A building and energy services engineer with 30 years’ experience, including hands-on commissioning in HVAC, high-pressure gas, vacuum, hydraulic and instrumentation systems across commercial, retail, residential, government, education, laboratory and healthcare sectors, David brought a wealth of experience and insight to this process.

The evolution of a new Australian Standard

Prior to 2026, building developers utilised various international guides (such as ASHRAE, CIBSE and NEBB) when specifying their commissioning requirements, but these were not specific to the Australian market or conditions.

This prompted Standards Australia to develop Technical Specification TS 5342 in 2021, which was referenced in GBCA Green Star guidelines. Several industry organisations then proposed that the Technical Specification be elevated to an Australian Standard.

David Odd was asked to represent the Facility Management Association of Australia (FMA) on the technical committee that was formed to review and redraft the specification to the more stringent requirements of an Australian Standard.

The Standard went through rigorous technical evaluation, drafting review and public comment over a 12-month period before the final draft was published as the new Australian Standard in January 2026.

The Standard provides a framework to ensure building commissioning is managed and conducted in a consistent manner. Specific sections include confirming the basis of design, review of the design for commissionability, the process of commissioning, commissioning planning, commissioning documentation and reporting, roles and responsibilities, integrated system testing, witnessing of testing, handover documentation, and building tuning.

The role of ICAs

In building construction, Independent Commissioning Agents support and assure the processes that translate design intent into built outcomes.

ICA early involvement, planning and implementation ensures that every individual building service system becomes part of a fully functional, integrated and inter-operable set of services that is fine-tuned to optimise the way the building operates and deliver maximum value to building owners.

Well commissioned buildings perform better in terms of energy efficiency, occupant satisfaction, reliability, equipment longevity and cost of operations.

Most commonly engaged for Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) Green Star projects, ICAs also fulfill a parallel but distinct role under the global Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

Their deep operational knowledge is invaluable when applied at early stages of a new build, enabling the team to anticipate challenges and address them during the design and construction phases, eliminating costly changes.