What an HVAC commissioning company does
The commissioning engineer steps in at the end of the project, once the systems are installed and filled. They install nothing: they measure, adjust and prove that the system meets the design performance.
- Pre-commissioning checks: rotation, protections, filling, venting, sensor wiring.
- Hydronic balancing of heating, chilled-water and hot-water return circuits.
- Air balancing: AHUs, extract and heat-recovery ventilation, terminals, dampers, diffusers.
- Controls and BMS setting and testing: set points, compensation curves, sequences, alarms.
- Smoke-control measurements and functional tests with other trades.
- Balancing and commissioning reports handed to the client for handover.
When to call in a commissioning engineer
- New build or major refurbishment: before handover, to clear HVAC snags.
- Occupant complaints: rooms too hot or too cold, noisy pipework, draughts.
- High energy use or an energy audit: an unbalanced system makes pumps and fans work for nothing.
- Certification or commissioning schemes (HQE, BREEAM, LEED) that require recorded measurements.
What you receive at the end
Commissioning work is judged by its documents: reports giving, for each terminal or branch, the design flow, the measured flow and the deviation, with the instrument used and its calibration date. These are what allow the system to be handed over and then operated.
Finding a commissioning company on Metteur au Point
1. Describe the project
Post a free project request: building type, systems involved (heating, ventilation, air conditioning), drawings and specifications if you have them, timescale.
2. Network companies reply
Interested commissioning companies send you an anonymous quote to compare on substance: method, measuring equipment, timescale, price.
3. You choose, no commission
Accept the quote that suits you and then work directly with the chosen company. No commission on the job.
Companies by city
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between start-up and commissioning?
Start-up is the first run of a piece of equipment, often by the manufacturer or installer. Commissioning goes further: it adjusts the whole system (flow rates, controls) and verifies by measurement that it performs as designed.
Who pays for HVAC commissioning?
Usually the HVAC contractor, who subcontracts it to a specialist; sometimes the client directly, particularly as part of a commissioning assignment.
How much does HVAC commissioning cost?
The price depends on the number of terminals and circuits, access to adjustment devices and the level of documentation required. The simplest way is to post a project request and compare several quotes.
Do network companies work everywhere in France?
Each company states its area on its profile. The network map shows those close to your site.
See also
A project to commission?
Post a free project request: the network’s commissioning companies reply directly, with no commission.