Enhanced Cx Envelope- Seasonal Testing

I will speak to the general question. Seasonal testing related to systems which only function during certain weather conditions. The easiest would be a heating system where you need a heating load to really allow functional testing of systems. You can test some responses based on inputs or other means, but you need cold weather to really test some sequences.

With EnvelopeCx, and I have asked a real expert to respond, it would be more related to conditions where a test can be done. The example I can think of is thermal scans. If IR scans are part of a testing plan, you need a large differential temperature to get good images. So you might want to wait until a very cold period and then test at night to get really good contrast to see where there may be problems.

Seasonal testing of a building enclosure is for any system or component whose operation is dependent on the season or when the test depends on weather conditions and is deferred. Examples of a "seasonal facade" include automated ventilation or solar control systems...usually dynamic/active systems that can be tied into the building's BAS. Not that common in most buildings, but you may run into it in some very high performing enclosures. Examples of a "seasonal test" include IR scans and whole building air tightness testing.

For option 1, requiring seasonal testing and a 10 month review, does the project need to wait 10 months after completion in order to be able to submit this credit? Or is there a way to submit, say, a CxA contract detailing that these steps will be performed?  

Hi Sue,

That is a very common issue in LEED projects. We usually include a comment in the Final Cx Report saying that seasonal testing is pending and the Commissioning Agent will perform deferred testing.

Excellent, thank you Gustavo. 

hello Dears, 

We have appointed a facade / curtain wall company for our project and we intend to entrust it with the mission of carrying out the necessary tests concerning the commissioning of the envelope. At the same time, we have a Commissioning Authority for earning (4 points of LEED commissioning). 

Would it be acceptable from a LEED point of view for the tests to be carried out by the company of execution of facade but on condition that these tests are supervised and verified by our principal commissioning Authority. In other words, is this envelope commissioning testing must be conducted only by commissioning authority and cannot be accepted if conducted by execution company of facade but supervised, verified and approved by commissioning authority?