At your services – What to expect during commissioning – was launched this week by The NHBC Foundation in collaboration with BSRIA. Published in answer to the ever-escalating cluster of services – from solar-technologies to whole-house ventilation systems – which means site managers will see a rising range of commissioning activities on their sites, often of a highly “technical nature”.
The guide will help such site managers supervise the many commissioning activities that are crucial to a smooth build programme and delivering high quality homes for home buyers.
While commissioning must be carried out by specialists and competent installers, this new guide plugs a vital gap, helping site managers to engage more closely with the commissioning process and to ask the right questions at the right time.
BSRIA’s David Bleicher, Publications Manager, said:
“This new NHBC Foundation guide provides streamlined information for site managers, thus removing unnecessary building snags and achieving quality.
BSRIA relished the chance to work in collaboration with the NHBC on this free, industry guide. The commissioning language therein has been stripped down so that it is easy to understand, jargon-free and perfect for non-technical specialists.
Ultimately – the guide will reinforce the message of the quality and performance of the services installed in new homes – an oft-repeated BSRIA mantra.
The guide aims to give site managers ample acumen to be inquisitive and enquiring about the commissioning activities that they should expect to see on their sites. If the site manager can constructively intervene by asking ‘the right question at the right time’ during construction, this could enhance the reliability and long-term performance of services.”
The NHBC Foundation guide offers an explanation for the reasons for the myriad of commissioning activities and how they contribute to “long-term trouble-free operation”, covering:
- Water & drainage.
- Gas connection & distribution.
- Electrical installations.
- Boiler – gas supply & correct operation.
- Underfloor heating pipe loops & manifolds.
- Unvented, indirect hot water cylinders.
- Ventilation systems.
- Air source (air to water) heat pumps.
- Solar hot water systems.
- Grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems.
To download the publication: At your services – What to expect during commissioning
Established in 2006, The NHBC Foundation provides high quality research and practical guidance to support the house-building industry as it addresses the challenges of delivering 21st Century new homes.
NHBC Foundation: www.nhbcfoundation.org
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