Driving Value Through In-House New Building Commissioning

Choosing a commissioning (Cx) partner for your building project is an important decision that can easily make the difference between cost-effective building ownership with a robust building life cycle and costly ongoing maintenance needs and higher energy bills. During every building project, your construction management (CM) team should follow a quality assurance protocol that ensures all building systems are operational, functioning as intended. Utilizing an in-house Cx team means early project integration, which provides an opportunity to incorporate intentionally selected building systems into the project design for peak building performance. During construction, a Cx team goes beyond basic assessments, investigating and testing building systems at all modes of operational capacity, much like a dress rehearsal prior to full owner occupancy. This planned simulation verifies the building systems have been installed correctly, working in concert together to achieve peak building performance. Commissioning authorities leverage feedback from functional testing to pinpoint errors, faults, or inefficiencies, fine-tuning HVAC, mechanical, and electrical systems to optimize a building’s performance.  

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At McCownGordon, our in-house commissioning team operates as a stand-alone, third-party service or alongside our construction management team. Regardless of the contract structure or how the services are procured, the benefits of using an in-house commissioning team are numerous. These include: 

Seamless Integration and Streamlined Accountability 

Having an in-house commissioning team means seamless integration into our construction process, creating a direct line of communication between the commissioning agent and the project manager. This integration ensures that Cx activities are aligned with the overall project timeline and objectives, facilitating better coordination and efficiency throughout the project lifecycle. Additionally, when included as part of our construction services, an in-house Cx team eliminates the need for a separate contract for the owner to manage. This streamlines accountability, reduces owner involvement in issue resolution, and ultimately saves time and money. 

Improved Collaboration and Effective Issue Resolution 

Bringing in trade partners and managing their work is a critical part of a CM’s responsibility during a building project. An in-house Cx team fosters better communication and collaboration among all stakeholders. An integrated CM and Cx team ensures that trade partners are fully integrated with the commissioning process, which further ensures all issues are resolved quickly. With everyone working under the same umbrella, there is a unified approach to problem-solving and decision-making, leading to more cohesive project execution. 

Enhanced Quality Assurance and Control (QA/QC) 

Delivering a high-performing, well-constructed building is paramount for a CM. Commissioning often uncovers issues that might otherwise go unnoticed until the warranty period or later, which would become the owner’s responsibility, costing thousands of dollars as well as building downtime. Identifying issues early allows the construction team to resolve them while trade partners are still on site, avoiding rework or added burden on the owner. The in-house Cx team at McCownGordon adds an additional layer of QA/QC to the MEP systems and building envelope, significantly reducing warranty calls and ensuring a smoother turnover process. 

Early Issue Detection and Mitigation 

Utilizing an in-house Cx team means earlier project integration. Commissioning from the early stages of the project allows for the early detection and mitigation of potential issues. Addressing issues during construction or after occupancy can cost four to ten times more than addressing them during design. Projects with early commissioning experience 70% fewer change orders and achieve up to 25% greater energy savings compared to those with only end-stage functional testing. Owners also report higher satisfaction with building performance when commissioning starts in design.  

Consistency and Standardization 

For campus-style owners like higher education, K–12, or healthcare systems, having an in-house Cx team helps ensure consistent application of setpoints, schedules, equipment types, and sequences of operation across multiple buildings. Early involvement of commissioning supports standardization from project to project, making it easier for facility teams to maintain systems, diagnose issues, and access O&M information—ultimately improving long-term performance and simplifying day-to-day operations.  

Enhanced Project Documentation 

Having an in-house Cx team ensures thorough and consistent project documentation, with immediate access to centralized and shared project information between CM and Cx. This includes detailed records of system performance, testing procedures, and any issues encountered and resolved. Comprehensive documentation is invaluable for future maintenance and facility management, connected to construction documents, drawing modifications, and RFI’s generated during construction for future reference. 

Cost Efficiency 

By integrating Cx with general contracting services, owners benefit from purchase price savings such as project management fees and administrative costs. Additionally, an integrated Cx and CM team can result in reduced net operating costs (NOC), with the McCownGordon team providing an average savings 9-10% higher than other Cx authorities.  

Increased Owner Confidence and Satisfaction 

By utilizing an in-house Cx team, owners can have greater confidence knowing that the CM is fully invested in the commissioning process. This commitment to quality and performance can enhance owner satisfaction and trust in the CM team’s capabilities. Northwest Missouri State University Capital Programs Engineer Derek DeMott said, “Through their commissioning services to date, [McCownGordon] has supported reduced energy consumption, improved building systems operations, identified incomplete new project work, and implemented new applications for controlling our existing equipment.” 

These benefits further highlight the value and advantages of utilizing our in-house commissioning services in conjunction with general contracting/construction management. Regardless of the contract structure, our team prioritizes not only optimizing building functionality but ensuring owners can manage building operations for their entire lifecycle. By choosing McCownGordon’s integrated Cx CM team, our clients benefit from a comprehensive approach in which commissioning is an integral part of project delivery. This not only enhances the overall quality and performance of a building but also ensures a more efficient, accountable, and streamlined construction process.  

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