Envelope Commissioning How- To from NIBS

By Erin WeaverBuilding envelope commissioning (BECx) is gaining momentum as a way for project teams to achieve and verify performance. A new publication from the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS)—NIBS Guideline 3-2012—outlines the process of incorporating BECx from project inception through operations and maintenance to ensure that a building’s materials and systems meet expectations regarding air flow, moisture control, durability, and a number of other factors. A revision of a 2005 NIBS guideline, Guideline 3-2012 is intended for use with ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005, which details the commissioning process, and aligns with ASTM E2813,

Standard Practice for Building Enclosure Commissioning.

BECx is one of many topics causing a stir in the public comment period for LEED v4: originally part of the commissioning prerequisite, it was removed in a revision due to concerns about cost and now applies only to the commissioning credit. For more information, see www.nibs.org.