Managing the commissioning of building services

The commissioning of building services is very much the ‘Cinderella’ activity in the construction cycle, many complaints are heard but few praises sung. This paper examines the current process of commissioning building services within the traditional procurement route. A literature review is presented followed by the results of a two‐stage structured survey from a broad spectrum of participants. A best practice flow chart for managing the commissioning process is presented, tested and confirmed, identifying an auditable chain of responsibilities in the commissioning process. Key conclusions include the need to recognize that the commissioning process requires planning and managing from the earliest possible stage; the need to appoint a commissioning manager — preferable someone in‐house, or a member of the design team; the need for better end‐user documentation and training; the requirement for a more formalized approach and the requirement for clarification on the terms of engagement for the services designer.