Division 18 - Building Commission 18.01 BUILDING COMMISSIONING

A.   At the University of Maryland, Building Commissioning is an
     organized protocol through which the Prime Contractor
     demonstrates that all building systems are functional and
     operating in accordance with the A/E's design intent.   

B.   The University is the "Commissioning Authority".  The intent
     is to improve communication between UM and the A/E and to
     minimize additional A/E involvement resulting from the
     University's Building Commissioning activity.  The A/E
     prepares generic building commissioning documentation during
     the design phase, the "Test Engineer", a professional firm
     under contract to the Prime, prepares the site-specific
     commissioning plan, conducts the tests, and documents the
     results, and UM staff witness the acceptance tests.  

C.   A/E activity related to UM's Building Commissioning protocol
     includes: 
     
     1.   During the design phase, respond to the Commissioning
          Authority as indicated below.  Note that the design phase
          of the UM Building Commissioning process takes place on
          a parallel track with the routine UM document review.  No
          additional meetings are foreseen as a result of the
          Building Commissioning protocol.
     
     2.   The development of the "Narrative of Design Intent." 
          This document seeks to identify the design intent
          underlying the building systems which are to be tested. 
          The University will review and approve the "Narrative of
          Design Intent".  Observed performance, in accordance with
          the design intent, then becomes the "pass / fail"
          criteria for the related acceptance test. 

     3.   Incorporate the "Narrative of Design Intent" into the
          contract documents. The "Narrative of Design Intent" is
          a part of a separate commissioning specification section. 
 
     4.   Incorporate the University prepared, project specific
          listing of items to be tested into the contract
          documents.

     5.   Coordinate the building commission specification with the
          project specifications.  The building commissioning
          specification incorporates the following key provisions:
          
          a.   The Prime Contractor is required to retain a Test
               Engineer, from a list of professionals prepared by
               the University.  The Test Engineer produces the
               site-specific Commissioning Plan.  

          b.   The Test  Engineer organizes and conducts all on-
               site building commissioning activity, including
               acceptance testing, which is witnessed by UM staff. 
               The Test Engineer also coordinates the Prime
               Contractor's efforts in the areas of  Operator
               Training,  As - built documentation, Operation and
               Maintenance Manual preparation.

     6.   UM asks that the A/E respond to legitimate design-related
          questions of the Test Engineer and Commissioning
          Authority during the construction  phase.  Note that
          commissioning in the construction phase takes place on a
          parallel track with routine UM construction
          administration.  The A/E is welcome at testing, but is
          not required to be present.  No additional meetings
          during the construction phase are foreseen as a result of
          UM's building commissioning activity unless there are
          design-related issues.