Commissioning Approach
Our commissioning approach.
The commissioning process is a systematic, quality-focused approach that ensures building systems are designed, installed, tested, operated and maintained according to the owner’s project requirements and the design intent. We run it from the first planning meeting to the day operations take the keys.
The process
From the Owner's Project Requirements to the day operations take the keys.
Why commissioning matters
Published industry data is consistent year over year, and it points to the systems commissioning exists to verify.
54%
of operators said power was the primary cause of their most recent impactful data center outage, the single largest category.
Uptime Institute Global Data Center Survey 2024, n=97
80%
said that outage would have been preventable with better management, processes or configuration.
Uptime Institute Global Data Center Survey 2024, n=97
57%
said their most recent major outage cost more than $100,000. One in five said it cost more than $1 million.
Uptime Institute Annual Outage Analysis 2026, reporting the 2025 survey
Uptime Institute's 2026 analysis identifies UPS systems, transfer switches and generators as the dominant failure points. These are the systems we verify, under load, across the failure modes they are designed to withstand.
Level 0 through Level 5.
Each level of the process produces documentation, and that documentation is what is turned over to the owner at completion.
- 0PlanningPre-design
- 1Design reviewPre-design
- 2InstallationDesign
- 3Pre-functionalConstruction
- 4FunctionalAcceptance
- 5IntegratedOperations
- LEVEL0
Pre-Design and Planning
Establishing project goals, scope, roles and the Owner’s Project Requirements before design begins.
- Establish project goals
- Define scope and commissioning plan
- Assign roles and responsibilities
- Develop the Owner's Project Requirements (OPR)
- LEVEL1
Design Phase
Reviewing the design for compliance with the OPR and developing the commissioning specifications and test scripts.
- Review design documents for compliance with the OPR
- Provide design feedback and comment resolution
- Develop initial commissioning specifications
- Draft the test scripts the project will be held to
- LEVEL2
Construction and Installation
Confirming through submittal review and site observation that systems are installed as designed.
- Review submittals and shop drawings
- Conduct site observations
- Confirm systems are installed as designed
- Maintain the issues log from first observation
- LEVEL3
Pre-Functional Testing
Inspections and static tests confirming equipment is correctly installed, labeled, powered and ready for functional testing.
- Perform inspections and static tests
- Verify equipment is installed correctly
- Confirm labeling and terminations
- Confirm equipment is powered and ready for functional testing
- LEVEL4
Functional Performance Testing
Testing sequences of operation, control system response and alarms under simulated operating scenarios.
- Simulate system operation under multiple scenarios
- Test sequences of operation
- Verify control system response
- Verify alarms and annunciation
- LEVEL5
Integrated Systems Testing
Final verification of all systems operating together, including failure and recovery, followed by training and turnover.
- Final verification of entire systems working together
- Failure mode and recovery testing
- Training for operations staff
- Turnover to operations
- AFTER
Post-Acceptance and Warranty
Continued support after acceptance, including issue resolution, optional seasonal testing and operations optimization.
- Follow up on outstanding issues
- Optional seasonal testing
- Assist with operations optimization
Level 4 to Level 5
Individual systems pass, and then they are tested as one.
Integrated Systems Testing
Acceptance testing verifies individual components. Commissioning validates the systems operating together as one integrated system, from the primary voltage source through final distribution, under normal and abnormal conditions.
Loss of utility power
The facility loses its normal source and the standby system is required to carry it.
Generator start and ramp
Generators start, reach rated voltage and frequency, accept load and sustain it.
UPS transitions
Transfer to battery, return to normal and transfer to bypass, each without interruption to the critical load.
Load transfer between paths
One distribution path is removed from service and the redundant path carries the full facility load.
Fault conditions
Faults are applied at various locations and verified to clear at the nearest device, without propagating beyond the intended boundary.
Black start
The facility is taken to a dead bus and brought back, in sequence, on its own standby power.
The communications layer
Protection and control systems communicate over IEC 61850, Modbus and DNP3, often in combination. We verify that devices exchange the correct information, with the correct devices, using the correct logic and priorities.
Standards
Held to the documents an owner's specification names.
Standards we work to.
The governing documents this process is held to, and the standards owner specifications commonly reference.
- ASHRAE Guideline 0The Commissioning Process
- Describes the commissioning process capable of verifying that a facility and its systems meet the Owner's Project Requirements. Current edition 0-2019.
- ANSI/NETA ECSElectrical Commissioning Specifications
- The systematic process of documenting and placing newly installed or retrofitted electrical power equipment into service. The 2024 edition added source-specific sections for UPS and automatic transfer switches.
- ANSI/NETA ATSAcceptance Testing Specifications
- Component-level acceptance testing, used alongside ECS. The 2025 edition added battery energy storage and solar photovoltaic sections.
- Uptime InstituteTier Certification of Constructed Facility
- Where an owner pursues Tier certification, commissioning evidence is what the constructed facility is assessed against.