In last November’s Back2Basics, I created a test for the readers based on the idea that the patient room design was similar to a pharmaceutical cleanroom, with an air lock for people to enter and leave the room.
This month, I want to address an issue which is as old as building systems commissioning itself. It was one of the first challenges commissioning professionals endeavored to resolve in order to more effectively and efficiently facilitate the commissioning process … and yet it still lingers.
School, warehouse, office building … the boiler stories they tell put the focus back on specific circumstances and smart pre-design study to ensure their systems (and budgets) enjoy the best of times for as long as possible.
Unfortunately, the potential threats to building occupants are varied and increasing. To adapt properly, let’s look at the culture change needed in the design process. Commissioning, recommissioning, and preventive maintenance are further pieces of a strategy to assure ongoing safety.