ATLANTA - Specific tasks to successfully implement the commissioning process for HVACR systems are featured in a new guideline from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

ASHRAE Guideline 1.1, HVAC&R Technical Requirements for the Commissioning Process, describes the technical requirements for the application of the commissioning process described in ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005 that will verify that the HVACR systems achieve the owner’s project requirements.

“The quality-oriented process outlined in the guideline provides improved quality and greater cost effectiveness compared to commissioning as currently practiced by many commissioning providers,” said Walter Grondzik, secretary of the committee that wrote the guideline. “One problem with the current practice is that 100 percent checking is performed during the construction phase of the project delivery process, and this checking usually focuses on limited or targeted systems. Quality-based sampling is not used, and so the current approach has limited quality-based random inspection procedures.”

The guideline contains more than 100 pages of annexes, providing examples of forms and documents to assist the commissioning team and owners in their efforts to deliver quality buildings that meet the owner’s project requirements. Twenty-five sample checklists, covering pre-design, design, and construction, are included along with a sample owner’s project requirements verification test procedure.

The cost of ASHRAE Guideline 1.1, HVAC&R Technical Requirements for the Commissioning Process, is $69 ($55, ASHRAE members).

To order, contact ASHRAE Customer Service at 800-527-4723 (United States and Canada) or 404-636-8400 (worldwide), or visit www.ashrae.org/bookstore.

Publication date: 08/04/2008