Green Age Buildings - The New Challenges for Commissioning
White Paper
Bryon Price B.Eng. MAIRAH. FIEAust
October, 2005
This paper provides a précis of the issues facing building services commissioning in Australia and the current shortcomings. It looks at the drivers and trends in the industry that are demanding change to commissioning practices including the requirement for more sustainable buildings and building practices, the demand for higher quality building services and better indoor environments, and the uptake of new technologies and the integration of active and passive building systems.
Out of these the paper identifies the commissioning related challenges that face the industry in the areas of the specification of commissioning requirements and designer involvement in commissioning, technical and management skill shortages, Industry knowledge gaps, technology application, new building delivery methods and management, assuring energy and environmental targets are realised, and commissioning management and knowledge capture and management.
The paper offers a series of recommendations or "calls for action" for change to meet these challenges.
About the Author
Bryon Price B.Eng. MAIRAH. FIEAust is Business Development Manager for the A.G. Coombs Group of companies. Bryon is also responsible for A.G.Coombs Advisory, which provides technical advice and services to facility owners and managers. He a Mechanical Engineer and his early work was in guided weapons and defence systems design. Prior to joining A.G.Coombs Bryon had a 20 year career in engineering consultancy ranging from industrial and transport design through to major project building services design and a range of large scale innovative and award winning energy and building asset management projects. Bryon currently sits on the Property Council of Australia's National Regulation Review Committee and is Chair of the Property Councils National Energy and Utilities Committee. Bryon is also the Chair of the Facility Management Association's Building Services Special Interest Group. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers and a Registered Building Practitioner in Victoria.