v. 1/91

This guide covers the commissioning requirements for variable air volume (VAV) systems in air conditioned buildings. It includes the design and installation to ensure that VAV systems are commissionable and is intended to be used in conjunction with the CIBSE's Commissioning Code, Series A "Air distribution systems". It is also complementary to and has many features in common with BSRIA Application Guide 3/89 "The commissioning of air systems in buildings". Divided into four parts, the guide covers the design of commissionable systems; the installation of commissionable VAV systems; VAV commissioning procedures; and reporting and documentation.

v. 3/89. 3

Commissioning Air Systems

by C. J. Parsloe

Published November 2001
This title presents a guide covering essential design requirements, installation considerations and commissioning procedures plus information on reporting and documentation. It deals with the following topics in separate sections: commissioning - fans and ductworks system design, access and test holes, specifying flow rates and tolerances; installation - management, ductwork installation procedures, installation inspections, preparation for commissioning; commissioning procedures - management, site test instruments, on-site flow measurement techniques, setting to work, on-site regulation and procedure; and reporting and documentation - reporting, documentation, and example pro formas. Contemporary commissioning equipment is also described along with application notes. This guide aims to facilitate successful commissioning of building services as quoted in the Building Regulations Approved Document L2.

v. 3/89. 2


v. 11/92

Design for Maintainability

by C. J. Parsloe

Published September 1992
Building services systems require maintenance from the moment they are put into operation until the end of their operating lives. The cost of system maintenance has been demonstrated to represent a significant proportion of the total building operating costs, possibly on a par with the cost of utilities (energy and water). Cost savings can be made over the life of an installation if proper attention is given to maintenance aspects during the design of a system. It is often the case that maintenance is a relatively low priority for the designer. However, many of the basic design features which can have a considerable impact on maintainability are often relatively simple to implement and can easily be shown to result in significant savings. This guide aims to demonstrate, for each stage in the design process, how maintenance aspects should be considered, justified and implemented. It has been produced in conjunction with BSRIA "Technical Notes TN10/92, Space Allowances for Building Services Distribution Services - detailed design stage".

v. 2/89


v. 8/91


AG 2/93

The treatment of water in building services systems is essential for the avoidance of corrosion, scale, fouling and microbiological fouling. These problems can cause energy wastage, poor system performance and can result in the need for early replacement of plant components. Bacterial growth can result in sludge formation and can increase the risk of legionnaires' disease or other health problems. This guide explains the various water treatment options available. It is intended for use by design engineers, installing contractors and the maintenance staff responsible for looking after the completed systems. It aims to help building services professionals to ensure that correct water treatment provisions are specified, implemented and used to their best effect. The most common causes of water-related problems are explained, and their effects on building services systems are described. Consideration is given to design, system operation, routine control, treatment and monitoring of the water for all types of building services system.

v. 1/90

Design Briefing Manuals

by C. J. Parsloe

Published December 1990
This title supplies an outline procedure for the preparation of design briefs for the building services components of buildings. The procedure is intended for use by building services designers, but should be of interest to client organisations. The procedure is divided into four stages - inception, feasibility, outline proposals and scheme design. For each stage identifies the key activities involved in briefing, and highlights the main considerations the designer should take into account. It incorporates report stages, which are used to provide documentation of the decisions made and the conclusions of the design studies and provides aids to some of the main data-gathering activities in the form of checklists, included as appendices.

This title presents an updated manual which covers the four major aspects of the commissioning process - design requirements, installation considerations and commissioning procedures, plus information on documentation. It is intended for use in conjunction with the CIBSE Commissioning Code, Series W "Water Distribution Systems". The book is divided into four sections: the design of commissionable systems - pipework system design, flow measurement and regulating devices, factors affecting flow measurement, guidelines for component selection and application, specifying flow rates and tolerances; the installation of commissionable systems - management, pipework installation procedures, installation inspections, preparation for commissioning; commissioning procedures - management, site test instruments, setting to work, on-site regulation procedure; and documentation - reporting, documentation, example pro formas.

AG 15/96

Valve Engineering

by C. J. Parsloe and G.W. Hayden

Published December 1996
This publication explains the basic concepts underlying the techniques of value analysis, including "value management" and, in particular, "value engineering". The guide demonstrates how these techniques might influence the design of building services systems. It is intended to be used by building services designers who wish to offer clients a value-management/engineering service, or to prepare them for a value-analysis process managed by a third party. Value-analysis techniques have been used in manufacturing industry since the 1940s, but are relatively new to the building industry. Their use in American construction is a little more established and has produced some impressive results. Since the reported successes of a few UK value-engineered projects during the early 1990s, an increasing number of clients are requesting that their buildings are value engineered. Some building services designers are now offering this facility, and incorporate value engineering within their normal design service.
It was recognized that to realize the potential benefits of value engineering, guidance was needed which demonstrated how the principles of value analysis could be applied specifically to building services decisions. This guidance was required to explain the principles of value analysis to those engineers who had not had experience of the process, and to demonstrate to clients the potential cost savings which might be achievable within the building services-related components of a building project. This guide aims to fulfil these roles.

v. 11/98

Written for individual engineers who are responsible for managing their own activities and engineers in an overall management role who have responsibility for managing the activities of others, this title describes both established project management techniques and techniques tailored to the specific situations confronted by building services engineer. It aims to provide practical guidance on the planning and management of building services design; planning and management of building services installation; and the integration of building services design and installation within an overall construction project management framework. Sections include plan of work, design team appointment, inception to outline proposals, outline proposals to detailed design, tender process, construction, commissioning, and handover. In addition the book also contains a toolbox of techniques and appendices supplying additional information.

v. 20/95

Proportional balancing of water flow rates is established UK practice for heating and cooling applications. The requirements for proportional balancing are defined in CIBSE Comissioning Code W:1994 Water Distribution Systems. This report explains the procedures to comply with this code. The original CIBSE and BSRIA guidance on proportional balancing was derived from a basic understanding of the relationship between flow rate and heat transfer. A combination of theory and practical experience was used to develop recommendations which have generally proved successful over the years. Implementing the guidance has not been without its problems. One of the biggest obstacles to water balancing is the presence of system air, dirt and debris causing blockages at regulating valves, control devices and terminal units. These problems resulted in the production of "BSRIA Application Guide 8/91" "Pre-Commission Cleaning of Water Systems". This explained the basic methods by which water systems are probably the most stringent in Europe.
In the light of these developments, it became apparent that there was a need to review established procedures with the following objectives: to establish what are the main priorities for commissioning of water systems; and to determine the most cost-effective way of achieving those priorities. This "Application Guide" is the result of this research. The advice provided is directed to design engineers and commissioning specialists, and complements previous BSRIA guides. It is hoped that this clarification of commissioning priorities should help to offset many of the technical disputes which arise over the acceptability of system operating conditions.