I am working on a project that is pursuing both Monitoring-based Commissioning and Building Envelope Commissioning. Is it required that the same Commissioning Agent that oversees and documents fundamental and monitoring-based commissioning must also oversee and document Building Envelope Commissioning for LEED Online purposes? Or can a separate CxA perform and document Building Envelope Commissioning?
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Scott Bowman
LEED FellowIntegrated Design + Energy Advisors, LLC
LEEDuser Expert
519 thumbs up
April 11, 2015 - 2:42 pm
There is a section in the Reference Guide titled "Choosing an Appropriate CxA", and it clearly states that one CxA should be overseeing all activities, but it also clearly states that not all CxA's are qualified for all activities. They use the envelope commissioning as an example, which is absolutely correct.
The activities for envelope are completely different than for HVAC, and I am worried there are HVAC Cx providers out there that are selling envelope services, but that is not your question, is it.
Based on what the reference guide says, I would recommend hiring a independent CxA for Fundamental and Monitoring Based, then put a qualified envelope CxA under them contractually to get the best quality commissioning process.
Annalise Reichert
Project Managerstok
5 thumbs up
April 13, 2015 - 4:52 pm
Thank you for the reply Scott. We have a separate Envelope CxA contracted directly by the owner, but they are not directly contracted under the MEP CxA. Is this still acceptable for the purposes of the LEED Cx process?
Scott Bowman
LEED FellowIntegrated Design + Energy Advisors, LLC
LEEDuser Expert
519 thumbs up
April 14, 2015 - 10:22 pm
I think it would work, but it would be important to have language in the separate contracts indicating the correct relationship. This is probably something that needs to be addressed by USGBC. In reality, the two types of commissioning are quite different, and success comes in different ways.
In my mind, they should be allowed to be separate, or together, depending on the expertise of the provider.