Issue link: https://hi.iaq.net/i/844521
Table A1: Project Planning (continued) Table A1: Project Planning Owner's Project The OPR is a formalized document that describes the school "owner's" project goals and functional Requirements (OPR) requirements for how a building is designed and built. The OPR is a key document because design and construction teams will refer to it to ensure that project requirements and goals are achieved by design and construction decisions. In addition to the project design and construction team, the Commissioning Agent also will use the OPR as a foundation for the commissioning process, which also makes it integral to the quality assurance process. Refer to MA 2.2 for more guidance and reference documents regarding the OPR. Commissioning Quality assurance checks are important to conduct during any building improvement project. Often, Design Review/Quality quality assurance is completed through the commissioning process. Although small improvement Assurance During projects (e.g., minor system upgrades) may not warrant the cost of a full commissioning process Design completed by an outside firm, large multisystem projects (or projects providing improvements throughout the building) can achieve great value from following a formalized commissioning process. For these projects, a commissioning agent should be hired during the project's design phase, and the agent should see the project through to completion to ensure that all systems operate and function according to their design intent and/or optimum performance level. For small improvement projects, the system design and installation should at least be reviewed by a competent party, such as a facility manager or a building engineer. If a commissioning agent is hired, include contract requirements for at least one design review, including drawings and specifications, to ensure that quality assurance and commissioning considerations are implemented during design. For small projects, the facility manager or other qualified, unbiased party should perform this review. Refer to MA 2.4 for more information on creating a commissioning plan. Construction Kick-Off Prior to construction, conduct a kick-off meeting with the full team to discuss the OPR and all Meeting applicable Priority Issues that will need to be considered for the project. Unifying the project team prior to construction ensures that all team members have the same understanding of project goals, requirements, priorities and expectations. Construction Planning: If parts of the building will be occupied during the improvement project, ensure that the areas under construction are isolated with appropriate pressure control to limit construction dust and Protecting Occupied other pollutants from impacting occupants. Even small improvement activities, such as wall Areas From Construction Pollutants penetrations and touch-up painting, can generate indoor pollutants that lead to IAQ issues and health concerns. Before beginning any demolition or improvement project, create a plan to minimize contaminants from entering occupied buildings. Refer to Priority Issue 22.0 Protecting IAQ During Construction. Additionally, refer to Appendix B: Communication and Education, which includes information to communicate with occupants to promote safety during construction. Retro-Commissioning Retro-commissioning is a process of restoring existing systems to operate in accordance with their design intent and/or at the highest performance level possible. Generally, retro-commissioning focuses on energy-related systems, such as adjusting HVAC equipment and thermostat set points, adjusting direct digital controls and/or building automation systems, reprogramming automatic lighting controls, realigning daylight or occupancy sensors, rebalancing refrigerant levels, and recalibrating ventilation levels in each room. Repairing any operational issues and fine-tuning system functionality will improve IAQ and occupant comfort, as well as energy and resource efficiency. The need for retro-commissioning will be identified during a building energy audit, and retro-commissioning activities can be performed by an experienced commissioning agent. For more information on building energy audits and retro-commissioning, refer to Priority Issue 2.0 Commissioning. Implementing Jobsite Assessing and implementing jobsite safety is important to protect visitors to the site and those Safety performing work on the building. To minimize exposure to health and safety risks on the jobsite, see Appendix C: Worker Protection. Energy Savings Plus Health | INDOOR AIR QUALITY GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL BUILDING UPGRADES 77