The focus of the commissioning process can change from project to project based on variables such as the project’s size, complexity, it’s housed mission, and the owners risk management strategy. While there can be many variables relevant to determining where the focus of the project lies, a commissioning agent is an objective advocate for the owner, and responsible for ensuring the building being built is the building the owner requires. An owner can significantly improve the commissioning process, taking full advantage of Optimal Energy’s services, by working with as many people involved in the project as possible to develop a set of Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR) for the most successful project life cycle.
The Importance of the Owner's Project Requirements Document in the Commissioning Process
Optimal Energy Engineering
What is the OPR?
The Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR) is a document that is developed to give everyone involved in the project a clear idea of where the project is going. While it is the owner’s responsibility to provide clear requirements for team members, the OPR development process works best when a representative from each stakeholder participates in developing the OPR. A strong collaborative effort is essential for the owner in implementing a successful project life cycle. The commissioning agent in charge can assist the owner in the OPR development process by assuring that ideas and recommendations are being heard by everyone, and no one individual dominates the conversation. A successful OPR will include a balanced, equally representative set of requirements.
Key Elements of the OPR
Background
The background of the OPR should give a general scope and context for the project. That includes information regarding departmental and functional objectives, operational requirements, and anything else that may affect the commissioning work.
Objectives
All too often, it is presumed that everyone already has an understanding of the owner’s goals, which can lead to conflict down the road. It is important that everyone on the project team has a good understanding of the owner’s objectives as early as possible. Not only does setting clear objectives get everyone on the same page as the owner early, it also prompts questions and engagement that gets the project started right.
Functional Program
The functional program, in a general sense, should establish the size, quantity, purpose and use of each space in the facility. More specifically, the functional program section should include design requirements, such as security, comfort range, energy consumption, maintainability, utility requirements, and other specifications of this nature.
Lifespan, Cost, and Quality
This section of the OPR should establish an understanding of the expected lifespan of systems and components, costs of construction, and the quality expected by the owner. This can be done by providing a clear definition of the level of reliability and life expectancy of equipment, the level of automation and flexibility expected from building systems, and any other specifications, such as preferred technologies or manufacturers.
Performance Criteria
The performance criteria should be the minimum acceptable performance benchmarks for the facility. Examples of performance criteria can include but are not limited to:
Temperature and humidity requirements
Expectations for allowable interruptions in service due to equipment failure, maintenance downtime, or other predictable situations
Exceptions for ambient noise levels
Maintenance Requirements
The maintenance training requirements depend on both the level of knowledge of the O&M staff and complexity of the proposed systems. This section should include clear requirements for how the facility will be operated, who will operate that facility, and the level of training required for the O&M team to meet the building’s needs.
Training Goals and Criteria
The OPR is most effective when training goals and criteria are clearly established as early in the project as possible. This section may include the purpose of the training, personnel to be included in the training, schedules for each phase of the project, training deliverables, and requirements for archiving training documentation for future reference.
Work with Optimal Energy Engineering
When you need commissioning services for your building, choose Optimal Energy Engineering. Our services range from New Building Commissioning Services to Ongoing Commissioning, Measurement, and Verification Services. Together we can establish an OPR document that clearly plans out our process from start to finish. Contact us today to get started.