D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 12, 12-I11.3

Current through Register Vol. 71, No. 36, September 6, 2024

Section 12-I11.3 - MANDATORY PROVISIONS

11.3.1

Construction.

11.3.1.1

Building Acceptance Testing. Acceptance testing shall be performed on all buildings in accordance with this section using generally accepted engineering standards and handbooks acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).

An acceptance testing process shall be incorporated into the design and construction of the building project that verifies systems specified in this section perform in accordance with construction documents.

11.3.1.1.1

Activities Prior to Building Permit. Complete the following:

a. Designate a project acceptance representative to lead, review, and oversee completion of acceptance testing activities.

b.Acceptance representative shall review construction documents to verify that relevant sensor locations, devices, and control sequences are properly documented.

11.3.1.1.2

Activities Prior to Building Occupancy. Complete the following:

a. Verify proper installation and start up of the systems per manufacturer requirements, code requirements, owner's requirements, permit drawings, and designer's intent of operation.

b. Perform acceptance tests. For each acceptance test, complete test form and include date, a signature, and license number, as appropriate, for the party who has performed the test. Acceptance testing shall include, but not limited to, Testing and Balancing, for applicable systems and system components.

c. Verify that a systems manual has been prepared that includes operation and maintenance (O&M) documentation and full warranty information and provides operating staff the information needed to operate building systems.

11.3.1.1.3

Acceptance Testing. The following systems, if included in the building project, shall have acceptance testing:

a. Mechanical systems: heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems (mechanical and/or passive) and associated controls.

b. Lighting systems: automatic daylighting controls, manual daylighting controls, occupancy sensing devices, and automatic shut-off controls.

c.Fenestration control systems: Automatic controls for shading devices and dynamic glazing.

d. Renewable energy systems.

e. Water measurement devices.

f. Energy measurement devices.

11.3.1.1.4

Documentation. The owner shall retain completed acceptance test forms. Completed acceptance testing forms shall be provided to the AHJ for review upon request.

11.3.1.2

Project Commissioning. Commissioning shall be performed in accordance with this section using generally accepted engineering standards and handbooks acceptable to the AHJ. Reference AHJ Cx guidelines.

A Cx process shall be incorporated into the predesign, design, construction, and post-occupancy of the building project that verifies that the delivered building and its components, assemblies, and systems comply with the documented owner's project requirements (OPR). Procedures, documentation, tools, and training shall be provided to the building operating staff to sustain features of the building assemblies and systems for the service life of the building. This material shall be assembled and organized into a systems manual that provides necessary information to the building operating staff to operate and maintain all commissioned systems identified within the building project.

11.3.1.2.1

Activities Prior to Building Permit. The following activities shall be completed:

a. The project owner or owner representative, but not a design firm or construction firm involved in the design or construction of the building project, shall contract with a project CxA to lead, review, and oversee completion of the Cx process activities prior to completion of schematic design. The CxA shall be approved by the AHJ to conduct commissioning, having credentials set forth by the AHJ. The CxA shall not be a member of any construction or design firm involved in the design or construction of the building project.

b. The owner, in conjunction with the design team as necessary, shall develop the OPR during the predesign phase. The OPR shall be updated during the design phase as necessary by the design team, in conjunction with the owner and the Cx team. The OPR will be distributed to all parties participating in project programming, design, construction, and operations, and to the Cx team members.

c. The design team shall develop the Basis of Design (BoD). The BoD document shall include all the information required in Section 6.2, "Documentation," of ANSI/ ASHRAE Standard 55. Once the building project receives the required permits, the BoD shall include the AHJ approved permit drawings and documents, and any deviations from these plans shall be noted by the CxA as a deficiency in their Cx reports unless updated and AHJ approved construction documents are provided.

d. The CxA shall review both the OPR and BoD to ensure that no conflicting requirements or goals exist and that the OPR and BoD, based on the professional judgment and experience of the CxA, are sufficiently detailed for the building project being undertaken.

e. Construction phase commissioning requirements shall be incorporated into project specifications and other construction documents developed by the design team.

f. The CxA shall conduct two focused OPR reviews of the construction documents, the first at near 50% design completion and the second of the final construction documents prior to delivery to the contractor. The purpose of these reviews is to verify that the documents achieve the construction phase OPR and that the BoD document fully supports the OPR with sufficient details.

11.3.1.2.2

Activities Prior to Building Rough Inspection completion. The following activities shall be completed:

a. Develop and implement a Cx plan containing required forms and procedures for the complete testing of equipment, systems, and controls. Include all Acceptance testing forms to be used by the acceptance testers, all Functional Performance Tests written out including test sequence, measurable criteria for performance pass/fail, required test instruments, and expected/acceptable response of operating parameters.

b. Provide complete Cx plan to the AHJ for review.

c. Provide complete Cx plan to project owner, project general contractor, and sub-contractors with whom are performing work related to the commissioning process.

11.3.1.2.3

Activities Prior to Building Occupancy. The following activities shall be completed:

a. Verify the installation and performance of the systems to be commissioned, including completion of the construction checklist and verification. The AHJ has the authority to provide flexibility in accepting the preliminary Cx report without all required Functional Performance Tests completed, provided that these tests have been substantially completed, completed test results have been provided, and a schedule for completion has been provided.

Exception to 11.3.1.2.3(a): Systems that, because their operation is seasonally dependent, cannot be fully commissioned in accordance with the Cx plan at time of occupancy. These systems shall be commissioned at the earliest time after occupancy when operation of systems is allowed to be fully demonstrated as determined by the CxA.

b. It shall be verified that the owner requirements for the training of operating personnel and building occupants is completed. Where systems cannot be fully commissioned at the time of occupancy because of seasonal dependence, the training of personnel and building occupants shall be completed when the systems' operation can be fully demonstrated by the CxA.

c. Complete a preliminary Cx report. This shall include all deficiencies identified by the CxA or acceptance testing throughout the Cx process listing corrective measures taken, and identified as corrected, outstanding, and/or accepted by the owner. Any deficiencies in violation with any sections listed in Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 13 of the Energy Conservation Code-Commercial Provisions or applicable sections of the Green Construction Code, if applicable, shall be listed as an deficiency in acceptance testing and/or Cx testing and verification. Such code violation deficiencies shall be corrected prior to submitting the completed preliminary Cx report to AHJ for review.

d. Verify that a systems manual has been prepared that includes O&M documentation and full warranty information and provides operating staff the information needed to operate the commissioned systems as designed.

e. A copy of the completed preliminary Cx report shall be provided to, reviewed by, and approved by the AHJ and to the project owner.

f. Completed Preliminary Cx report shall include testing and/or verification of all applicable energy code requirements for the building project within Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 13 of the D.C. Energy Conservation Code and all applicable section of the D.C. Green Construction Code, if applicable.

11.3.1.2.4

Post-occupancy Activities. Complete the following:

a. Complete any commissioning activities called out in the Cx plan for systems whose commissioning can only be completed subsequent to building occupancy, including trend logging and off-season testing.

b. Verify that the owner requirements for training operating personnel and building occupants are completed for those systems whose seasonal operational dependence mean they were unable to be fully commissioned prior to building occupancy.

c. Complete a final Cx report with all deficiencies identified in preliminary Cx report either corrected with corrective measures taken listed or accepted by the owner. Any deficiencies in violation with any sections listed in chapters 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 13 of the Energy Conservation Code-Commercial Provisions can only be approved by the AHJ and shall be listed in the final Cx report as an unresolved deficiency. This report shall be submitted for review to the AHJ and project owner within 180 days of the project completion (first Certificate of Occupancy for an above grade floor for the project).

11.3.1.3

Building Envelope Commissioning (BECx) BECx shall comply with one of the following:

a. Whole building pressurization testing shall be conducted in accordance with ASTM E779, CAN/CGSB-149.10-M86, CAN/CGSB-149.15-96 or equivalent. The measured air leakage rate of the building envelope shall not exceed 0.25 cfm/ft (1.25 L/s·m) under a pressure differential of 0.3 in. wc (75 Pa), with this air leakage rate normalized by the sum of the above- and below-grade building envelope areas of the conditioned and semiheated space.

Exception: For multifamily buildings, building projects may be deemed to comply with the pressurization testing if individual tenant spaces can show compartmentalization when tested to not exceed 0.30 CFM per square feet of enclosure at 50 Pascal using ASTM E779 2010 or ASTM E1827. Sampling procedures are described in the ENERGY STAR Multifamily Midrise T&V Protocols Section 8.1, "Fan Pressure Testing" and "Sampling Requirements."

b. A building envelope commissioning authority, (BECxA,) with building envelope commissioning credentials as approved by the AHJ, shall be contracted by the project owner to conduct building air-barrier commissioning prior to permit for the building project. A fundamental envelope commissioning program consistent with ASTM-E2813-12 that consists of the following elements shall be implemented:

1. A BECxA design review shall be conducted and documented to assess the design documentation describing the air-barrier systems and materials, the manner in which continuity will be maintained across joints between air-barrier components and at all envelope penetrations, and the constructability of the air- barrier systems. This review shall be completed prior to permit application and results and documentation of this review provided with construction documents in permit drawings and supporting documentation.

2. Incremental field inspection and testing of air-barrier components shall be conducted and documented during construction to ensure proper construction of key components while they are still accessible for inspection and repair.

3. The Fundamental BECx program shall include addressing ASTM- E2813-12 sections relating to air infiltration, condensation resistance, thermal performance, and water penetrations at a minimum.

4. The BECx plan shall be provided to the AHJ prior to building envelope installation:

5. The BECx report shall be submitted to the AHJ for review at or prior to final inspection.

11.3.1.4

Documentation. The owner shall retain the systems manual and final Cx report.

D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 12, 12-I11.3

Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 5679 (5/29/2020)