Building Emergency Management and the Cx Process

Karl Stum, PE, Summit Building Engineering
Walt Ackerman, Summit Building Engineering
Mark Leafstedt, PE, TestMarcx Associates, Inc.

A building’s emergency management systems must be carefully considered during the commissioning process. Karl Stum and Walt Ackerman will review the whole building shutdown test, which analyzes the way every piece of equipment reacts to a full power outage. While useful, this test can often be problematic. Stum and Ackerman will review the typical components of a whole building shutdown test and the elements of a good power-response matrix as well as how to use it. Efficient methods for using the building automation system and for minimizing required staffing will be explained and actual project cases discussed.

Mark Leafstedt will review the commissioning of the fire life safety systems in a building, another critical component of building emergency management. Leafstedt will briefly discuss the MGM Grand fire of 1980 which resulted in major changes in the fire codes of Clark County, Las Vegas, Nevada. An overview of fire life safety system components and code requirements will be provided with discussion of the stringent requirements in Clark County, and the more universal expectations of the International Building Codes Section 909. The similarities and differences between commissioning and acceptance of MEP systems versus Fire Life Safety systems will be examined; as will the means and methods of commissioning life safety systems.