§ 01Process and documentation terms
These are the documents that define what a building must achieve and how that will be proven. They are owner-side instruments, and on CxM engagements they are produced or reviewed by CxM rather than by the installing contractor.
- Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) — the written statement of what the owner needs the finished building to achieve in operational terms: environmental conditions, resilience, metering, maintainability, energy targets and operator capability. It is the reference against which every later test is judged. Produced by CxM through facilitated workshops with the owner, operator and tenant representatives.
- Basis of Design (BOD) — the design team's record of how it intends to meet the OPR, including assumptions, standards and calculation bases. It is authored by the design consultants. CxM reviews it line by line against the OPR and formally records any requirement the design does not clearly address.
- Commissioning plan — the programme document setting out scope, roles, deliverables, schedule integration, test sequencing and acceptance criteria. Produced by CxM and maintained live for the duration of the project.
- Pre-functional checklist — a structured checklist confirming that equipment has been delivered undamaged, installed, aligned, cleaned, labelled, earthed and connected in line with approved drawings. The templates are issued by CxM; the checklists are completed and signed by the installing contractor; CxM audits the returned checklists and samples the installation on site.
- Cause-and-effect matrix — a grid listing every initiating event (smoke detection, sprinkler flow, manual call point, utility failure, plant trip) against the required response of every affected system. Developed or reviewed by CxM and reused directly as the integrated systems testing script.
- Systems manual — the structured operating document containing final sequences of operation, setpoints, as-built control drawings, test records and maintenance requirements. Content originates with contractors and vendors; CxM specifies the structure, collects the content and compiles and reviews the manual.
- Issues log / deficiency log — the single numbered register of every observed defect, with responsible party, required action and retest status. Maintained by CxM and reported at every commissioning meeting until closed.
§ 02Testing terms
These describe the tests themselves. In every case the contractor or its specialist operates the plant and the instruments. CxM scripts the test where noted, witnesses it, records the result against the stated acceptance criteria, and reviews the resulting report.
- Functional performance testing (FPT) — driving an individual system through its full range of operating modes: start-up, normal running, part load, alarm, failure and recovery, against the written sequence of operations. The contractor operates the system; CxM writes the test script, states the expected result before the test runs, and witnesses and signs the outcome.
- Integrated systems testing (IST) — proving that separately commissioned systems behave correctly together under realistic scenarios, such as a fire alarm activation shutting down air handling units and releasing door hold-opens in the correct order. Scripted and chaired by CxM against the cause-and-effect matrix; executed by the contractor and its vendors.
- Factory acceptance testing (FAT) — testing carried out by the manufacturer at its works on major plant such as generators, UPS, switchgear, chillers and control panels before shipment. Performed by the manufacturer; CxM attends as the owner's witness and issues a witness report confirming the unit tested matches the unit ordered.
- Site acceptance testing (SAT) — repetition of the critical factory checks after delivery, installation and energisation, with the equipment in its real electrical and mechanical context. Performed by the contractor or vendor; witnessed and reported by CxM.
- Testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) — measurement and adjustment of air and water flows to the design schedules, with instrument calibration certificates and full terminal records. Performed by the contractor's TAB specialist. CxM sets the tolerance and reporting requirements, witnesses balancing on a sampled basis, and reviews the TAB report before recommending acceptance. CxM does not perform balancing.
- Load bank testing — application of artificial electrical load to prove generators, UPS systems and distribution under stepped and sustained conditions, recording voltage and frequency recovery, temperatures and fuel behaviour. Performed by the contractor or its load bank specialist; witnessed by CxM, with the results reviewed against the design.
- Black building test — a deliberate total loss of utility supply to the whole facility, requiring ride-through on UPS, standby generator start, restoration of cooling and a stable return to normal, followed by a witnessed return to utility. Executed by the contractor and vendors under a script written and chaired by CxM.
- Thermographic survey — infrared scanning of switchgear, distribution boards, busway and terminations to identify hot spots caused by loose or overloaded connections. Performed by the contractor's certified thermographer. CxM witnesses the survey and reviews the report, paying particular attention to the load present at the time of scanning.
- Power quality survey — recording of harmonics, voltage variation, transients and imbalance at nominated points over a monitoring period. Performed by the contractor or a specialist; CxM reviews the results against equipment tolerances and utility limits.
- Structured cabling certification — instrument testing of copper and fibre links against the specified performance category, producing per-link certification results. Performed and certified by the cabling contractor; CxM reviews the certification output against the specification and the as-built administration records.
- Punch list / snag closeout — the tracking of every open deficiency to written resolution and retest. Maintained and verified by CxM; corrective work is carried out by the responsible contractor.
§ 03Systems and equipment terms
These are the systems most frequently named in a Philippine commissioning scope. All are installed, started up and tested by the contractor and its vendors; CxM verifies installation, witnesses the testing and reviews the records.
- BMS / BAS — the building management or building automation system: the controls layer coordinating plant operation, scheduling, alarms and trending. Commissioning includes point-to-point verification performed by the controls contractor and audited by CxM, loop tuning proven against the sequence of operations, and interlock testing against the cause-and-effect matrix.
- HVAC plant — chillers, primary and secondary pumping, cooling towers, air handling units (AHUs), fan coil units (FCUs), VRF systems, and CRAC or CRAH units serving technical spaces. Tested by the contractor across staging, part-load behaviour, humidity control and reset strategies; witnessed by CxM.
- LV and MV switchgear — low-voltage and medium-voltage distribution equipment, including transformers, switchboards and protection relays. Installed and tested by the contractor, including protection setting and injection testing; witnessed by CxM, with test certificates reviewed.
- Standby generator — the diesel or gas generating set providing supply during utility outage, proven on load bank and then on building load with transfer timing recorded. Operated and tested by the contractor and vendor; witnessed by CxM.
- UPS — the uninterruptible power supply providing ride-through and conditioned supply to critical load, tested for autonomy, module failure and static bypass transfer. Tested by the vendor; witnessed by CxM.
- ATS — the automatic transfer switch that moves load between utility and standby sources, tested for transfer and re-transfer timing and for fail-to-start sequences. Tested by the contractor; witnessed by CxM.
- FDAS — the fire detection and alarm system, including detection devices, manual call points, notification appliances and the interfaces that drive shutdown and release functions. Tested by the contractor's fire systems specialist; witnessed by CxM against the cause-and-effect matrix.
- Fire pumps — the electric and diesel pump sets serving sprinkler and hydrant systems, tested by churn, rated and peak flow against the pump curve. Tested by the contractor with the specialist vendor present; witnessed by CxM, with results reviewed against the fire strategy.
- Smoke control and stair pressurisation — the fans, dampers and control logic maintaining tenable conditions and protecting escape routes, verified by differential pressure, door-opening force and airflow measurement. Measured by the contractor's specialist; witnessed by CxM and reviewed against the fire strategy and the Fire Code requirements.
- PA / MNS — the public address and mass notification system, tested for zoning, intelligibility, audibility and correct integration with fire alarm signals. Tested by the contractor; witnessed by CxM.
- Lift interfaces — the signals that recall lift cars to a designated level, park them and release door hold-opens on fire alarm activation, plus generator-supply and firefighting-lift behaviour. Tested by the lift contractor with the fire systems specialist; witnessed by CxM during integrated systems testing.