Santa Rosa CalGreen Commissioning

Santa Rosa CalGreen Commissioning

As of January 1, 2020, the city of Santa Rosa will require some level of CalGreen commissioning on every project. This includes buildings that are less than 10,000 square feet.

This requirement is part of the 2019 California Energy Code changes and it is independent of the existing CalGreen Commissioning requirements for larger buildings.

The 2019 Energy Code requires ALL non-residential buildings less than 10,000 square feet comply with the Design Review sections of the Commissioning requirements. This is noted in section 120.8 of the Energy Code. The specific Design Review requirements are specified in section 120.8 (d).

The Santa Rosa CalGreen commissioning design phase Design Review must be completed at the end of the building design phase. The commissioning authority must sign both the Design Review Kick-off Certificate of Compliance and the Construction Document Certificate of Compliance. These documents must be submitted along, with the building plans, as part of the permit submittal.

The end of the design phase on every project is a critical time. The sooner the permit is submitted, the sooner you will get approval and be able to start construction. At CalGreen Energy Systems we specialize in quick turn-around of your commissioning documents. We can typically get the Design Review signed documents back to you within two days. 

Commissioning of Buildings Over 10,000 Sq. Ft. in Santa Rosa

All non-residential buildings over 10,000 square feet require the full commissioning process specified in section 120.8. This includes submitting the following documents at the time of permit submittal to the City of Santa Rosa:

1. The Owner’s Project Requirements

2. The Basis of Design

3. The Commissioning Plan

The above documents require input from both the owner and the design team. It is important to hire your commissioning agent early in the design phase. This will help ensure the owner’s expectations are clearly documented and followed through in the design.

The commissioning agent represents the owner of the building. As a third party, separate from the design team they become the technical eyes and ears of the owner. This ensures the owner not only gets the building designed to his requirements. Further, it verifies the building is operating properly at the end of the construction phase.  

Energy Code and CalGreen Code Commissioning

It’s true. Both the Energy Code and the California Green Building Standards Code require commissioning of buildings over 10,000 square feet. The good news is that the two requirements can be combined into a single process. This can save time on your Santa Rosa CalGreen commissioning as well as reducing construction expenses.

At CalGreen Energy Services we are ICC certified CalGreen Special Inspectors. We can combine the two requirements into a single commissioning effort.

What We Do For You

Commissioning is all about communication. The communication needs to begin early in the design stage and continue throughout the construction and beneficial occupancy stages of your project. It is poor communications on the commissioning scope and responsibilities that frequently turn the end phase of a project into a quagmire.

Secondly, commissioning is about engaging all parties to work together. A good commissioning agent can improve the efficiency of the process. This is accomplished by avoiding duplication of procedures by working your subcontractors to streamline the process.

CalGreen Energy Services knows how to ensure all parties on your project understand their roles and responsibilities. This understanding can eliminate confusion and ensure the building owner ends up with a fully commissioned building that will serve them well for years to come.

At CalGreen Energy Services we are specialists in the California Energy Code and the CalGreen Code commissioning requirements.

 If you have a CalGreen question, please feel free to give us a call. We are happy to share our knowledge.   

CalGreen Commissioning

Call us today and let us show you how we can help with your project.

Gary Welch

Email: gary@calgreenenergyservices.com

Phone: 707-328-5299