Commissioning

What is “Commissioning”?

ASHRAE Guideline 0, The Commissioning Process, defines commissioning as “a quality-oriented process for achieving, verifying, and documenting that the performance of facilities, systems, and assemblies meets defined objectives and criteria”.

The Ranger Group is an independent, 3rd party NEBB Certified Commissioning Authority (CxA).  Our team of commissioning specialists are solely dedicated to building diagnostics, focusing on our commissioning and testing services.  This specialized group of individuals provides services nationwide and is organized to spend months, if not years at a time at specific site locations to perform these critical services. To date, this group has been responsible for commissioning over $5 Billion of new construction.

Our team leaders have an average of 25 years experience in critical facility commissioning.  We are the global market leader in the commissioning of hospitals and high performance facilities that protect mechanical, electrical, communications, life safety, and power systems from failure.

The Ranger Group’s commitment to commissioning is essential to our organization and culture.

Types of Facilities Commissioned:

  • Health Care Facilities, Hospitals, Research Facilities, Laboratories
  • Data Centers, Command Centers
  • High Voltage Utilities
  • Power Plants
  • LEED™ Facilities, Secure Office Buildings, Central Utility Plants

Our commissioning team performs all types of commissioning services including:

  • Design intent documentation
  • Design reviews
  • Commissioning plan development
  • Commissioning specification development
  • Pre-functional checklist and functional test procedure development
  • Equipment, systems, and control submittal reviews
  • Coordination of operations and maintenance documentation delivery, review, and acceptance
  • Coordination of operations and maintenance training planning, delivery and acceptance
  • Construction installation observation
  • Equipment startup planning and oversight
  • Functional performance testing oversight and documentation
  • Deficiency correction tracking and documentation
  • Warranty period testing, operation, and issues tracking and resolution
  • Administrative management and coordination of commissioning process
  • Coordination and education of commissioning team

In addition to our service to clients as an independent advocate to the owner throughout the commissioning process, The Ranger Group offers comprehensive LEED™ Commissioning and related services under the supervision of Ranger Group LEED™ Accredited Professionals. The commissioning process used by The Ranger Group to commission a LEED™ project includes assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

The Ranger Group’s LEED™ Commissioning Services

Fundamental Commissioning (LEED v.2.2 E&A Prerequisite 1)

  • Review the owner’s project requirements (OPR) and the basis of design (BOD) for clarity and completeness
  • Develop and incorporate commissioning requirements into the construction documents
  • Develop and implement a commissioning plan
  • Verify the installation and performance of the systems to be commissioned.
  • Develop a summary commissioning report

Enhanced Commissioning (LEED v.2.2 E&A Credit 3)- ADD ALTERNATE

  • Lead review and oversee the completion of all commissioning process activities
  • Report results, findings and recommendations directly to the owner
  • Conduct, at a minimum, one design review of the OPR, BOD, and design documents prior to mid-construction documents phase and back-check the review comments in the subsequent design submission
  • Review the contractor submittals applicable to systems being commissioned as they relate to OPR and BOD.  This review will be concurrent with A/E reviews and submitted to the design team and the Owner
  • Develop a systems manual that provides the future operating staff the information needed to understand and optimally operate the commissioned systems
  • Verify that the requirements for training operating personnel and building occupants are completed
  • Review the building operation within 10 months after substantial completion with the O&M staff and building occupants.  Include a plan for resolution of outstanding commissioning related issues

Our understanding of Fundamental Building Commissioning, Enhanced Commissioning, energy modeling, measurement and verification provide efficient, sophisticated systems that not only maximize the performance of a facility but also provide energy efficiency and easy operation and maintenance. Having a knowledgeable, experienced team that understands the multiple facets of a LEED project will not only make your projects run more smoothly, but will also increase the potential for receiving a greater number of LEED credits. We understand that achieving buy-in from key end users results in satisfied occupants, a motivated operations and maintenance staff, and environments that work.

All normal, critical and emergency support utilities are to be commissioned to verify design operational intent in both normal and failure modes. Special care is taken to test maintenance modes of all utility equipment will be provided. This will help to establish a baseline maintenance program by the owner. Training is provided to the owner by supplying vendors and supervised by Ranger Group.