Commissioning is a process of quality assurance included in the building design, construction, and operation. The process comprises of detailed check list of key action items for each phase of building design integral for energy efficient building. The process also includes a training session for building facility management, to ensure the building is operated as per the desired intent.

The key objective of commissioning is to ensure that the architects and engineers design a building as per the owner’s goals and requirement, the building is constructed and systems are installed as per the designer’s guidelines and specifications, and the building is operated as per the desired intent of the owner and designers. This task ensures co-ordination, collaboration, and documentation among all building professionals involved into building design, construction, and operation.

Key systems recommended for the commissioning process are as below:

• Entire comfort system installed for heating, cooling, and ventilation
• Building controls and management systems
• Service hot water and renewable systems
• Building electrical systems like transformers, motors, panels etc
• Building envelope specifications for insulation, glazing, thermal bridging, and air leakage

The process of commissioning should be divided into 5 phases based on the building design and construction status namely – planning phase, design phase, construction phase, pre- occupancy phase, and post occupancy phase. Each phase should have a clear mandate of all key activities to be performed by all key professionals to ensure that the objective of the owner is understood by each professional and executed effectively. The commissioning process should end with the development of an operational manual for the facility management department along with a formal training.