Acceptance testing is performed during the Operational Testing phase of project permitting (shown in Figure 14.1-1) and prior to final inspections and the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy. See Nonresidential and Multifamily Compliance Manual Chapter 2 for more information regarding the phase of project permitting.
Figure 14.1-1:
Idealized International Code Council Permitting Process
for Building Permit
Applications
Source: California Energy Commission staff
However, it is advisable (although not required) to include professionals who are knowledgeable regarding the acceptance test procedures and requirements in the Design phase as well.
From simple thermostats and manual light switches to complex building automation systems, controls are integral to building health, safety, comfort, and energy efficiency.
Acceptance test requirements specify targeted inspections and functional performance tests that demonstrate that the building components, equipment, systems, and interfaces conform to the 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (or Energy Code, inclusive of Reference Nonresidential Appendix NA7|topic=Appendix NA7 – Installation and Acceptance Requirements for Nonresidential Buildings and Covered Processes), as specified on applicable construction documents.
This helps ensure that the building achieves the energy savings potential specified in its design and protects installing technicians by providing demonstrable proof that the system functioned as required by code when it was installed.
Please see Nonresidential and Multifamily Compliance Manual Chapter 2 for a complete discussion concerning the roles and responsibilities of all parties
The field technician is responsible for performing and documenting the results of the acceptance testing procedures on the certificate of acceptance documents. The field technician must sign the certificate of acceptance to certify that the information provided on the certificate of acceptance is true and correct. The field technician does not require a contractor’s, architect's or engineer's license but may require certification as an acceptance test technician (ATT).
While it is preferred that the same field technician that performed the installation also perform the acceptance test, it is not required. A separate technician (or contractor, engineer, architect, or even the responsible person) can perform the acceptance test and sign for the field technician.
An ATT is a certification standard for technicians, contractors, engineers, architects, and commission agents that design, install, and commission (perform acceptance testing) for lighting controls and mechanical system in newly constructed or existing nonresidential buildings or spaces.
The certification is restricted to applicants with a minimum of three years of professional experience and expertise in either lighting or mechanical controls. Qualifying experience for certification is provided by verifiable employment as an electrical contractor, certified general electrician, licensed architect, professional engineer, controls installation and startup contractor, HVAC installer, mechanical contractor, Testing and Balancing certified technician, or certified commissioning professional with verifiable experience in lighting controls or HVAC installations. ATTs are provided classroom and laboratory training to perform acceptance testing. ATTs must pass classroom and laboratory testing to gain their certification. The ATT is required to work with the California Energy Commission (CEC) approved acceptance test technician certification provider (ATTCP) to track and verify quality assurance of their acceptance test performance.
•A certified lighting controls ATT is required to perform the lighting controls acceptance tests referenced by §130.4|topic=SECTION 130.4 –LIGHTING CONTROL ACCEPTANCE AND INSTALLATION CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS. and §160.5(e), and to sign the certificate(s) of acceptance (NRCAs).
•A certified mechanical ATT is required to perform the mechanical acceptance tests referenced by §120.5 and §160.3(d), and sign the Certificate(s) of Acceptance.
•Mechanical ATTs may perform the HERS field verification and diagnostic tests covered in the scope of Nonresidential Appendix NA2. These HERS tests are commonly performed by HERS Raters but can be performed by mechanical ATTs with the approval of the local jurisdiction.
•Other acceptance tests, such as those for covering processes and building envelope do not require a certified ATT.
More information on becoming certified and other information on ATTs can be found at http://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/attcp/.
A certificate of acceptance must be signed by a responsible person who is licensed and eligible under Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code to take responsibility for the scope of work documented by the certificate of acceptance. In assuming responsibility for the work as a whole, the responsible person assumes responsibility for the acceptance testing work performed by his or her field technician, agent or employee.
The responsible person may perform the acceptance testing if qualified to do so. If qualified, the responsible person must complete and sign both the field technician's signature block and the responsible person's signature block on the Certificate of Acceptance document. (In addition to being licensed, a responsible person that conducts his or her own testing must also be a certified ATT if he or she is performing an acceptance test that requires a certified ATT.)
Nonresidential Duct Leakage Testing. When single-zone, constant volume space-conditioning systems (1) serving less than 5,000 ft² of floor area and (2) having more than 25 percent of the system surface duct area are located in unconditioned space, duct sealing is prescriptively required by §140.4(l) for newly constructed buildings and §141.0(b)2C, D, and E for HVAC alterations. A HERS Verification of the duct system must be conducted by a certified HERS Rater to verify that the air distribution duct leakage of the system is within specifications required by the Energy Code. The HERS Verification is performed each duct system or on a sample (one in seven) of duct systems. For example, a series of buildings on a project site where the contractor is installing new HVAC systems (qualifying as indicated above) would require that the associated ducts be tested for leakage (limited to 15 percent of the system air volume). The installing contractor can perform and document the duct leakage test (NRCA-MCH-04a-A) and place seven of the completed NRCAs in a group. The group is then given to a HERS Rater, who selects one at random and performs the same acceptance test. The HERS Rater then records only the HERS Verification that they performed in the HERS data registry.
As an alternative for the contractor or builder (and approved by the enforcement agency), an ATT may perform and document the duct leakage test (NRCA-MCH-04b-A) and avoid using a HERS Rater. The ATT must record the duct test in the ATTCP database tracking system. In either case, each duct system must be tested. Multifamily Indoor Air Quality Testing. New for the 2022 Energy Code, mechanical ATTs may also perform the indoor air quality (IAQ) HERS Verifications specified in Reference Appendix NA1 (see Table 14.1-1) in place of HERS Raters for low-rise multifamily buildings.
Table 14.1-1: HERS Verification Eligible to be Performed by Certified Mechanical ATTs
|
HERS Verification |
Verification Description |
ATT-NRCA Form and |
|
Dwelling-Unit Mechanical Ventilation Airflow – Continuous Operation |
Verify that whole-building ventilation system complies with the airflow rate required by ASHRAE Standard 62.2. |
NRCA-MCH-20a-A, and NRCA-MCH-20c-A |
|
Dwelling-Unit Mechanical Ventilation Airflow – Intermittent Operation |
Verify that whole-building ventilation system complies with the airflow rate required by ASHRAE Standard 62.2. |
Forms and procedures posted with CEC Manufacturer Certification Program (https://www.energy.ca.gov/rules-and-regulations/building-energy-efficiency/manufacturer-certification-building-equipment-6) Energy Code Reference: NA2.2.4.2 |
|
Kitchen Local Mechanical Exhaust Verification |
Verify using certified performance rating data from the HVI Directory or the AHAM Directory for determining that the kitchen exhaust system complies with listed requirements.
|
NRCA-MCH-20a-A, and NRCA-MCH-20b-A |
|
Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) or Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) Rated Performance Verification |
Verify that HRV or ERV system meets or exceeds the performance required for compliance. |
NRCA-MCH-20a-A, and NRCA-MCH-20d-A |
|
Building Envelope Air Leakage |
The purpose of this test procedure is to measure the air leakage rate through a multifamily dwelling unit enclosure measured in cubic feet per minute |
NRCA-MCH-21-A |
Source: California Energy Commission
A commissioning provider (also referred as a commissioning agent) is not defined by the Energy Code but is an industry term for a person who may be contracted by the owner to verify functional performance testing is conducted (among other responsibilities) to ensure proper performance at building turnover. Commissioning during construction is required by §120.8|topic=SECTION 120.8 – NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING COMMISSIONING. In general, newly constructed nonresidential buildings with more than 10,000 square feet of conditioned floor area must comply with all of the requirements in §120.8|topic=SECTION 120.8 – NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING COMMISSIONING (full commissioning). Smaller buildings are required to complete just the design review phase of commissioning. The commissioning requirements in §120.8|topic=SECTION 120.8 – NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING COMMISSIONING do not apply to healthcare facilities, which have parallel requirements in Chapter 7 of the California Administrative Code (Title 24, Part 1), and do not apply to additions or alterations to existing buildings.
Although system commissioning and acceptance testing are related, not all projects that require acceptance testing will also require full commissioning. If a commissioning agent is part of the project team, they will often be present for functional performance testing of major building systems to verify the tests were completed and passed on behalf of the building owner. (Commissioning agents may instead perform acceptance testing themselves, and if this is the case, they may also need to be a certified ATT). See Nonresidential and Multifamily Compliance Manual Chapter 2 for more information regarding commissioning and commissioning agents.
The certificate of acceptance must be submitted to the enforcement agency, typically at final inspection, to receive the certificate of occupancy. Many enforcement agencies will issue a provisional certificate of occupancy and allow the builder to fix or complete specific elements within a specified time frame. Enforcement agencies may not release a final certificate of occupancy unless the submitted certificate of acceptance demonstrates that the specified systems and equipment have been shown to perform in accordance with the applicable acceptance requirements.
The enforcement agency has the authority to require the field technician or responsible person to demonstrate competence to its satisfaction. When a certified ATT is required to complete an acceptance test, the enforcement agency may verify the ATT certification status through the ATTCP before issuing a certificate of occupancy. For details on how to do this most efficiently, see the Section 14.1.3 below. Please see Nonresidential and Multifamily Compliance Manual Chapter 2 for more information regarding enforcement agencies roles and responsibilities.
See Nonresidential Multifamily Compliance Manual, Chapter 2 for a more complete discussion of the permitting process. As was shown in Figure 14.1-1, the acceptance testing is performed during the Operational Testing phase of permitted construction. The acceptance process itself follows four major steps as shown in Figure 14.1-2.
Figure 14.1-2: Steps in the Acceptance Testing Process
Source: California Energy Commission
The acceptance test process is slightly different when an ATT is required. As shown in Figure 14.1-3 the difference is in the use of the ATTCP when completing and submitting the completed forms (the final step in the general acceptance test process shown in Figure 14.1-2).
Figure 14.1-3: Final Step to Submit Completed Forms for the ATT Acceptance Testing Process
Source:
California Energy Commission
Reviewing the acceptance requirements with the contractor before installation may help the process run smoothly. In some cases, performing tests immediately after installation is most economical, though this requires the complete installation of any associated systems and equipment necessary for proper system operation. Awareness of the acceptance test requirements can allow the contractor to identify a design or construction practice that would not comply with the Energy Code before equipment installation.
A technician or ATT assumes the responsibility for performing the required acceptance test requirement procedures in NA7|topic=Appendix NA7 – Installation and Acceptance Requirements for Nonresidential Buildings and Covered Processes and reproduced on the Certificates of Acceptance for convenience. The CEC expects that the same technician or ATT that installed the efficiency feature will perform all the required acceptance tests for that feature, but this is not required. The technician or ATT who performs the acceptance test is responsible for identifying and remediating all performance deficiencies, repeating the test (if necessary) until the specified efficiency feature is performing in accordance with the acceptance test requirements.
Additionally, the CEC makes the following recommendations as a good industry practice, but are not required:
•When planning construction, consider costs of testing within subcontractor bids, scheduling time within the overall construction schedule and coordination with commissioning if required on the project.
•Purchasing sensors and equipment with calibration certificates often reduces the amount of time required for site calibration, which can lower overall costs.
•In some cases, performing tests immediately after installation or during set-up and commissioning is most economical, though this requires the complete installation of any associated systems and equipment necessary for proper system operation.
The technician or ATT is responsible to verify that the efficiency feature is installed as indicated by the approved plans including the certificate of compliance. These plans, including the certificates of compliance, are approved by the enforcement agency during the permit application phase (see Figure 14.1-1). See Nonresidential and Multifamily Compliance Manual, Chapter 2 for a detailed explanation of the permitting process and roles and responsibilities. The certificates of compliance are completed by using the Virtual Compliance Assistant (VCA) Tool. The VCA Tool will indicate what acceptance tests are to be completed for each efficiency features at permit application phase. The technician or ATT must verify with the help of the responsible person what acceptances are to be performed and on what efficiency features. The technician or ATT is then to install the efficiency feature and ensure that it is operational and ready for acceptance testing.
The construction inspection for acceptance testing is primarily a visual inspection of the installed efficiency feature (including records inspection), but may include some measurements. The construction inspection helps to ensure that the efficiency feature is present and capable of complying with the acceptance test requirements for the functional test.
The field technician or ATT performs the required construction inspection before functional testing as prescribed by the requirements in NA7|topic=Appendix NA7 – Installation and Acceptance Requirements for Nonresidential Buildings and Covered Processes for each acceptance test.
The technician or ATT performs the functional testing requirements for each acceptance test as prescribed in NA7|topic=Appendix NA7 – Installation and Acceptance Requirements for Nonresidential Buildings and Covered Processes. The functional tests generally focus on the controls for the efficiency feature indicating a pass/fail for each setting. However, several functional tests do require specific measurements and calculations to pass, such the outdoor air volume delivered to a space.
Once the efficiency feature passes the acceptance test requirements, the technician or ATT who performed the acceptance test completes the respective Certificate of Acceptance form and signs it to assert that the information recorded on the certificate is true and correct. In some instances, it may be beneficial for the technician or ATT to complete the Certificate of Acceptance form when the efficiency feature does not pass acceptance testing. This may help the technician or ATT identify the issues or errors that the efficiency feature is having that prevent it from passing. This information can be used to convey these issues to the responsible person for the project for remedy. A responsible person for the project must also sign the form to ensure that the performance of the scope of work specified by the Certificate of Acceptance and the test results provided by the field technician are complete.
As noted previously, the responsible person may also perform the field technician's responsibilities and, if so, must sign the field technician declaration on the certificate of acceptance. If the acceptance test requires a certified ATT, the responsible person must be a certified ATT to perform the acceptance test.
If the project includes duct leakage testing and a HERS Rater verification is to be performed, then the Certificate of Verification compliance documentation must be registered with the HERS Provider. See Nonresidential and Multifamily Compliance Manual, Chapter 2 for a more detailed discussion of HERS Verification process.
The completed and signed Certificate of Acceptance form must be submitted to the enforcement agency in accordance with the local laws, ordinances, regulations, or customs.
Building inspectors may review the forms during inspection. Inspectors can also verify that the ATT certification status through the ATTCP online certification lists. Finally, the inspector can verify that the completed form is valid by relying on the watermark provided by the ATTCP or by contacting the ATTCP to verify the form over the phone or via internet. Some ATTCPs provide a QR-Code for a quick and simple verification. ATTCP documents should not be accepted if completed by hand, completed electronically outside the ATTCP online interface, or fails to show the ATTCP logo and watermark.