The revisions in the 2014 New York City Energy Conservation Code (NYCECC) have changed the industry in several ways.
The TR8 form, Technical Report – Statement of Responsibility for Energy Code Progress Inspections, has undergone substantive changes. In addition to the progress inspection changes in Section 3, you may have noticed something new in Section 4, the Design Applicant’s Statements and Signatures—the prominence of “commissioning.”
What does commissioning mean?
While not a new part of the construction process, commissioning is now more integrated into the permitting and sign-off process. The purpose of NYCECC progress inspections are to ensure that all components of a project’s mechanical systems are installed per the approved plans and specifications. Commissioning makes sure that all installed components function as designed, and that their operation meets NYCECC regulations.
How do I know if my project requires commissioning?
Per the TR8 form, “Commissioning is required for applications where C408 or ASHRAE 90.1 Section 6.7.2.4 requires commissioning.” But what does this mean?
Section C408 of the NYCECC discusses system commissioning.
Systems that may require commissioning include, but are not limited to:
- Heating, cooling, air handling and distribution, ventilation and exhaust systems
- Air, water and other energy recovery systems
- Manual or automatic controls on energy using systems (e.g., temperature controls)
- Plumbing
- Mechanical heating systems
- Service water heating systems
- Refrigeration systems
- Renewable energy and energy storage systems
These systems naturally have exceptions to commissioning requirements. Systems that fall under the following thresholds for total mechanical equipment capacity being installed for mechanical, renewable energy and service hot water systems are exempt from the commissioning requirements:
- Less than 480,000 Btu/h cooling capacity
- Less than 600,000 Btu/h heating capacity
The design applicant is responsible for determining whether commissioning is required during the design phase. Provisions for commissioning and completion requirements should be present in the construction documents. Also, the design applicant is required to check the appropriate box in Section 4 of the TR8, stating whether commissioning is required.
Who prepares commissioning plans?
The design applicant or an approved agency must develop a commissioning plan that explains the activities to be completed during each phase of commissioning. The plan also lists the specific equipment and functions to be tested, the conditions for testing, and the measurable criteria for performance.
After completion of construction and preliminary commissioning testing, the design applicant or approved agency must complete a preliminary commissioning report and provide it to the building owner. This report will discuss yet-to-be-completed tests and deficiencies found during testing.
Before the special inspector can sign off on the TR8 and TR1, the building owner must acknowledge receipt of the preliminary commissioning report.
For buildings of 500,000 gross sq. ft. or greater, a final commissioning report must be issued to the building owner within 30 months of issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy.
For any additional questions or comments on commissioning, please contact Milrose Consultants.
