This wasn't in the job description.....

In the article Cutting Back on Office Complaints, though I highlight common recurrences which frequently affect organizations, one stands out in particular: HVAC (i.e. comfort) calls.

In my experience, Commissioning is typically cited as an unnecessary consultancy/cost in the commercial office environment, but also based on my experience, these individuals are mistaken.  My team has quantitative metrics to demonstrate a significant decrease in comfort calls when Commissioning has been performed......and I'm not talking about paperwork/process items, I'm talking about physical measurement and verification of installed equipment.  Unfortunately, having "a good engineer and a reputable contractor" are not sufficient.  We frequently find equipment which is not connected, controls which are not correctly programmed, and air/water values which do not meet/match design requirements.  These all result (typically) in HVAC calls to the Landlord, which only compounds the issues and frustration.  But the net of it all is that it impairs an organization's ability to focus on it's core business and drive revenue.

I sincerely believe that the added effort and minimal expense of Commissioning is always worthwhile in the commercial office environment, and if you have the time, I'd be pleased to share with you our experience, knowledge, and research.  After all, a frigid/sweltering office isn't best for anyone's interests.