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An important factor in achieving a reliable 7x24 facility is an
infrastructure Commissioning Process: a systematic process
ensuring that infrastructure systems perform as per design and
planning intent. Current industry practices, often shaped by the
vendor-contractor perspective, means the Equipment Start-Up Process
can be insufficient to detect latent failures and prevent costly
operational incidents. This white paper offers a comprehensive
explanation of Commissioning phases, levels of testing and benefits;
and a sample protocol for optimum system Commissioning.
Latent Failure Detection and Prevention
Commissioning is the umbrella process for all the verification and risk management
processes performed on critical facility infrastructure. Based on a defined plan
of review and testing throughout design, construction, start-up and integration,
Commissioning verifies that actual facility operations satisfy the design intent.
Today, technology interfaces, communications platforms and operational
requirements are too complex to rely solely on design and construction
for failsafe functioning. Commissioning uncovers deficiencies in
design or installation using peer review and field verification.
More thorough Commissioning also accomplishes higher energy efficiency,
environmental health safety and indoor air quality requirements.
At its conclusion, Commissioning should deliver preventative
and predictive maintenance plans, tailored operating manuals and
training procedures.
Broader Process Delivers Valuable Results
Commissioning is sometimes narrowly viewed as a set of activities
that occur during the final stages of construction. In
Critical and Hypercritical Facilities™,
such a restricted view undermines reliability. Ensured reliability
results from a six-phase Commissioning Process consisting of
(1) Planning/Programming Phase; (2) Design Phase; (3) Construction
Phase; (4) Acceptance Phase; (5) Post-Acceptance Phase; and (6)
Occupancy Phase. Commissioning should not be limited to new facilities
but rather occur every time a new critical system is installed
or an existing system is modified.
Testing appropriate to a facility should be designed along four
hierarchal levels: (1) Factory device testing; (2) Field component
start-up; (3) System interface testing; and (4) Integrated system
testing, which tests the overall facility resilience, under all
probable risk scenarios, including failure mode.
Commissioning invariably produces long-term cost savings. Begun at
the earliest stages of a project, the process helps align design
with business uptime requirements, makes equipment vendors more accountable
for real-world operability, standardizes operating processes and
detects deficiencies during a planned work window rather than an
unexpected outage.
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