Page 5 - INDEX SPRING SUMMER 2022

this, he then referred to the new Commissioning Code M:
Management which is about to be published by CIBSE and
the CSA. This guide to the commissioning process and its
management contains 25 commissioning activities that
clients and their construction project needs need to get
right – 11 of which need to take place before a project
starts on site. This is as illustrated below.

In concluding his presentation, Ian then proposed that some
key things to be considered when delivering a Smart Building.

These are shown on the below.

• Define responsibilities for design, installation and
commissioning
• The handover process needs to include network
performance Ted Pilbeam, Volker Fitzpatrick’s Building Services &
• Define the networking topology system at an early stage Sustainability Director commenced his presentation by
• Use Open Protocol devices stating how important it is to make clients aware that
• Define the level of resilience and security that is required commissioning is a legal obligation – making reference to
• Define what BMS functions are required e.g. Data the latest versions of the Building Regulations’ Approved
logging Documents as he did so.
• Involve the IT department at an early stage
• Establish the operating life of the systems He then mentioned the Building Safety Act 2022, which
• Understand what level of client interaction is required represents the biggest change in the regulation of the UK
• Determine if there will be an overall MSI (Master built environment in a generation.
systems integrator)
• Things are not always plug & play, so get experienced This Act imposes new dutyholder roles on clients,
people involved designers and contractors, aimed at ensuring compliance
• Ensure there are backups & clarity about who owns the with the Building Regulations; it creates a new role of
network database Building Safety Regulator, embedded within the Health
• More inter-linking means more costs, so make sure they and Safety Executive (HSE);, and it introduces three stop-
are of benefit go ‘gateways’ governing how higher risk buildings are
planned, designed and constructed and how any major
The presentation from Adam Muggleton, Global Director renovations are undertaken.
of Commissioning for AESG started with him asking the
audience “Why are zero-defect, high-performance buildings
not normally delivered?”

Adam informed the audience that for this to happen, 4 key
things need to happen:

• The client must ask for a building properly
• The building needs to be designed and specified properly
• The building has to be constructed properly
• The building and all the systems in it must be proven to
perform to the specified requirements

He provided a simple definition of commissioning – “Trust, but
verify”. He then stated that commissioning seeks to answer
the question “How” e.g. “How will this building be zero
defect”, How will this building meet specified performance”. Ted then talked about the importance of getting the front-
end of the site-based stage of commissioning right, referring
Adam proposed that half of building deficiencies have to the 6 activities in Commissioning Code M shown on the
their origin in the design stage of project. In addressing next page: