The Comparative of Turkey and U.S. Green Building Certification Systems: Mechanical Systems in the Commissioning Process
With the realization of industrial revolutions, the melting of glaciers in the world and the increase in global warming, human beings have to take some precautions. The process started with the Montreal Protocol in the 1980s, the Kyoto Protocol in the 2000s and then the Paris Agreement began to take measures for global warming with the participation of countries all over the world.
In this context, building certification systems have been developed to improve energy efficient and quality building understanding with a holistic approach of reducing or saving energy consumption. LEED certification systems developed by United States Green Building Council green building certification.
In addition, the Green Building Association in Turkey (CEDBIK) activities are carried out by this area.
The mechanical, electrical and automation systems of the buildings are called commissioning process, starting from the preliminary design stage at the beginning of the project, determining the devices in the design and manufacturing stages, selecting, arriving at the site and performing the pre-function controls, and this process is called commissioning process and this process is the stable operation of the systems in the green buildings.
Commissioning can be done in many different areas including mechanical systems. Commissioning for green buildings only covers HVAC systems. The main purpose is to provide energy efficiency and comfort conditions.
Commissioning Types
Benefits of Commissioning
- Reduction of change orders and additional claims
Fewer project delays
Managed start-up requirements
Shorter building turn-over transition period
Less post-occupancy corrective work
Minimized effects from design changes
Improved indoor air quality and occupant productivity
Better operation, maintenance and reliability
Lower energy and operations costs
Value-added quality construction
Complete and useful O&M documentation
Owner advocacy for design and construction decisions
Documentation of the entire construction process
The perspective of green building certification systems on commissioning will be evaluated.
Located in commissioning process developing specifications for many years in the American tenders, recently heard in Turkey, it has begun to be organized with seminars. Especially with LEED certification is the mandatory criteria as well as additional points that require certificates of green building topics for about 10 years in Turkey will be compared with the BEST certification system developed by CEDBİK is kept in the forefront.
| LEED | RATING |
|---|---|
| Integrative Process | 1 |
| Location and Transportation | 16 |
| Sustainable Sites | 10 |
| Water Efficiency | 11 |
| Energy and Atmosphere | 33 |
| Materials and Resources | 13 |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 16 |
| Innovation | 10 |
| Total Points | 110 |
| BEST | RATING |
|---|---|
| Integrative Green Project Management | 9 |
| Site Using | 13 |
| Water Using | 12 |
| Energy Using | 26 |
| Health and Comfort | 14 |
| Materials and Resources Using | 14 |
| Living | 14 |
| Operation and Maintenance | 6 |
| Innovation | 2 |
| Total Points | 110 |
| Prerequest- Fundamental Commissioning and Verification | POINTS |
|---|---|
| EAp1: Fundamental Commissioning and Verification | Mandatory |
| Enhanced Commissioning Credit | – |
| EAc1: Enhanced Commissioning Total Points | 6 |
| Option-1: Systems Commissioning | 4 |
| Path-1: Enhanced Systems Commissioning | 3 |
| Path-2: Enhanced and Monitoring-Based Commissioning | 1 |
| Option-2: Envelope Commissioning | 2 |
| BEST | POINTS |
|---|---|
| Control-Commissioning-Acceptance Process of Building Energy Systems | Mandatory |
| Building System Manuals | 1 Point |
| Who can be the Commissioning Authority? | LEED | BEST | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fundamental | Enhanced | Mandatory | ||
| An employee of the architecture or engineering firm | a member of the design team (e.g., a project architect, engineer, or energy modeler who is also the HVAC designer) | No, unless project is under 1.860 m² | No | <5000 m² |
| not a member of the design team (e.g., a LEED administrator or energy modeler who is not participating in the design) | Yes | No | Similar | |
| A subconsultant to the architecture or engineering firm | a member of the design team (e.g., a project engineer subcontracted to the architect) | No, unless project is under 1.860 m² | No | <5000 m² |
| not a member of the design team (e.g., a LEED administrator, Cx specialist, energy modeler) | Yes | Yes | Not specified | |
| An employee or subcontractor of the general contractor or construction manager | a member of the construction team | No, unless project is under 1.860 m² | No | <5000 m² |
| not a member of the construction team | Yes | No | Similar | |
| An employee of the owner or an independent consultant contracted to the owner | – | Yes | Yes | Specified for P.M. Firm |
Procedures of Commissioning Activities
| Procedure | LEED (Fundamental) | LEED (Enhanced) | BEST (Mandatory) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experience for CxA | experience on at least two building projects with a similar scope of work. | experience on at least two building projects with a similar scope of work. | Not specified |
| Reporting | CxA must report findings directly to the owner. | CxA must report findings directly to the owner. | Not specified |
| Reference Standards | ASHRAE | ASHRAE |
|
| Stages | Develop the OPR | Develop the OPR | Similar |
| Develop a BOD | Develop a BOD | Similar | |
| Review the OPR, BOD, and project design | Review the OPR, BOD, and project design | Similar | |
| Develop and implement a Cx plan | Develop and implement a Cx plan | Not specified | |
| Confirm incorporation of Cx requirements into the construction documents | Confirm incorporation of Cx requirements into the construction documents | Not specified | |
| Develop construction checklists | Develop construction checklists | Specified for TAB | |
| Develop a system test procedure | Develop a system test procedure | Specified for TAB | |
| Verify system test execution | Verify system test execution | Specified for TAB | |
| Maintain an issues and benefits log throughout the Cx process | Maintain an issues and benefits log throughout the Cx process | Similar | |
| Prepare a final Cx process report | Prepare a final Cx process report | Not specified | |
| Document all findings and recommendations and report directly to the owner throughout the process | Document all findings and recommendations and report directly to the owner throughout the process | Not specified |
Difference for Enhanced Commissioning
| Stages |
|
|---|
It is found that; item of O&M Manuals are similar. In LEED, that’s more detail.
- Sequence of operation
Preventive maintenance plan
HVAC equipment setpoints
Equipment run-times
Operations and maintenance manuals
According to Commissioning Process in Green Building Certificate Systems in LEED & BEST
When LEED and BEST Certificates are compared; Although BEST is younger than LEED, the article here is based only on Commissioning comparison in the two certification systems. We would like to thank especially those who contributed to the preparation of ÇEDBİK and BEST Certificate for their contribution to our country. If other titles of the certification are examined; for example, a title such as the Prevention of Noise Pollution from Construction was included in BEST, while LEED could not find a place even in the 4th version.
- BEST is younger than LEED
It can be upgraded;
- Description of Commissioning Authority
- It is not the same Project Manager and Commissioning Authority
- It has different procedure Project Management and Commissioning
- It is not the same Commissioning and TAB (Testing, Adjusting, Balancing)
- Because of effect of energy consumption, Enhanced Commissioning is non-negligible
- The standard to be applied within the scope of the Commissioning should be clearly stated
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