Independent Commissioning Agent & Soft Landings Services Capability Statement
WT Sustainability are specialist sustainability consultants for the built environment. WT Sustainability (WTS) provides pragmatic, cost effective, and achievable sustainability advice to building owners, managers and developers. Our goal is to change the way that sustainability is perceived by offering expert sustainability advice that enhances the project s environmental outcomes and provide the best solution for the Client. We work with the Clients to minimise green wash and maximise financial and environmental benefits. As part of the WT Partnership Group of Companies we have the ability to partner sustainability with cost consulting, thereby effectively integrating sustainability into every aspect of the built environment. We deliver solutions that can have real impact. WTS offers a comprehensive suite of sustainability related services including: Green Advocacy NABERS Assessments Building Energy Efficiency Certifications (BEEC) under Australian Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) Legislation Green Star Assessments & LEED Assessments Independent Commissioning Agent (ICA) Soft Landings Service Energy (& Water) Efficiency Audits and Asset Management Plans Carbon Footprint Assessments & Management Upgrade Management Sustainability & Energy Management Training As part of our focus on continuously improving the service we offer our Clients, we are independently certified to ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001. AU02/1740.02 AU14/4513 AU14/4514
Independent Commissioning Agent Services The Independent Commissioning Agent (ICA) provides an unbiased perspective of the commissioning process. They are independent of the design team as they report directly to the Client. The principal objective of an ICA Role is to assist the project team in undertaking the commissioning of the system, so that the building functions in a safe, efficient manner as it was designed to. In our role as ICA we manage, oversee and review the commissioning of building services such as electrical, HVAC, hydraulic, fire control, vertical transportation, acoustic and trigeneration systems. Generally the time allocated for commissioning of a new building is treated as a time contingency which can be eaten away by delays during construction. As a consequence, commissioning is often carried out under pressure, and within a limited period of time, leading to poorly programmed and planned commissioning of a building. Buildings which are not adequately commissioned can result in poor operation of systems which can impact the energy usage of the systems, poor occupant satisfaction, and poor maintenance regimes being used. The principal objective of undertaking additional commissioning services is to assist key stakeholders in the commissioning process to so that they may take comfort that their engineering design intent is met, and that the sustainable and integrated performance of the building and its engineering services are achieved. Therefore, commissioning may be defined as being: The advancement of a building engineering services installation from the state of static completion to full working order to the specified requirements and includes the setting to work of the installation, the regulation of the systems, and the fine tuning of the systems to ensure optimal performance of the building engineering services over the economic life of the installation. For GreenStar Certification, the appointment of an ICA at the early stage of project development can deliver an important GreenStar credit.
Responsibilities of the Independent Commissioning Agent Our experienced building services engineers and practitioners can assist with and review the commissioning process. WTS assist with the development and implementation of the commissioning plan and process. These identify the commissioning standards and strategies needed to measure the performance of the systems; and they define the commissioning processes and requirements needed to assist in the timely commissioning of these systems. WTS also monitor the commissioning process and programme, with the willing participation of all parties involved with the project, and witness the performance testing and commissioning of key systems conducted by the head contractor and specialist trade sub-contractors. Importantly, the role of the ICA enhances rather tham usurps the responsibilities of the Design Consultants and Architect during the design, construction and commissioning phases. The Design Consultants and Architect retain their obligation to ensure their design is inherently commissionable and to identify interdependencies with other services or structures. Our team however assists the project team during the commissioning processes, and reports on the commissioning status and process to the Client and other stakeholders. Development of the Commissioning Plan WTS assist with the development of a commissioning plan which considers the divisions of responsibility between, and participation of, the various parties, along with the availability of design and construction drawings and specifications, and the approvals and certification by the regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the design, construction, maintenance and operation. Development of the commissioning plan and programme addresses the activities for precommissioning, commissioning, witness testing, operator training and post occupancy checks along with requirements and procedures for the monitoring of progress. Implementation of the Commissioning Plan WTS believe it is necessary for all parties involved in the commissioning of a project including the building owner, tenant, consultants, head contractor and specialist trade subcontractors, to be conversant with the demands which will be placed on the personnel engaged in the commissioning process (education of these parties is therefore a component of the work we do). Post Occupancy Performance Our team participates in quarterly reviews with the building owner, tenant, design team, head contractor and specialist trade sub-contractors during the defects liability period, and provides input to any post occupancy performance test reports (normally prepared by others) for issue to the Client.
Soft Landings Service Building excellence does not stop when a building is handed over. Unless properly addressed, operational issues will degrade the building and its services. Indeed, in a very short space of time the design intent can be lost. This often manifests itself in higher energy usage, a failure to maintain critical conditions, and less satisfied occupants. Experience suggests that the handover stage is where many of the long term operational problems become embedded. WTS is pioneering a new approach to help prevent the design intent from becoming lost, and this new approach can best be described as providing the building owners and occupants with a soft landing. In the UK where the concept originated, it is recognised that Soft Landings can play an important role in helping the building services live up to expectations. To facilitate a Soft Landing, we become involved at an early stage of the design process to assist the project team in making sure that all important operations and maintenance documentation is in place, that commissioning data is up to date, that maintenance procedures are in place, that energy targets have been established, and that the designers are satisfied that their intent is properly documented. These tasks fit neatly with the ICA Role. During handover, the team (designers and operations specialists) assist the facilities managers to familiarise themselves with the new building services. In practice Soft Landings extends the duties of the team before handover, in the weeks immediately after handover, for the first year of occupation, and for the second and third years of occupation. The Soft Landings procedures are designed to augment standard professional scopes of service, not to replace them. They can be tailored to run alongside most industry standard procurement routes. Major revisions to industry standard documentation are therefore not necessary. The main additions to normal scopes of service occur during five main stages: 1. Inception and briefing to clarify the duties of members of the client, design and building teams during critical stages, involve building users and operators, and help set and manage expectations for performance in use. 2. Design development and review (including specification and construction). This proceeds much as usual, but with greater attention to the procedures established in the briefing stage, reviewing the likely performance against the expectations of users and building operators, and achieving specific outcomes. 3. Pre-handover, with greater involvement of designers, builders, operators and commissioning and controls specialists, in order to strengthen the operational readiness of the building. 4. Initial aftercare during the users settling-in period, with a resident representative or team on site to help pass on knowledge, respond to queries, and react to problems. 5. Extended aftercare and post occupancy evaluation (POE) in years 1 to 3 after handover, with periodic monitoring and review of building performance.
Other Services Green Advocacy The fundamental thought process needed to produce successful sustainable design requires a whole of life approach. WTS provides strong leadership as a Green Advocate of processes that integrate sustainability with lifecycle goals. As `Green Advocate WTS reports directly to the Client to provide guidance which champions the Clients environmental interests. WTS provides a single point of coordination that collates the input of the whole project team, from initial concept to commissioning phase. WTS establishes environmentally sustainable key performance indicators and monitor compliance through a cohesive and collaborative approach. Robust `Green Advocacy governance and our assessment techniques allow for a different approach to traditional procurement and delivery methods, thus helping to clarify the strategies needed to design, construct and operate a successful and environmentally sustainable development.
GREEN ADVOCACY AUDITING & PLANNING Energy & Water Sustainability Carbon Footprint Project Management Lifecycle Costing NABERS BEEC GreenStar LEED CERTIFICATION Independent Commissioning Agent Soft Landings Building Maintenance Management COMMISSIONING & OPERATIONS
Certification NABERS NABERS is a performance-based system which awards a rating of 1 to 6 stars for existing buildings. The stars awarded are a measurement of the impact the building has on the environment, and provides a simple indication of how well the building owner or manager is handling these environmental impacts in comparison to similar buildings. An increasing number of tenants are choosing to occupy spaces with a high NABERS rating, indeed Government Departments around Australia including the Federal Government have office procurement policies that stipulate a high NABERS rating requirement. Along with our initial assessment of a building s energy rating WTS provides expert advice and guidance to assist our Clients in the development of strategies which may significantly improve their rating. Building Energy Efficiency Certificates (BEEC) Under CBD Legislation Under the Australian Commercial Building Disclosure Act, most sellers or lessors of office space over 2,000 m 2 are obliged to obtain and disclose an up to date energy efficiency rating. The rating combines a NABERS base building assessment with an assessment of lighting, and generic energy efficiency guidance. We can prepare BEEC 3 for compliance with CBD Legislation and provide advice as to how affected buildings can be optimised to improve their efficiency and market desirability. GreenStar & LEED GreenStar is an environmental rating system that evaluates the environmental impact of buildings at design phase, and awards a rating of 4 to 6 stars based on a number of criteria. LEED is also an environmental rating system that evaluates the environmental impact of buildings at design and completion. Originally developed in America, it is used on a range of international projects. WTS can provide certification for both GreenStar and LEED. WTS understands the certification demands on the project and how to manage the time and human resources issues that may impact the certification process. WTS has strengths in designing specific certification methodologies for individual projects that may also have additional sustainability objectives, such as carbon neutral or off-grid developments.
Auditing & Planning Energy and Water Auditing & Management Planning WTS assist Clients in the identification of inefficient energy and water systems in their building through energy and water auditing. We then assist with the development of energy and water improvement planning and management services including user education. Sustainability & Energy Management Training WTS s professional staff are well versed in delivering effective training on a range of sustainability issues. On behalf of the Scheme Administrators they provide NABERS training through Australia (and most recently, in New Zealand). They also provide tailored training modules to a variety of commercial and institutional Clients (covering a wide range of energy, water and sustainability topics). Carbon Footprint Assessments & Management The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting requirements have created a legislative framework for transition to a carbon constrained economy. WTS helps businesses quantify and report on their corporate greenhouse and carbon emissions and assist in the development of reduction programmes. Upgrade Management WTS provides project management services for the greening of existing buildings to assist building owners and managers meet current Government regulations and improve their position in a competitive rental market. Lifecycle Costing WTS offer comprehensive lifecycle costing analysis services for public and private Clients. WTS utilises whole of life cost analysis models to anticipate expenditure required by the property owner from inception, during functional use, and upon destruction, to understand the whole financial and environmental cost of their building. WTS then work with their Clients to develop cost minimisation strategies which embrace sustainable solutions.
Our Team Stephen Hennessy Director Qualfications B Eng (Hons) Building Services; MBA; Chartered Professional Engineer; Registered Professional Engineer; Accredited Green Star Professional; Accredited NABERS Assessor Affiliations Fellow Engineers Australia; Fellow CIBSE; Fellow AICD; Member Society of Light & Lighting Profile Stephen Hennessy is a recognised authority on energy and sustainability issues in the built environment. His passion for energy efficiency is fed by a belief that, given the reality of climate change and the new carbon economy, there has never been a more critical time for building owners and managers to implement realistic and achievable sustainability strategies. Stephen devotes his time to team leadership with a particular focus on energy and life cycle optimisation. This emphasis on sustainability has been developed over almost 30 years, most of it as an engineer and then director of AHA Management. During this period, he was at the front end of the sustainability movement including roles as Partner Support Manager with the pioneering organisation SEDA, assisting organisations to identify and implement energy savings opportunities. Stephen also spent a period as a Director of Steensen Varming Australia where he worked on energy and sustainability projects over a range of iconic buildings including the Sydney Opera House, the National Gallery, the High Court of Australia and Parliament House in Canberra. Stephen has undertaken a significant number of NABERS energy and water ratings. He is recognised as one of Australia s most prominent prolific and proficient assessors, and as a consequence he has been engaged to provide training on behalf of the scheme administrators. Stephen s extensive experience in the design, commissioning, operation, auditing and management of buildings and building engineering services continues to be leveraged to the benefit a wide range of Clients.
Nick Deeks Managing Director Qualficiations BSc in Quantity Surveying Affiliations Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors; Associate of the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors. Profile Nick Deeks is a highly experienced Quantity Surveyor and Cost Manager with specialist skills in infrastructure and building services engineering. From this position Nick provides our Clients with expert insight into the cost benefits of implementing sustainable solutions through all phases of the project lifecycle, from feasibility through to redevelopment. Nick started his career as a Trainee HVAC Engineer with Drake & Scull Engineering in the United Kingdom. He then joined Gleeds Chartered Quantity Surveyors in London where he developed his skills as a quantity surveyor. Nick joined WT Partnership s Sydney office in 1995, becoming a Director and Shareholder in 2002. Since 2003 Nick has headed WT Partnership s Infrastructure Group overseeing delivery of specialist cost engineering services for major infrastructure projects across Australia. Nick is the Managing Director of WT Partnership and WT Partnership Infrastructure and is a founding Director of WTS.
Stephen Hunt Senior Sustainability Professional Qualifications Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours); Chartered Professional Engineer; Registered on the National Professional Engineers Register (NPER) Affiliations Member of the Institute of Engineers of Australia Profile Stephen is a qualified mechanical services design engineer, his experience includes design, project management and recently managing the engineering division of one of Sydney s large mechanical contracting companies. Stephen has had an active role resolving commissioning concerns with new and existing projects. Stephen utilises strong technical, analytical and communication skills to lead teams in optimisation of processes winning and maintaining clients/ customers sustainably. He has proven skills and abilities in: Project and Commissioning Management (end to end) for projects of varying size and complexity: small commercial and domestic projects to large multi-million dollar retail and hotel developments. HVAC installation projects including environmental building code compliance Leadership: influencing and encouraging ownership within teams Process redesign and efficiencies optimisation: initiate improvements within changing business environment delivering highly valued results Environmental health and safety monitoring and control Contract negotiations Engineering Design: CADD, FEA, equipment selection, calculation and load estimation software. Stakeholder and Relationship Management Management Reporting.
Johan Sabri Sustainability Professional Qualifications Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical); LEED Green Association Profile Johan is a sustainability professional and junior engineer specialising in the areas of energy and commissioning management. Johan has experience in building pressure testing, witness testing of mechanical and fire services, and building management system functional testing. He is also experienced in sustainability advisory, strategy development and implementation and project management. He has demonstrated competencies over a range of commercial and technical roles including measurement and verification, building services design reviews and management, rating tool review and assessment (including energy and water), audits and due diligences. He has also been involved in the assessment and implementation of energy efficiency technologies under the Small and Medium Business Program, by the Office of Environmental and Heritage.
David McGregor Building & Engineering Services Director Qualifications ONC Building Engineering Services; HNC Building Engineering Services; Diploma Building Engineering Services; Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers; National Australian Built Environment Rating System Assessor (NABERS); GreenStar Accredited Professional Profile David is a building and engineering services professional with specialist skills in the construction economics of sustainability projects. Having dedicated the first 11 years of his career to mechanical engineering design before specialising in building services estimating and cost control David is focussed on eliminating unnecessary cost from both the design and construction of engineering services elements from projects along with the development of pragmatic sustainable solutions. His experience is varied, having worked with engineers, contractors and consultant quantity surveyors, David understands the key cost drivers in the building services field.
Craig Barlow National Manager Facilities & Asset Management Qualifications Bachlor of Engineering Profile Craig is a strategic leader in Asset Management, Facilities Management and Procurement. He has developed a strong commercial acumen for large, complex infrastructure projects and operational portfolios built on broad industry experience across many sector types including Health, Justice, Education, Housing, Transport, Leisure, Quarantine and Defence as a Contractor and government client-side representative. Originally from an operational FM and project management background Craig s particular expertise in the last 12 years has been in government infrastructure strategic planning, procurement and operational performance improvement with much of this experience gained using the public private parnership (PPP) model on greenfield and brownfield sites This experience is backed by well honed project management, stakeholder management and design management skills. Craig understands the importance of leadership, shared knowledge, clear communication and teamwork as being the key ingredients to any successful project and has built excellent relationships at all levels. His core transferable skills include: Strategic Asset Management and Facilities Management Procurement Bid / Transaction Management PPP Advisory Project Management (Initiation, Feasibility and Project Definition) Contract Management and Operational Improvement.
Adam Adkin Facilities Management Consultant Qualifications Bachelor of Science (Honours) Project Management (Construction); Master of Science (Quantity Surveying & Commercial Management) Profile Adam s expertise covers many facets of Facilities Management and Compliance Services. He has a wide and varied experience which covers the establishment of FM contracts, procurement processes and operational FM including contract administration. Adam has played a major role in the successful restructuring of operational FM contracts for our UK clients. Adam is able to assist our Clients to achieve the successful delivery of hard FM (the technical services relating to the physical building and services of the facility) and soft FM (services relating to operating the facility) across their portfolio of properties, including: Maintenance Contract Development Governance and Approval Strategy Models Planned Preventative (scheduled) Maintenance Planning, Audits and Financial Verification Reactive (unscheduled) Work SoR establishment, Financial Audits, Physical Audits and Financial Verification Contract Administration Data Analysis and Reporting Accruals and Forecasting Third Party Vendor (Specialists) Management Resilience Testing (Power Downs) Procurement of Specialist contracts including porterage, furniture, security, alarms & CCTV
Image courtesy FJMT Architects Project Example UNSW Tyree Energy Technology Building The Tyree Energy Technology Building (TETB), located on the corner of Anzac Parade and the University Mall, is a UNSW building which accommodates and showcases the state of the art and leading edge research in clean energy, including photovoltaics, carbon, capture and storage. This 16,000 m 2 building contains modular wet and dry research laboratories, teaching laboratories, lecture theatres, flexible collaborative learning space, student lounge and café, exhibition and showcase, workplace and write-up areas and experimental roof-top areas for the testing of photovoltaic arrays. The building targeted a 6 Star Green Star design rating, it features a gas-fired tri-generation plant, low energy displacement cooling, heat recovery systems, two thermal labyrinths, and roofmounted solar panel array utilising the latest UNSW solar cell technology. Steve Hennessy assisted the University with the Commissioning Agents role on the project. The commissioning agent s role was to provide advice on commissioning related activities from system design to project completion. The commissioning of the following building services systems were undertaken: Air Handling and Smoke Management systems Mechanical and Natural Ventilation systems Chilled & Hot Water system BMCS Bore Water cooling system Process cooling system Fume cupboard exhaust systems Labyrinth UV Treatment system Lab gases, vacuum and compressed air systems Smoke detection system Sewage, storm and trade water systems Fire hydrants and hose reels systems Potable, non-potable and hot water systems Gas supply Sprinkler and VESDA system Lighting systems Comms and Audio Visual system Standby power systems (Diesel Generator and UPS) Electricity supply Lifts Trigeneration system
Specialist sustainability consultants to the property and construction industries. Suite 2.02 181 Miller Street North Sydney NSW 2060 P: +61 2 8197 9140 E: esd@wtsustainability.com.au www.wtsustainability.com.au 20.07.2015