfy the load, we minimize the input energy. This makes Thermenex about twice as efficient as geo-exchange. Plus any time you need cooling, the heating is free. BTW, if you think about it, your building outfitted with Thermenex also becomes a solar collector.

Now here’s the best part: Thermenex, when considered during design development, is typically less expensive than any other sustainable building design and, using the system will improve the efficiency of ANY building. No matter how ‘green’ your current concept is, Thermenex will make it greener. It will even improve large ‘passive’ buildings. Unless you are designing a tent or an igloo, Thermenex increases the sustainability of the building.

While this article provides an overview of Thermenex, Facilities Managers may wish to avail themselves of more detailed information, which can be obtained by contacting IMEC Mechanical at [email protected] or [email protected]

Campus Buildings as Thermal Resources . . . A Unique Approach to Energy Management



The LEED Commissioning Process for Buildings in BCLEED was introduced to us several years ago and has been gaining momentum ever since. Currently, there are several hundred certified or registered projects in Canada alone. LEED has been the primary driver in motivating engineers and architects to build better, greener and more efficient buildings, resulting in some truly unique and inspiring designs. The Vancouver Trade & Convention Centre, the Olympic Athletes Village and several buildings at Langara College are to name a few.

But what is the down side of this desire to push ahead and build that state of the art monument to sustainability? In my experience, it has been the advanced level of complexity, particularly in the mechanical systems. Reliable and easy to control constant volume re-heat systems are a thing of the past and have no place in our energy efficient world. Geo-exchange systems, heat recovery heatpumps and radiant slab cooling and heating systems are becoming more and more commonplace.

How does commissioning fit into our green world and more specifically, what is LEED Commissioning? ASHRAE (from ASHRAE Guideline 0, The Commissioning Process) defines commissioning as:

"A quality-oriented process for achieving, verifying, and documenting that the performance of facilities,

systems, and assemblies meets defined objectives and criteria".

From the California Commissioning Collaborative, commissioning is defined as:

“When a building is initially commissioned it undergoes an intensive quality assurance process that begins during design and continues through construction, occupancy, and operations. Commissioning ensures that the new building operates initially as the owner intended and that building staff are prepared to operate and maintain its systems and equipment.”

For buildings registered under both the United States Green Building Council and the Canadian Green Building Council LEED certification programs the following systems, at minimum, must be commissioned:

• HVAC&R systems and associated controlsLighting controls

• Domestic hot water systems• Renewable energy systems (e.g. wind, solar)

The USGBC and the CAGBC both have minimum commissioning requirements for any building applying for LEED certification. Fulfilling these fundamental commissioning requirements does not reward the building with any LEED points but is what is referred to as a Prerequisite. If this

•

District Thermenex

Continued on page 6

Jeff Weston, a Mechanical Engineer with a passion for building, invented the revolutionary Thermenex system. By studying physics and engineering, Jeff has acquired a strong scientific background and in 1995, he partnered with Ian Hall to create IMEC Mechanical, a mechanical contracting firm. They built their reputation by making improvements on traditional HVAC design and methodology, tackling a wide range of technically challenging projects. They have installed Thermenex in three buildings to date.

Source: Jeff Weston, P.Eng., email: [email protected]

“Fundamental Commissioning” is not performed, the building will not be awarded any points, regardless of any green strategies that are being employed in the design. Currently, in order to meet the requirements of fundamental commissioning, the following steps must be completed

• Engage a commissioning authority that does not include individuals directly responsible for project design or construction management.

• Review the design intent and basis of design documentation.

• Incorporate commissioning requirements into the construction documents.

• Develop and utilize a commissioning plan.• Verify installation, functional performance,

training and operation and maintenance documentation.

• Complete a commissioning report

Coquitlam's Poirier Sport and Leisure CentreLangara College, First Thermenex Installation, Zero GHGContinued on page 5




Facilities Administrators’ Conference ScheduleFacilities Administrators’ Conference Schedule

In order to meet these fundamental commissioning requirements, the owner should hire or appoint a Commissioning Authority as early in the project as possible. LEED does allow for the Commissioning Authority to be a qualified employee of the Owner’s project team or an employee of any of the consultant firms working on the project, provided they are not involved with the design of the project. KD Engineering strongly encourages Owners to hire an “Independent” Commissioning Authority from a company that specializes in building commissioning. It should be noted that the Commissioning Authority assembles and leads the commissioning team, writes the LEED Commissioning Plan and ultimately verifies the commissioning process, reporting directly to the owner. The commissioning process and results are documented in a commissioning report, left with the Owner at the end of the project.

Under the latest LEED rating systems (both CAGBC & CAGBC), LEED points (2) can be achieved by hiring a Commissioning Authority to complete the “Enhanced Commissioning” credit requirements. These requirements include the following:

• Perform fundamental building commissioning tasks

• Conduct a review of the design prior to the construction documents phase

• Conduct a review of the construction documents near completion of the construction document development and prior to issuing the contract documents for construction

• Review the contractor submittals relative to systems being commissioned

• Provide the owner with a single manual that contains the information required for re-commissioning building systems

• Have a contract in place to review building operation with O&M staff including a plan for how occupants may report IAQ concerns, the subsequent investigation process and how they will be reported back to the occupant, and a plan for resolution of outstanding commissioning-related issues within one year after construction completion date

Pursuing the “Enhanced” Commissioning Credit has many benefits. By having the opportunity to review the design prior to the construction documents phase of the project, the Commissioning Authority will have a good understanding of the Owner’s Project Requirements and will be able to ensure that the design team understands the commissioning process from the start. By reviewing the pre-tender design documents, the Commissioning Authority will be able to advise the design team on the preparation of the commissioning specifications and ensure that the Owner’s Project Requirement’s are being addressed

in the design. Reviewing of the contractor submittals often turns up errors that if discovered during equipment check-out phase of the process, would be too late to address.

The Commissioning Authority also oversees the creation of a Building Management or Re-commissioning Manual that provides the owner with any additional information not already included in the Operating and Maintenance manuals. This extra manual contains information required to maintain the building in a commissioned state or possibly, re-commission the building sometime in the future. The near-warranty end review by the Commissioning Authority ensures the involvement of the commissioning team right up to the end of the first year of building occupancy ensuring that any problems that come up after the building has been commissioned, are addressed by the commissioning team.

The commissioning team on LEED project is generally made up of the following:

• LEED Commissioning Authority• Owner & Owner’s Maintenance Staff• Design Consultants• General Contractor• Mechanical Contractor• Electrical Contractor• Controls Contractor• T.A.B. Agency• Tendered Commissioning Agents (Mechanical &

Electrical)

It is important that this team refer to the LEED Commissioning Plan throughout the design and construction phases of the project and perform their duties as described in the plan. Commissioning is a team process and all team members must be committed to the process in order for it to be successful.

The LEED commissioning process does not and should not ever replace the Mechanical Contractor’s or the Electrical Contractor’s commissioning



Some may say that it is redundant and possibly cost prohibitive to have a Commissioning Authority as well as Independent Commissioning Agents hired for a project. That will not be the case. For instance, a Mechanical Contractor that does not employ a Mechanical Commissioning Agent on a LEED project will ultimately spend more time satisfying the demands of the LEED Commissioning Authority. This extra time will need to be built into the Contractor's price. Consequently, a LEED Commissioning process that incorporates a Consultant approved, Independent Commissioning Agent will result in less time spent by the Commissioning Authority and a more thorough outcome.

At the final stages of any project, after the commissioning verifications have been completed and before the final commissioning report is prepared for the Owner, the Commissioning Authority oversees the training process for the Owner's maintenance staff and also reviews the Operating and Maintenance manuals that will be left with the Owner. It is critically important, particularly with highly efficient and innovative mechanical systems, that the Owner hire qualified maintenance personnel to operate and maintain the systems in their building. Building Operators that don't have a thorough understanding of how their systems are intended to function will not be able to properly maintain them. Ultimately, the

Owner's requirements with regards to comfort and energy savings may not be realized.

LEED has brought the commissioning process to the forefront of our construction industry. Considering the costs of constructing and operating a new building in British Columbia, it makes good sense to properly commission it to ensure years of trouble free and energy efficient operation.

Source: Paul Weverink, AScT., LEED AP is a Senior Technologist and the Commissioning Projects Coordinator for KD Engineering Co. in Burnaby, British Columbia


process. In the BC construction industry, commissioning of mechanical systems by a Consultant approved Independent Commissioning Agent, hired by the Mechanical Contractor, has been an industry standard since 1988. It was discovered some time ago that mechanical systems in new buildings, particularly the DDC controls, benefited from a thorough, structured commissioning process. A few well established companies, some with Testing & Balancing & Controls backgrounds, started providing commissioning services, working hard to meet the challenges that new and ever changing building system designs offered. This thorough “hands-on” testing of building systems gave the Consultant’s confidence that their systems functioned as they had intended.

Currently, under the LEED commissioning model, it is allowable that much of what the Independent Mechanical Commissioning Agent provides, can actually now be done by the Contractor(s). The Commissioning Authority only needs to review or provide equipment commissioning checklists to the Contractors, and verify a sampling of the completed forms. Earlier versions of LEED suggested that repeatable functional test procedure checklists that are critical to the success of any commissioning process should be prepared by the Commissioning Authority with the Commissioning Authority overseeing the actual testing. Newer versions of LEED still suggest that the Commissioning Authority oversee the testing, but also allow for a portion of it to be performed by the Contractors. Neither of these latter scenarios provides a comprehensive documented process. Without the hands-on testing by an approved Independent Commissioning Agent, problems will fall through the cracks and will result in system performance and operational failures. Omitting this key component in my opinion is a step backwards. LEED Commissioning should enhance our current industry standard commissioning process, not replace it.

The table below shows how the LEED commissioning process dovetails into the traditional mechanical commissioning process:

Continued on page 7

Project and LEED Timelines Compared to Cx TimelineProject and LEED Timelines Compared to Cx Timeline

Continued on page 7

The Fall Facilities Administrators Conference will be hosted by Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Conference dates and further details will be provided as they become available.

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Facilities Administrators’ Conference ScheduleFacilities Administrators’ Conference Schedule

In order to meet these fundamental commissioning requirements, the owner should hire or appoint a Commissioning Authority as early in the project as possible. LEED does allow for the Commissioning Authority to be a qualified employee of the Owner’s project team or an employee of any of the consultant firms working on the project, provided they are not involved with the design of the project. KD Engineering strongly encourages Owners to hire an “Independent” Commissioning Authority from a company that specializes in building commissioning. It should be noted that the Commissioning Authority assembles and leads the commissioning team, writes the LEED Commissioning Plan and ultimately verifies the commissioning process, reporting directly to the owner. The commissioning process and results are documented in a commissioning report, left with the Owner at the end of the project.

Under the latest LEED rating systems (both CAGBC & CAGBC), LEED points (2) can be achieved by hiring a Commissioning Authority to complete the “Enhanced Commissioning” credit requirements. These requirements include the following:

• Perform fundamental building commissioning tasks

• Conduct a review of the design prior to the construction documents phase

• Conduct a review of the construction documents near completion of the construction document development and prior to issuing the contract documents for construction

• Review the contractor submittals relative to systems being commissioned

• Provide the owner with a single manual that contains the information required for re-commissioning building systems

• Have a contract in place to review building operation with O&M staff including a plan for how occupants may report IAQ concerns, the subsequent investigation process and how they will be reported back to the occupant, and a plan for resolution of outstanding commissioning-related issues within one year after construction completion date

Pursuing the “Enhanced” Commissioning Credit has many benefits. By having the opportunity to review the design prior to the construction documents phase of the project, the Commissioning Authority will have a good understanding of the Owner’s Project Requirements and will be able to ensure that the design team understands the commissioning process from the start. By reviewing the pre-tender design documents, the Commissioning Authority will be able to advise the design team on the preparation of the commissioning specifications and ensure that the Owner’s Project Requirement’s are being addressed

in the design. Reviewing of the contractor submittals often turns up errors that if discovered during equipment check-out phase of the process, would be too late to address.

The Commissioning Authority also oversees the creation of a Building Management or Re-commissioning Manual that provides the owner with any additional information not already included in the Operating and Maintenance manuals. This extra manual contains information required to maintain the building in a commissioned state or possibly, re-commission the building sometime in the future. The near-warranty end review by the Commissioning Authority ensures the involvement of the commissioning team right up to the end of the first year of building occupancy ensuring that any problems that come up after the building has been commissioned, are addressed by the commissioning team.

The commissioning team on LEED project is generally made up of the following:

• LEED Commissioning Authority• Owner & Owner’s Maintenance Staff• Design Consultants• General Contractor• Mechanical Contractor• Electrical Contractor• Controls Contractor• T.A.B. Agency• Tendered Commissioning Agents (Mechanical &

Electrical)

It is important that this team refer to the LEED Commissioning Plan throughout the design and construction phases of the project and perform their duties as described in the plan. Commissioning is a team process and all team members must be committed to the process in order for it to be successful.

The LEED commissioning process does not and should not ever replace the Mechanical Contractor’s or the Electrical Contractor’s commissioning



Some may say that it is redundant and possibly cost prohibitive to have a Commissioning Authority as well as Independent Commissioning Agents hired for a project. That will not be the case. For instance, a Mechanical Contractor that does not employ a Mechanical Commissioning Agent on a LEED project will ultimately spend more time satisfying the demands of the LEED Commissioning Authority. This extra time will need to be built into the Contractor's price. Consequently, a LEED Commissioning process that incorporates a Consultant approved, Independent Commissioning Agent will result in less time spent by the Commissioning Authority and a more thorough outcome.

At the final stages of any project, after the commissioning verifications have been completed and before the final commissioning report is prepared for the Owner, the Commissioning Authority oversees the training process for the Owner's maintenance staff and also reviews the Operating and Maintenance manuals that will be left with the Owner. It is critically important, particularly with highly efficient and innovative mechanical systems, that the Owner hire qualified maintenance personnel to operate and maintain the systems in their building. Building Operators that don't have a thorough understanding of how their systems are intended to function will not be able to properly maintain them. Ultimately, the

Owner's requirements with regards to comfort and energy savings may not be realized.

LEED has brought the commissioning process to the forefront of our construction industry. Considering the costs of constructing and operating a new building in British Columbia, it makes good sense to properly commission it to ensure years of trouble free and energy efficient operation.

Source: Paul Weverink, AScT., LEED AP is a Senior Technologist and the Commissioning Projects Coordinator for KD Engineering Co. in Burnaby, British Columbia


process. In the BC construction industry, commissioning of mechanical systems by a Consultant approved Independent Commissioning Agent, hired by the Mechanical Contractor, has been an industry standard since 1988. It was discovered some time ago that mechanical systems in new buildings, particularly the DDC controls, benefited from a thorough, structured commissioning process. A few well established companies, some with Testing & Balancing & Controls backgrounds, started providing commissioning services, working hard to meet the challenges that new and ever changing building system designs offered. This thorough “hands-on” testing of building systems gave the Consultant’s confidence that their systems functioned as they had intended.

Currently, under the LEED commissioning model, it is allowable that much of what the Independent Mechanical Commissioning Agent provides, can actually now be done by the Contractor(s). The Commissioning Authority only needs to review or provide equipment commissioning checklists to the Contractors, and verify a sampling of the completed forms. Earlier versions of LEED suggested that repeatable functional test procedure checklists that are critical to the success of any commissioning process should be prepared by the Commissioning Authority with the Commissioning Authority overseeing the actual testing. Newer versions of LEED still suggest that the Commissioning Authority oversee the testing, but also allow for a portion of it to be performed by the Contractors. Neither of these latter scenarios provides a comprehensive documented process. Without the hands-on testing by an approved Independent Commissioning Agent, problems will fall through the cracks and will result in system performance and operational failures. Omitting this key component in my opinion is a step backwards. LEED Commissioning should enhance our current industry standard commissioning process, not replace it.

The table below shows how the LEED commissioning process dovetails into the traditional mechanical commissioning process:

Continued on page 7

Project and LEED Timelines Compared to Cx TimelineProject and LEED Timelines Compared to Cx Timeline

Continued on page 7

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