If you’ve worked in construction for a while, you’ve learned that even the best schedule is subject to many influences: staff, access, weather, materials, funding, building inspections, etc. In addition, today’s construction teams of the program manager, general contractor, sub-contractors, consultants, and suppliers are more than likely working together for the first time, adding the additional difficulty of unfamiliarity with a team member’s strengths and weaknesses and working styles. These influences affect the schedule and the project outcome of meeting contractual obligations of schedule, budget, and owner requirements.
Construction is a process containing thousands of small tasks completed by numerous individuals. As with all operations, there is an order in which the tasks must be completed before moving to the next task. For instance, the structure can’t be added until the foundation is complete, the roof can’t be installed until the walls are up, and drywall can’t be hung until the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems are installed. Knowing this, the best construction manager has experience under their belt and the added strengths of agility, coordination, communication, and the ability to think forward when the “what ifs” show up – because they will!
Building Commissioning also verifies that all building systems operate as the owner and designer intended. The commissioning process flows with the construction process and can only be performed once the system or assembly being commissioned is installed. For that reason, a detailed Commissioning Plan is developed for each project, and commissioning tasks are woven into the construction schedule as part of the construction process. When the construction schedule moves – the commissioning schedule moves.
When a construction schedule is challenged, the project manager must act quickly to keep the project moving forward, determining what parts of the schedule/process can be moved without affecting the construction tasks and the space required for trades to perform their work. In addition, adjustments must be communicated to the entire construction team to avoid too many trades working in the same area or failure to complete tasks promptly, which further impedes the schedule and the ability to meet contractual obligations.
In a nutshell, time is of the essence in construction, and every building Owner wants their facility to be completed on time, within budget, and built with quality. General contractors are working to build the building on time and within budget. Your commissioning provider helps ensure your building is built following the Owner’s Project Requirements. One can only effectively perform with the other if you want to achieve cost-efficient, high-performing buildings right from the start.
