LEED Ceremonies at Opening Day

Sorry for my delay in response. First, you have to define "done". A good CxA will try to keep up as much as practical with the process such that there is as little of a delay in issuing a submittal report as possible. Most projects have significant documentation needs that extend past the occupancy permit, but I know Cx seems to always be the final credit ready to submit. If action items are given the appropriate importance to resolve as soon as possible, this can really help the process. Making sure that all design comments are addressed at that point in a project, resolving all submittal comments and issues are completed, and the key action items during functional testing are resolved and retested quickly is key to closing a project. Now submittal for certification can be done with open items, such as seasonal testing and 10-month walk-thru, as long as there is a plan on how to resolve these items. Contractors who take Cx seriously and add these tasks to the schedule can help the CxA to have a voice to ensure responses from the construction team.

Hi Kath,  

Circling back on this - Both the v4 and 4.1 credit language says “Implement, or *have in place a contract to implement,* the following commissioning process activities…” so I would hope a Cx plan and a contract would be just as sufficient for documenting Enhanced Cx as before. 

The only change in the credit language and reference guide in the redlined v4.1 rating system or the 4.1 Beta Guide for Path 1 is updating the reference to the newer version of the ASHRAE commissioning standard.

Although we’ve also received a reviewer comment to document the 10-month post-construction commissioning activities were completed, that was when the construction phase review was being done near or after that date. Reviewers have sometimes asked for or accepted the table of contents for the Cx report, CFR, or O&M plan, rather than the completed documents, so it seems that we could confirm the Enhanced Cx requirements before they are all completed.  

It’s been awhile since you posed the question, but can you say any more about how this panned out?     

Thanks, Kath - that's very helpful to hear what the certification team was asking to review and how the timing worked out. What an effort! Congrats on making it over the hurdles. 

I don't necessarily believe that Cx is the reason that the plaque and review cannot be done and completed at the time of the ribbon cutting and/or grand opening. If a proper pull-planning schedule is completed, the Cx activities can be scheduled, along w/ the flush-out or IAQ testing, testing and balancing, and of course time must be built-in for "fails." Keep in mind that the CWM tickets usually lag about a month after the last pull, as does the final invoicing of all of the subcontractors and material suppliers (depending on the contract type). Then once the "costs" are known assuming that may be needed for some of the LEED credits being pursued, and the final construction LEED documentation is submitted - and that date is identified in the schedule - there needs to be time for the review by GBCI accounted for in the schedule followed by time for the construction resubmittal by the project team, and then time for the final construction review by GBCI. Once the final award is recieved, there is a certain amount of time it takes to order and recieve the LEED plaque. If the Owner desires to have the LEED award at the time of the "grand opening," then all of these activities need to be accounted for and planned in the project schedule. The "grand opening" will need to be set as the final activity in the schedule. 

Yesterday, I had reason to remember this thread. 
I was at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa for the dedication of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory building. The Governor was there. Also in attendance were the President of Iowa State University, the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, and a half dozen elected representatives. 

There was no LEED plaque. There was no mention of the pending LEED-NC Silver certification because projects aren't supposed to crow about being LEED registered. Only LEED certified. Therefore, there was no mention of energy savings nor any other credit. Why? Commissioning. It's always commissioning that delays certification.  

It would have been a dream opportunity to unveil the LEED Plaque.  I've helped to certify over 50 buildings and only once were we able to also include an announcement of certification at the building dedication. 

We will hold a much smaller event in August when we hope to finally have certification in hand. This commissioning team has completed a couple dozen LEED projects. There is no reason to question that they will complete their scope. I would like to see a pathway to facilitate showcasing LEED projects in tandem with building dedications.

Theresa Lehman wrote on 2/6/24 that it should be doable. She’s right, it can be done. However, my success rate is 1 out of 50 projects. It should not be this difficult. I would love to see USGBC offer a pathway to facilitate improved outcomes.