scope:

Products and Applications Included

This standard describes installation procedures for start-up, testing, and commissioning newly installed or retrofitted building electrical systems, equipment, and components. It defines the process of commissioning building electrical systems, equipment, and components, and provides sample guidelines for attaining optimum system performance that conform to design, specification, and industry accepted codes and standards.

This Standard addresses those commissioning activities that typically involve the electrical sub-contractor and that are completed during and after the construction phase. The commissioning process also involves activities that are beyond the scope of this Standard.

Products and Applications Excluded

This standard is not intended to cover specific commissioning processes for every type of electrical system, equipment, or component. Other NEIS documents that include commissioning and testing requirements for electrical systems, equipment, and components are included as references and are listed in Annex B.

In addition, this standard does not cover:

• Procedures for commissioning systems such as fire alarm systems, telecommunications networks, closed circuit television (CCTV) systems, access control systems, and other limited energy systems.

• Testing of specialty equipment and systems, such as transformers, wiring, and line isolation monitors installed as part of isolated power systems for wet locations in healthcare facilities.

• Commissioning and acceptance testing required in accordance with applicable national, state, and local codes and regulations for life safety systems, emergency systems, and critical operations power systems (COPS) in addition to the generic commissioning and acceptance testing required by this Standard.

• On-going commissioning and/or maintenance testing required by applicable national, state, and local codes and regulations for specific applications and systems, such as healthcare facilities and emergency systems.

Regulatory and Other Requirements

All information in this publication is intended to conform to the NEC (ANSI/NFPA 70). Installers shall follow the NEC, applicable state and local codes, manufacturer instructions, and contract documents when commissioning building electrical systems.

Only qualified persons as defined in the NEC familiar with the commissioning of building electrical systems shall perform the technical work described in this publication. Administrative and commissioning support functions such as receiving, handling and storing and other tasks may be performed under the supervision of a qualified person. All work shall be performed in accordance with NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace.

General requirements for installing electrical products and systems are described in NECA 1, Standard for Good Workmanship in Electrical Construction (ANSI). Other NEIS provide additional guidance for installing particular types of electrical products and systems. Other reference standards and a complete list of NEIS are provided in Annex B.

Mandatory Requirements, Permissive Requirements, Quality and Performance Recommendations, Explanatory Material, and Informative Annexes

Mandatory Requirements. Mandatory requirements in manufacturer instructions, or of Codes or other mandatory Standards that may or not be adopted into law, are those that identify actions that are specifically required or prohibited and are characterized by the use of the terms must or must not, shall or shall not, or are not permitted, or are required, or by the use of positive phrasing of mandatory requirements. Examples of mandatory requirements may equally take the form of, "equipment must be protected…," "equipment shall be protected…," or "protect equipment…," with the latter interpreted (understood) as "(it is necessary to) protect equipment…".

Permissive requirements of manufacturer instructions, or of Codes or other mandatory Standards that may or not be adopted into law, are those that identify actions that that are allowed but not required, or are normally used to describe options or alternative means and methods, and are characterized in this Standard by the use of the terms may or may not, or are permitted, or are not required.

Quality and Performance Recommendations.

Quality and performance recommendations identify actions that are recommended or not recommended to improve the overall quality or performance of the installation and are characterized by the use of the term should or should not.

Explanatory Material. Explanatory material, such as references to other Codes, Standards, or documents, references to related sections of this Standard, information related to another Code, Standard, or document, and supplemental application and design information and data, is included throughout this Standard to expand the understanding of mandatory requirements, permissive requirements, and quality and performance recommendations. Such explanatory material is included for information only, and is identified by the use of the term "NOTE," or by the use of italicized text.

Informative Annexes. Non-mandatory information and other reference standards or documents relative to the application and use of materials, equipment, and systems covered by this Standard are provided in informative annexes. Informative annexes are not part of the enforceable requirements of this Standard, but are included for information purposes only.