Commissioning and commissioning for DGNB, LEED, BREEAM

Planning reliability through thermal simulations

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Commissioning according to DGNB, LEED and BREEAM

Orderly commissioning – the adjustment of all systems and the complete object documentation of a building – should actually be a matter of course, but in reality it is the exception: as construction progresses, projects often become increasingly chaotic.
The reasons for this are last-minute planning changes, deadline pressure, cost pressure, capacity bottlenecks at the contractors and technical deficits on the part of those involved.
This is where an outside perspective can help, checking processes, installation progress, commissioning documentation and the correct adjustment and control of the building once again.
We are happy to take on this role and independently communicate potential deficiencies and agree specific suggestions for improvement and solutions with those involved.
Orderly commissioning helps to avoid inefficient systems and excessive energy consumption from the outset and to keep energy costs for building management and maintenance low.
Commissioning management is therefore a major component of economical use of energy sources.
However, successful commissioning management is not only relevant for building operation – it also contributes to the success of DGNB, LEED and BREEAM certification.
To ensure that the commissioning process of your project runs smoothly, we guide you through the process of commissioning your building in accordance with the respective standards of the certification system and support you with our experience in building certification in accordance with DGNB, LEED and BREEAM.

We provide these services for you as part of the commissioning process:

• Preparation of framework documents in accordance with
  Requirements
  • Commissioning plan
  • Basis of Design /BOD (planning requirements)
  • Owners Project Requirements / OPR (Owner Requirements)
• Creation of installation and function checklists
• Support and confirmation of functional and performance tests of the technical systems
• Accompanying the commissioning, trial operation and acceptance of energy-relevant systems on selected days
• Participation in meetings and inspections
• Preparation of a final report

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DGNB – Process quality – PRO 2.3: Orderly commissioning (100 points)

• The aim of this criterion is to transfer the completed building into orderly operation in the short term in order to implement the planned properties in reality.
• Orderly commissioning ensures that the characteristics of the building operation have been implemented in accordance with the planning.
  This helps to minimize risk and is part of the economical use of energy sources.
• Meeting this criterion contributes to the overarching Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) of the United Nations (7.3 Energy efficiency, 12.2 Use of natural resources) and to the German sustainability strategy (7.1 a/b Conservation of resources).

Successful fulfillment of the criterion is awarded a total of 100 points across the following criteria and accounts for 1.6% of the overall score:

Indicator	Points
1. monitoring concept: creation of an appropriate monitoring concept for recording energy and water consumption	15
2. commissioning concept: preparation of a scheduled commissioning concept	10
3. pre-functional test: carrying out a pre-functional test of the components and documenting this	10
4. functional test and instruction: performance and documentation of a functional test and instruction of the operator	15
5. final report on commissioning: preparation of a detailed final report on commissioning	20
6. integral operating concept and orderly commissioning: creation and handover of an integral operating concept in a process of continuous review and adjustment	20
7. commissioning management: readjustment of the system after the first operating phase by commissioning a specialist planner (for the first time 10-14 months after completion)	10

LEED v4 – Energy and Atmosphere – Prerequisite 1 (EA P1): Fundamental Commissioning

• The LEED Energy and Atmosphere category takes a holistic view of energy and focuses on reducing energy consumption, energy-efficient design strategies and renewable energy sources.
• The Fundamental Commissioning criterion is part of the Prerequisites area and is a basic requirement for LEED certification.
  No points can be achieved by fulfilling it; the prerequisites are mandatory certification requirements.
• The aim is to check the owner’s project requirements (OPR) for energy, water, indoor climate quality, durability and design (Basis of Design, BOD) and to implement them during planning, construction and final operation.
• Commissioning by an independent third party is a systematic and multidisciplinary quality and control process.

It is also advisable to subsequently pursue the fulfillment of the following credits, as their requirements are already met in some areas with the fulfillment of Prerequisite Fundamental Commissioning: LEED – Energy and Atmosphere – C1 Option 1 Path 2 – Enhanced and Monitoring-Based Commissioning Path 2 (extended commissioning) LEED – Energy and Atmosphere – C1 Option 2 – Enhanced Commissioning Option 2, Envelope Commissioning (extended commissioning building envelope)

BREEAM – New build 2018 – Management

The aim of this category is to promote sustainable management practices in the areas of planning, construction & commissioning and handover & aftercare and to ensure that robust sustainability targets are set and followed up during the operation of the building.
The following criteria fall into the Commissioning and Commissioning section of BREEAM certification:

MAN 04: Commissioning management and handover (4 points)

• The commissioning management and handover criterion is a minimum standard for all buildings.
• This criterion is intended to promote a systematically planned commissioning and handover process, which also ensures that the requirements and needs of the building users are met.
• A total of 4 points can be achieved in the following areas:

Commissioning management and handover	Points
Creation of a commissioning and test plan: Commissioning activities, schedule, responsibilities and corresponding standards and regulations are defined.	1
Commissioning test of the technical building equipment: the point for the commissioning and test plan has been reached. Appointment of a commissioning manager for complex technical installations and systems.	1
Testing and inspection of the building envelope: the point for the commissioning and test plan has been reached. The integrity of the building envelope is quality assured by a qualified specialist. any defects identified are rectified before handover.	1
Handover: Creation of a building/user manual. Creation of a training plan on planning objectives, maintenance regulations, systems and the building/user manual for building users and managers.	1

MAN 05: Aftercare (3 points)

• The criterion of aftercare is also a minimum standard for all buildings for BREEAM certification.
• The criterion evaluates the provision of follow-up support services for building owners or building users in the first year after occupation.
• By implementing this criterion, it should be ensured that the building meets or can be adapted to the structural and operational requirements.
• For this BREEAM criterion, an innovation point for “Outstanding Quality” can be awarded if the requirements are met.
• A total of 3 points can be achieved by fulfilling the criterion of aftercare:

Aftercare	Points
Support for aftercare: Operational infrastructure and resources for follow-up support for building users are available. Data on energy and water consumption is collected and monitored for at least 12 months.	1
Seasonal commissioning: seasonal commissioning activities are carried out over a period of at least 12 months.	1
Valuation according to building occupancy: User satisfaction survey one year after moving in. Information about the performance of the building is disseminated accordingly.	1