I am working on a project where the only permanently installed system that could be commissioned under the core & shell scope is the exterior lighting controls. All HVAC and domestic hot water systems are provided by the tenants. Does the commissioning scope of work for core and shell qualify for pursuing enhanced commissioning?
You rely on LEEDuser. Can we rely on you?
LEEDuser is supported by our premium members, not by advertisers.
Go premium for
Scott Bowman
LEED FellowIntegrated Design + Energy Advisors, LLC
LEEDuser Expert
519 thumbs up
July 9, 2015 - 9:12 am
As I start so many of my comments...it depends. As you have stated it, I do not think so. LEED tries not to award points for not doing something you were not going to do anyway...like if you have no carpet, you cannot try for that MR credit, that kind of thing.
However, in a CS in my opinion it depends on a couple of factors. First, if the HVAC and DHW systems are "designed" or that the systems to be installed have been selected and will be the only option for the tenants, then some design decisions have been made that could be enhanced by the design review process. Note this is my opinion, but I am not a GBCI reviewer so cannot speak for them. You could write a good narrative on why the peer review was valuable, and how the systems have been written into the building leases or other means of controlling what is being installed by tenants.
By the way, did you edit your question? I get emails when there are questions on this page of the forum, and the question that I saw was much different than this one.
Alexis Voeltner
Sustainability Project ManagerUL Solutions
LEEDuser Expert
11 thumbs up
July 9, 2015 - 9:35 am
Hello Scott, thank you for your response. I did ask a different question, but I realized I couldn't ask that question without confirming if we could or could not pursue fundamental and enhanced commissioning. My other question was about building envelope commissioning and pursuing that as an innovation credit.
From my understanding, building envelope commissioning requires acoustic performance, air leakage, infrared imaging, static and dynamic water penetration, and sealant testing. Does the air leakage testing mean blower door testing?
Scott Bowman
LEED FellowIntegrated Design + Energy Advisors, LLC
LEEDuser Expert
519 thumbs up
July 11, 2015 - 6:08 pm
Gwen, the envelope commissioning is an innovation point, not under enhanced commissioning. So the two are not tied in this case. The scope of this kind of service is not a set requirement, but depends on many factors. In general the major benefit of envelope Cx is in the peer review, submittals, and observations of installation. Frankly, if you only do a blower door without the other portions of service, and there is a failure, the fix will most likely be expensive and confrontational. Contact someone that provides that service to gain a better idea of the requirements.