Basic Documentation

Siemens Industry, Inc. Page 5 of 12
Document No. 149-822
single room, central systems are more complex to
desi
gn, install and operate. Long term water
efficiency depends on regular maintenance by
specialists trained on the equipment. This is a good
approach for organizations that can realistically
commit to maintaining performance.
For smaller users, a trade-off in efficiency is often
made so that a simpler system can be installed.
Small reverse osmosis systems, sized for a single
laboratory, are designed with high reject rates to
eliminate the need for pre-treatment of the tap water.
Between the largest and smallest systems, there is
an intermediate class of equipment sized for multiple
labs (200 liters/hour) that can be applied with reject
rates below 50%. Designers can choose a modular,
scalable approach, rather than a fully centralized
system. This combination of efficiency and flexibility
expands the possibilities for designers.
Energy and Atmosphere
A recent study that modeled energy usage in a
typical hospital, found that, for all climates
evaluated, the major energy usage averaged across
all climates was:
 Ventilation Fan Energy
 Ventilation Air Cooling
 Reheating and Space Heating
 OA Heating and Cooling
 Dehumidification and Humidification
These systems consumers accounted for 59% to
64% of the annual energy cost in a typical hospital
facility, regardless of the facilities location.
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Commissioning of Building Energy
Systems
The Joint Commission EC7.10 identifies Utility
Systems
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as being essential to the proper operation
of the environment of care. In the 2006 Edition:
Guidelines for the Design and Construction of
Hospital and Health Care Facilities, the
8. ASHRAE Short Course: Healthcare Facilities: Design
Considerations
9. Utility Systems may include electrical distribution,
emergency power, vertical and horizontal transport; heating,
ventilating, and air-conditioning; plumbing, boiler, and steam;
piped gases; vacuum systems; or communication systems
including data-exchange systems.
commissioning process must be done by an
independent Commissioning Agent (CxA).
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Commissioning is prerequisite to achieving a LEED
or GGHC rating.
Fundamental Commissioning (EA P1)
emphasizes installation and acceptance tests to
verify that the systems operate as intended. At a
minimum, commissioning requirements are
incorporated into the contract documents and a
Commissioning Plan is developed and implemented.
The tests are preferably executed by third party
Commissioning Agents (CxA). The results will be
compiled in the commissioning report along with any
necessary corrective actions. The mechanical
contractor, the BAS contractor and the Testing
Adjusting and Balancing (TAB) agent need to
coordinate their activities with the CxA.
Enhanced Commissioning (EA Credit 3) extends
the scope in both directions, back to the design
phase and forward to occupancy and verification.
This is consistent with the commissioning concepts
defined in the ASHRAE Guidelines.
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This credit
requires that the commissioning design review is
conducted prior to the construction; contractor
submittals applicable to the systems being
commissioned is reviewed; a system manual of
operation is developed; training is completed; a
commissioning summary report is issued; and
operation of the building is reviewed within ten
months after substantial completion.
To successfully obtain this credit with this approach
you need partners who have thorough
understanding of systems, not just parts suppliers. If
the building operation staff also participates in the
acceptance test program, it gives them a tangible
feel for how the systems are supposed to perform.
They draw on this experience when they need to
analyze, troubleshoot, and maintain the building in
years to come.
Table 1 lists specific commissioning tasks
particula
rly relevant to pressurization within
healthcare facilities.
10. AIA Guidelines, 2006 Section 1.5.4, A4 p 29
11. ASHRAE, Guideline 1.1-2007, HVAC&R Technical
Requirements for the Commissioning Process