What is Commissioning?

Commissioning has its roots in shipbuilding where the term was first used to describe the process that ensures a ship is sea worthy and ready for service. While there are many definitions for commissioning, one simple one is "a set of procedures, responsibilities, and methods to advance a system from static installation to full working order in accordance with design intent".

The variations in definitions relate to the scope of commissioning, and the activities related to commissioning. Some commissioning projects begin early in the design stage and continue through ongoing operations and maintenance. Others include activities to optimize performance beyond design intents (super-commissioning) or to adjust performance of existing facilities (recommissioning).

In its narrowest sense, residential commissioning could be defined as the performance assurance process that might be carried out between the time installation and construction are complete and when the buyer occupies the new house. This process would assure the buyer that all required equipment is installed correctly, the final product is assembled correctly, and the house can perform as intended.

To this end, the California Title 24 energy code already provides elements of commissioning in the form of metrics, some diagnostic methods, and norms for evaluating the energy performance of new houses. The extensive literature associated with building commissioning also describes many such elements.

A broader definition of residential commissioning includes many activities such as rating, auditing, super-commissioning, or recommissioning. As such, it represents an expansion of processes currently carried out by people such as home energy raters, home inspectors, auditors, and weatherization contractors. This expansion includes the energy performance of the large number of existing California houses, as well as the indoor environmental performance of all houses in the State.