CCP - Certified Commissioning Professional Cx Process & ASHRAE Guideline 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to ASHRAE Guideline 0, which document captures the owner's goals, objectives, and criteria that the commissioned systems must meet throughout the facility's life?
- Basis of Design (BOD)
- Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) (Correct answer)
- Commissioning Plan
- Systems Manual
Correct answer: Owner's Project Requirements (OPR)
The Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) is the foundational document in ASHRAE Guideline 0 that articulates the owner's goals, functional requirements, and criteria for success. All commissioning activities are benchmarked against the OPR to verify that systems perform as the owner intended.
Question 2: ASHRAE Guideline 0 defines commissioning as a quality-focused process that spans which phases of a building's lifecycle?
- Design and construction phases only
- Construction and acceptance phases only
- Pre-design through post-acceptance occupancy phases (Correct answer)
- Acceptance and post-acceptance phases only
Correct answer: Pre-design through post-acceptance occupancy phases
ASHRAE Guideline 0 explicitly defines commissioning as a process that begins in pre-design and continues through post-acceptance occupancy. This lifecycle approach ensures that owner requirements are tracked and verified from concept through ongoing operations.
Question 3: During the acceptance phase of commissioning per ASHRAE Guideline 0, what is the primary purpose of functional performance testing (FPT)?
- To identify design deficiencies in the Basis of Design document
- To verify that systems and assemblies operate in accordance with the OPR under various modes and conditions (Correct answer)
- To train operations staff on equipment startup procedures
- To produce the final commissioning report for code submission
Correct answer: To verify that systems and assemblies operate in accordance with the OPR under various modes and conditions
Functional performance testing verifies that installed systems operate as intended across multiple modes — including seasonal changeover, part-load, emergency, and normal operation — all benchmarked against the Owner's Project Requirements. It is the primary verification tool during the acceptance phase.
Question 4: A CCP is reviewing the Basis of Design (BOD) document on a new project. Which statement best describes the BOD's role within the ASHRAE Guideline 0 commissioning process?
- It replaces the OPR once the design is complete
- It documents the design team's reasoning and assumptions for how the design will meet the OPR (Correct answer)
- It serves as the legal contract between the owner and the commissioning authority
- It lists all equipment model numbers and sequences of operation
Correct answer: It documents the design team's reasoning and assumptions for how the design will meet the OPR
The Basis of Design records the design team's intent, assumptions, and reasoning for how the proposed design will satisfy the Owner's Project Requirements. It bridges the OPR and the construction documents, providing a traceable rationale that the CxA uses to develop commissioning tests.
Question 5: Under ASHRAE Guideline 0, what is the commissioning authority's (CxA) responsibility regarding the Issues Log?
- Delegate all issues log management to the general contractor
- Maintain and track deficiencies, non-conformances, and open items through resolution (Correct answer)
- Close all issues once the Certificate of Occupancy is issued regardless of status
- Transfer open issues to the facility manager after the acceptance phase
Correct answer: Maintain and track deficiencies, non-conformances, and open items through resolution
The CxA is responsible for maintaining the Issues Log throughout the commissioning process, tracking all identified deficiencies and non-conformances to resolution. This ensures accountability and verifiable documentation that systems meet the OPR before the project is formally closed.
Question 6: ASHRAE Guideline 0 recommends that a Systems Manual be provided to the owner at project closeout. What is the primary purpose of this document?
- To satisfy the building permit submission requirement for the authority having jurisdiction
- To provide the information needed for future operation, maintenance, and re-commissioning of commissioned systems (Correct answer)
- To document the commissioning authority's professional liability for the project
- To serve as a substitute for the original construction drawings and specifications
Correct answer: To provide the information needed for future operation, maintenance, and re-commissioning of commissioned systems
The Systems Manual consolidates operating procedures, maintenance requirements, sequences of operation, and re-commissioning guidelines into a single resource that supports the ongoing performance of commissioned systems. It is handed to facility staff to ensure long-term adherence to the OPR.
CCP - Certified Commissioning Professional Cx Process & ASHRAE Guideline 1
According to ASHRAE Guideline 0, which document captures the owner's goals, objectives, and criteria that the commissioned systems must meet throughout the facility's life?