What whole building commissioning covers
Whole building means every system, not just the mechanical ones. On this project that included the exterior enclosure, site utilities, fire protection, HVAC, electrical, structural, plumbing, fire alarm, security, and communications and data.
The scope ran across four phases: construction, startup, occupancy and warranty. The goal was simple to state. Every system complete and working when staff moved in, and enough documentation and training for the facility team to keep it that way.
How the work was done
We wrote the commissioning plan and schedule, ran the scoping and progress meetings, and reviewed submittals and shop drawings for the MEP equipment and the envelope components. We also did a design review of the building envelope and oversaw the envelope tests the installing contractors performed.
Then came the testing itself: pre-functional checkoffs, then functional performance tests on each piece of equipment and each system. We reviewed the operation and maintenance documentation, coordinated staff training with the contractors, and wrote the final commissioning report.
What we found
Testing turned up major issues with the air handling systems and the controls. These were not punch list items. They were the kind of problems that decide whether a building is comfortable, efficient and compliant once patients are inside it.
The designer of record could not resolve them. So Alares helped work out the fixes, and we did not sign off on the building until those issues were resolved.
Eleven months later
Commissioning did not end at occupancy. Eleven months in, while the building was still under warranty, we went back for a site visit and wrote a warranty commissioning report. That visit catches what only shows up after a full season of real use, while the contractor is still responsible for fixing it.
Why it matters
Signing off on a building is easy. Refusing to, when the systems are not right, is the part that protects the owner. The urgent care opened with air handlers and controls that worked, and the VA had someone on its side checking again before the warranty ran out.