Mission Critical Facility Commissioning
Translating intelligent design into high availability computer
facilities……
Programs objectively designed to ensure that all
systems will successfully work together within the actual operational
facility as the project transitions from construction phase to owner
acceptance.
Commissioning Agent Program
The WES Commissioning Agent (CxA) Program is one of the most important steps
in the design / build process. However, this is all too often the most
misunderstood and under-utilized step. Many people feel that
commissioning of a new construction project starts after substantial
completion of the project, and then consists of a few days of integrated
systems testing before the facility “goes live”. There are vendors out
there who will sell just that concept. There are also vendors out
there who will sign off on systems as having been ‘Commissioned’ even though
key elements were not even installed at the time of Commissioning. The
truth is Commissioning begins before the first piece of critical
infrastructure hardware arrives at the site, and continues until every
component has proven that it will perform as designed, both as a stand-alone
system and in concert with all of the other components.
A
Commissioning Agent must possess several key attributes if he/she is going
to properly commission your facility:
-
A
comprehensive knowledge of the entire infrastructure and how every piece
interacts with every other piece.
-
An
‘Ownership’ mindset. He must treat your facility as if it were his
own. It is the person with a facility operations background who is
going to make sure that you sleep well at night, knowing that your
systems will perform for you when they’re called upon.
-
An
ability to engage the cooperation and respect of all of the disciplines
involved in the process.
The
Commissioning Process serves numerous purposes:
-
Validates
the Design intent of the infrastructure.
-
Validates
the workmanship of the installing contractors.
-
Familiarizes the staff with the nuances of the operation.
-
Provides
a baseline for future evaluation.
With a Commissioning Program, WES ensures that all of the
Electrical and Mechanical systems are working exactly the way that they
should. Typically, this includes the following major phases.
-
Commissioning Specifications: This phase of work establishes the
definition of the expectations of all of the equipment suppliers and
various trades. Vendors are informed up front regarding their
commitment to the Commissioning Process so that there are no
misunderstandings down the road.
-
Commissioning Plan: This phase involves the production of the Test
Scripts which will be used for all on-site testing.
-
Commissioning Execution: WES manages the entire process. From Factory
Witness Testing to on-site Component Level Site Acceptance Tests and
Integrated System Tests.
Other WES Design Services: WES offers other standard and custom services including; Site Selection Services, Construction Document Review, Construction management Services and Infrastructure Due Diligence Building Surveys.
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