The Commissioning Process for Delivering Quality Constructed Projects

Online course agenda:

Download the full online agenda in pdf format here

Classroom (in person) course agenda:

Download the full in-person agenda in pdf format here

Topics

Introduction and Course Orientation 

Overview of the Commissioning Process (CxP)

• What is the ASHRAE Guideline 0 commissioning process?
• Current best practice
• What is a quality delivery process?
• Benefits of the commissioning process
• What occurs in each phase of project delivery?

Pre-Design Phase Commissioning Tasks (Part 1)

Developing the owner’s project requirements (OPR)

• Owner’s workshop: preparation and participants, nominal group technique, procedures and results 

The Owner’s Project Requirements Workshop

• Executing an OPR workshop
• Determining which questions to ask – project success criteria
• Class activity: OPR workshop in action

Pre-Design Phase Commissioning Tasks (Part 2)

• Planning the CxP effort
• Commissioning plan fundamentals, key milestones, structure
• Evaluating the benefits of pre-design phase involvement
• The CxP as a strategic quality plan

Class Workshop: Defining CxP Needs

Developing the OPR Document

• Review of key OPR concepts
• Typical information required to develop needs
• Steps in document creation
• Group Activity: discussion of example document

CxP Activities in the Design Phase

• Pre-design meetings
• Design checklists
• Basis of design development
• CxP design review process
• CxPlan update

Design Review Workshop

• Group workshop using the four steps of a CxP design review procedure

Commissioning Specifications

• Format options
• Types of requirements: contractor participation; maintainability; checklist implementation; shop drawings, training, and systems manual; testing and verification
• Group specifications activity

Commissioning Process Checklists

• Purpose, goals
• Use in all project phases
• Construction checklists: development, tracking methods, verification, statistical sampling
• Checklist work session

Systems Manual and Training

• Systems manual (role in all phases)
• Training (role in all phases)

Construction Phase CxP Tasks

• Pre-construction activities (pre-bid, workshops, partnering)
• Cx meetings and coordination, role of the CxA
• Tracking commissioning activities
• Cx schedule
• Testing
• Commissioning reports
• Benefits/issues log

Commissioning Process Tests

• Developing test protocols
• Confirmation of readiness
• Implementation steps
• Documentation
• Group workshop

Integrating CxP with Contractor Efforts

• Quality processes
• Overlaps and gaps

Acceptance Phase, First Year of Operation, and Beyond

• Training
• Systems manual
• Project CxP report(s)
• Warranty review and seasonal testing
• On-going commissioning

Electronic and Web-Based Commissioning Tools

• Computer tools for site tracking
• Electronic systems manuals

Analyzing the Benefits of Commissioning: Case Studies

• Scope of commissioning
• Detailed cost analysis
• Benefits and lessons learned

Special Topics in the CxP

• Review of LEED Cx process
• Review of existing building Cx process

This course can be taken in combination with one of the two-day special-topic elective courses to fulfill the education/training requirements of the UW Commissioning Provider certifications. The current list of special-topic electives can be found on the UW Commissioning Provider certifications page.

This course has been approved for 24 LU/HSW AIA CEUs.

Registration Date/Time:
9/22/2025 10:30am Central Time

Event Dates/Times:

• 9/22/2025  11:00am - 4:00pm Central Time
• 9/23/2025  11:00am - 4:00pm Central Time
• 9/24/2025  11:00am - 4:00pm Central Time
• 9/25/2025  11:00am - 4:00pm Central Time
• 9/26/2025  11:00am - 3:00pm Central Time

• Program Director

  Joy Altwies

• Joy Altwies

  Program Director/Instructor

  Joy Altwies, Ph.D., P.E., LEED AP+, is a program director for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Interdisciplinary Professional Programs. Since 2004, Dr. Altwies has developed and taught continuing education courses emphasizing high-performance building design and construction, mechanical system design and operation, energy efficiency, and commissioning. She is also the program director of the Master of Sustainable Systems Engineering (SSE) degree program and an instructor of two graduate courses in the program.

• Chad Dorgan

  Executive Director

  Dr. Chad Dorgan is a Founding Partner of Fractal CSOs, an international organization composed of previous and current chief sustainability officers providing fractional sustainability leadership to companies to define and drive sustainability from their core values, using quality foundational elements to establish robust and integrated programs.

  Throughout Chad's 30-plus-year career in the engineering, consulting, construction, and test/inspection/certification industries, he has played a significant role in the evolution of sustainability and quality in the built environment. Dr. Dorgan's past roles include driving Sustainability Solutions for SGS, Vice President - Sustainability and Quality for McCarthy Building Companies Inc., and executive leader of Dorgan Associates/Farnsworth Group, a consulting firm focused on the transfer of technology from research to application.

  Chad started his career as a mechanical engineer in the US Air Force, where he was in charge of a 60-person operations and maintenance squadron during Desert Storm in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is a LEED Fellow of the United States Green Building Council and a Fellow member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

  Chad has also been recognized with several industry awards, including the ASHRAE Distinguished Service Award and the 2004 Benner Award from the Building Commissioning Association for making commissioning business as usual. Dr. Dorgan graduated from the University of Wisconsin, with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Ph.D. Indoor Air Quality.

• Sarah Maston

  Director, Commissioning & Energy Services

  Sarah Maston, P.E., BCxP, LEED AP BD+C, Director for Colliers Project Leaders, Commissioning and Energy Services Division, is a mechanical engineer with over 20 years of experience in mechanical/ HVAC systems evaluation, troubleshooting, design, startup, and commissioning for a variety of project types. 

  Serving as lead commissioning authority for new construction projects as well as existing building commissioning projects, her responsibilities include facilitating Owner's Project Requirement (OPR) workshops, project management, performing building system assessments, developing commissioning plans, design reviews, specifications, system readiness, system evaluations and facilitating functional performance tests.  She also follows up with occupants to evaluate comfort and review 10-month warranty meetings.  

  She serves on ASHRAE’s Board of Directors as a Vice-President.  She is also the Vice-Chair of Technology Council and a member of the Advanced Energy Design Guide Steering Committee as well as the Epidemic Task Force.

• Ian McIntosh

  Program Director

  Dr. Ian McIntosh, PhD, CxM, is a program director for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Office of Interdisciplinary Professional Programs (InterPro). He joined the InterPro Facilities and Building Systems team in December 2020 after being a frequent lecturer and course developer for the previous 20 years. His responsibilities include teaching, directing and business development for commissioning certification courses related to project management, existing buildings, and building enclosures. He is also the owner and founder of ianTEACH LLC, which provides innovative and strategic performance-based training and coaching to engineers, architects, construction and facilities management professionals in various sectors of the national building industry.

  He is an Accredited Commissioning Process Manager (CxM) with over twenty years of dedicated experience in Total Building Commissioning (a quality process) and has managed numerous energy, commissioning, retro-commissioning, and LEED® commissioning projects throughout the nation. As a Commissioning Provider and Mechanical Engineer, Dr. McIntosh has prepared and led several Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) workshops, written and integrated numerous commissioning specifications, co-invented and implemented electronic bar-coded checklists, system manuals and tracked owner cost savings. He has also executed hands-on in-depth field work, performed functional performance testing of complex HVAC systems/subsystems and coordinated full-scale operation & maintenance (O&M) and user training programs.

  Ian holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the City College of the City University of New York (CCNY) and earned his Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from the Solar Energy Lab at UW-Madison. He and his wife of 18 years like to spend quality time with their four children.

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

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• Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
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Military

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Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

If you cannot attend, please notify us by no later than one week before your course begins, and we will refund your fee. Because this course has limited enrollment, cancellation received after this date and no-shows are subject to the full course fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts.

Once you have accessed the online course, exam and/or materials, no cancellations or refunds are permitted.