Two Agencies, BECx, and Design-Build: Challenges and Opportunities for BECx with Multiagency Involvement and Design-Build Project Delivery

Abstract

Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx) is not a new concept, and many documents, standards, and codes reference or attempt to define it. References to and discussion of BECx can be found in myriad documents, from codes such as the International Green Building Code (IgCC) and California Title 24 to voluntary standards such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) v4. The process is discussed in detail in the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), Guideline 3, and referenced in ASHRAE 202 (ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 202-2013, Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems). It is used on a wide variety of projects both private and public, and various entities also have their own requirements or approaches to BECx. Further, the process is intended to be possible regardless of project or owner type or project delivery method. However, the applicability, efficiency, and even viability of BECx for a design-build project is frequently questioned and challenges to effective BECx in design-build are cited. Further challenges can be raised when multiple BECx requirements come into play or where there are multiple entities, such as multiple government agencies, involved in the project. This paper will discuss the challenges as well as the benefits of implementing BECx on a design-build project for the federal government with multiagency involvement, specifically through the lens of two projects developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for a federal agency using the ASTM E2813, Standard Practice for Building Enclosure Commissioning, enhanced process.