Commissioning concerns

摘要

Ambitious low carbon targets and greater awareness of the impact of buildings on occupant health has raised the profile of the building services sector. It has also highlighted the important role of the commissioning specialist in making sure that key equipment installations are set up correctly and, therefore, will continue to perform well throughout their operating life. However, deadlines on building projects can often be so tight the commissioning of equipment is sometimes arranged just a few hours before the building needs to be handed over. This can make it difficult to address problems, according to Lochinvar's service manager Paul Mitchell. "We do what we can under the circumstances, but advanced planning and earlier involvement of specialists would help deliver a better long-term outcome for the building user," he said. "Commissioning of heating and hot water equipment should be considered as early as possible in the process so that easy access to the equipment is included in the design and comprehensive technical information is passed on to the commissioning team "This not only helps with the handover process, but also means the pieces are in place for ongoing service and maintenance," added Paul. Lochinvar believes a collaborative approach is more important than ever because of the growing trend of integrating renewable technologies, such as heat pumps with high efficiency boilers and water heaters. The initial set up of such systems is particularly crucial in ensuring that a system with different technologies works in harmony.