Building Envelope Commissioning (BECx) is a team process of defining risk metrics, documenting performance expectations, and implementing a plan to verify the design, procurement, construction, and operation of the building envelope to meet or exceed expectations. The BECx process is led by a qualified third-party provider (BECx Provider), starts at the pre-design phase, and continues throughout construction and into the operations phase. All projects can benefit from this focus on quality assurance and BECx has the highest value to projects where long-term performance and risk mitigation is critical, such as Governmental, Educational, Institutional, Healthcare, and Mission Critical facilities.
The scope of BECx is customized to meet the project-specific goals and risk tolerance relative to the building envelope including, but not limited to, occupant comfort; indoor environmental quality (IEQ); heat, air & moisture control; moisture accumulation/condensation resistance; and code compliance. The project specific schedule, budget, and team experience must also be considered in the BECx process. BECx implementation is most often driven by an Owner focused on long-term quality performance; however, it is becoming more common for model codes, local jurisdictions, governmental agencies, and third-party sustainability programs to require BECx - or portions of BECx - for compliance.
The BECx process begins in pre-design with establishment of the Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR) and runs in parallel to the project delivery process to confirm the building envelope design meets or exceeds the expectations of the Owner, as described in the OPR and defined by the contract documents. The OPR is developed by the Owner and provides direction to the design and construction teams. An important component of the process, and required in most codes and standards, is that the BECx Provider shall be retained by the Owner and be able to demonstrate and maintain independence throughout the BECx process during Design, Procurement, Construction, and Occupancy phases of the project.
Comentarios