Reputation for Excellence
Western Mechanical Services is frequently listed as an approved contractor listed for commissioning of projects, as we have a reputation for excellence and 60+ years of experience in building commissioning services.
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Commissioning is the process of ensuring systems are installed, tested and operating in conformance with the design intent while maintaining optimized energy efficiency. This can be performed in new buildings or in existing buildings (retro-commissioning)
Building systems that can be covered by the commissioning process include HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and building controls (DDC or BMS). Commissioning involves identifying and correcting any issues with these systems before the building is put into service. This process can vary from project to project to help best suit the needs of the construction team.
The specialized commissioning services we deliver are:
- New building commissioning
- LEED Fundamental and Enhanced Commissioning
- Existing Building Commissioning (retro commissioning)
New Building Commissioning
Complete and accurate commissioning of a new building provides the owners, operators, and occupants the ability to realize the full efficiency and interior environmental quality of their new building or space. The process should start in the design phase and continues well after the building is complete and occupied.
LEED Fundamental & Enhanced Commissioning
Image: YVR Pier D Expansion Commissioning performed by Western Mechanical Services
Existing Building / Retro Commissioning
Retro-commissioning is the practice of re-examining, optimizing, and retesting existing building systems to ensure sure they are still operating as per the original intent while helping achieve peak energy efficiency. Western Mechanical Services offers retro-commissioning of existing buildings to revaluate and improve their performance. Benefits of retro-commissioning your building include addressing issues from the original construction and optimizing the buildings HVAC systems and mechanical systems for the current conditions and use. Western Mechanical Services performs a systematic evaluation of the overall HVAC, plumbing, and building controls systems to identify issues which translates into increased energy savings and reduced carbon impact. Retro commissioning often makes buildings more comfortable and improves air quality for occupants while at the same time reducing operating costs for owners.
Common issues identified in the retro commissioning process may include
- air or water balancing systems needing adjustments
- controls devices or control sequences not working as intended
- equipment or lighting operating when not needed
- malfunctioning equipment
- thermostats and sensors providing inaccurate readings and requiring calibration
- variable-frequency equipment operating at levels not appropriate to the load
BC Place Stadium Retractable Roof
Western Mechanical Services performed the mechanical systems commissioning for the BC Place Stadium retractable roof upgrade.
UBC Michael Smith Laboratories
The UBC Michael Smith Laboratories is a 7,500 sq Meter (80,700 sq ft) building that was completed in 2005. It is an interdisciplinary facility that includes biological research and training facilities.
Research is conducted on human and animal molecular genetics, plant and forestry molecular genetics and biological process engineering. The building was named after Doctor Michael Smith, Nobel Prize Winner for Chemistry in 1993 and former Professor Emeritus at UBC.
The mechanical systems for the laboratory areas included variable air volume (VAV) air handling systems with supply and exhaust fans having variable speed drives, and heat recovery coils and pumps that transfer heat from the outgoing exhaust air to the incoming outdoor air.
Western Mechanical Services provided the fundamental and additional commissioning services for the technically challenging mechanical equipment, systems and temperature controls for Alpha Mechanical Contracting in Port Coquitlam, BC. Western Mechanical scheduled all activities related to the commissioning including equipment start-up, water treatment, testing and balancing, duct cleaning, temperature control end-to-end checks, performance verification and preparation and review of the operating and maintenance manuals. Western Mechanical Services organized the turnover and ensured that the building operators had been adequately trained to operate and maintain the building systems.
The VPD Tactical Training Centre, completed in 2011 is owned by the City of Vancouver with the Vancouver Police Department as tenant. This facility is utilized for the training of officers and has simulation training rooms, firing ranges, classrooms and other facilities. The project is registered with the Canada Green Building Council and was designed and constructed to achieve LEED-NC Gold certification.
The centre has 25-metre and 50-metre indoor target ranges, with removable barricades, running man targets, a raised control booth and custom lighting options for a variety of specialized firearms training scenarios. High-flow ventilation systems were provided for each range to remove lead particulate matter from the air to avoid possible health hazards for occupants.
Because of the exceptional requirement for high air volumes of outdoor air when the firing ranges are in use and the need to maintain negative building pressures relative to other occupied areas of the building, special temperature control arrangements are required to achieve optimum use of energy and to provide a safe environment. Western Mechanical Services was entrusted with the responsibility of providing the building system commissioning services and preparing the mechanical system operation and maintenance manuals for this project.
Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria (LEED Gold)
Western Mechanical Services was retained to provide commissioning services for the $ 300 million, 28986 sq meter (312,000 sq ft) award winning Patient Care Centre at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, which opened in March, 2011 to replace all 400 existing beds and to add an additional 120 beds, most of which are private. The building was designed to utilize energy-efficient equipment and sustainable materials, resources and mechanical systems, to achieve LEED Gold certification, based on a target score of 39 to 42 LEED points.
The new hospital, managed by the Vancouver Island Health Authority has no surgical suites, pathology labs or diagnostic facilities. These are all located in an adjacent building. The Patient Care Centre utilizes a revolutionary more humanized approach to patient care, intended to improve recovery times and special attention was given to infection control throughout the building.
Increased access to nature and the use of fresh air ventilation systems were key design features incorporated to contribute to overall health. The building makes use of natural light inside during peak power usage, optimizing the electrical lighting energy required.