ASHRAE BCxP key terms

A quality-focused process that verifies and documents that building systems and assemblies are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained to meet the owner's project requirements.

The individual or entity leading the commissioning process, responsible for planning, coordinating, and documenting verification activities while maintaining independence from the design and construction team.

The group carrying out commissioning activities, typically including the owner, CxA, design professionals, contractors, and manufacturers' representatives, each with defined roles and responsibilities.

A document outlining the scope, schedule, roles, deliverables, and procedures for commissioning activities throughout all project phases, serving as the roadmap for the commissioning process.

The earliest project stage where commissioning scope, budget, and team roles are established, and initial owner project requirements begin to be captured before design work starts.

A written document describing the owner's functional needs, performance expectations, operational criteria, and constraints that the finished project must satisfy.

A document recording the design team's assumptions, calculations, system selections, and rationale that explain how the design will satisfy the owner's project requirements.

A structured examination of design documents by the commissioning authority to confirm the design can meet the owner's project requirements and is commissionable before construction begins.

A written issue log entry recording a concern, gap, or recommendation identified during design review, tracked with a responsible party and resolution status.

A compiled reference containing design and as-built information, equipment data, operating procedures, and maintenance guidance needed to operate and maintain the building after turnover.

The contract document section that assigns commissioning responsibilities, submittal and testing requirements, and acceptance criteria to the construction team.

The duties assigned to the installing contractor, such as providing submittals, performing startup checks, executing prefunctional checklists, and supporting functional performance tests.

A table identifying which systems and equipment are commissioned, and which commissioning activities and deliverables apply to each, clarifying boundaries of the commissioning effort.

The process of checking contractor product data, shop drawings, and coordination documents against the basis of design and specifications before equipment is approved for installation.

A meeting held before bid submission where the owner and commissioning authority explain commissioning requirements so bidders can price and plan for them accurately.

A documented list of installation verification items completed by the contractor during construction to confirm equipment is installed per manufacturer instructions and design intent.

A structured set of static checks performed before energization or dynamic testing, covering items such as cleanliness, alignment, labeling, sensor calibration, and control point verification.

A scripted, dynamic test that exercises a system under specified conditions to verify it responds and performs in accordance with the design intent and owner's project requirements.

A written step-by-step script listing prerequisites, actions, expected responses, instrumentation, and documentation requirements used to execute a functional performance test consistently.

The predefined measurable conditions or tolerances a system must meet for a test to be considered passing and the work accepted.

Confirmation that equipment and systems are installed, connected, labeled, and accessible as specified, typically documented through checklists before functional testing begins.

A tracked record of commissioning findings, nonconformances, and open items, each with an owner, priority, and resolution status used to drive closure before acceptance.

Functional tests that cannot be completed during the normal construction schedule, such as seasonal performance checks, which are documented and scheduled for later execution.

Verification performed when weather conditions allow evaluation of heating, cooling, or part-load performance that could not be observed during initial functional testing.

A document defining the scope, audience, schedule, and content of owner staff training on system operation and maintenance, including verification of learning outcomes.

Confirmation that required training was delivered and that operators can demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to run and maintain the systems.

Record drawings and updated documents reflecting actual installed conditions, including equipment locations, control sequences, and deviations from the original design.

The closing deliverable summarizing commissioning scope, activities performed, test results, unresolved issues, deferred testing, and a statement of overall system readiness.

An organization or firm engaged to deliver commissioning services, encompassing the commissioning authority role and associated staff and resources.

The documented concept and performance goals the designer intends each system to achieve, used as a reference when developing tests and evaluating performance.

A written description of how controls are intended to make equipment and systems respond to conditions, setpoints, and modes; a primary basis for functional test scripts.

Checking that each sensor, actuator, and control point is correctly installed, addressed, calibrated, and reporting to the building automation system before dynamic testing.

The project stage where testing is completed, issues are closed or documented, training and manuals are delivered, and the owner formally accepts the commissioned systems.

The milestone at which the work is sufficiently complete for the owner to occupy and use it for its intended purpose, subject to remaining punch list items.

A record of incomplete or deficient work items identified near turnover that must be corrected before final acceptance and closeout.

A commissioning process applied to an existing building that was not commissioned when built, focused on identifying and correcting operational deficiencies.

An ongoing process of monitoring, analyzing, and adjusting system performance over the building's life to sustain efficiency and meet current owner requirements.