How commissioning earns Green Star credits, what the independent commissioning agent has to evidence, and how seasonal tuning closes the gap to a real NABERS rating.
Green Star rewards the process; NABERS measures the result. Commissioning is the only activity that touches both — it is a credit pathway during delivery and the mechanism that stops a building drifting away from its modelled performance once it is occupied.
Commissioning and Tuning credits typically require a documented commissioning plan, an independent commissioning agent, comprehensive pre-handover commissioning, and a 12-month building tuning programme with quarterly reviews. Adjacent credits — metering, monitoring and the building information pack — also depend on commissioning evidence.
A commissioning plan issued before construction, design commissionability reviews, witnessed test records, an integrated systems test report, verified O&M documentation, delivered training records, and quarterly tuning reports across the first year of operation.
Most of the gap between a modelled rating and an achieved rating is control-related: schedules left in commissioning mode, economy cycles disabled, simultaneous heating and cooling, and setpoints widened during defects liability. Seasonal tuning finds these — typically recovering double-digit percentage energy reductions in year one.
Appoint the commissioning agent at concept, not at practical completion. Fund seasonal tuning as a separate line item. Make tuning reports a condition of final payment. Rate the building only after tuning, not before.
Free download · PDF · 2 pages
The credit pathways and tuning programme as a branded PCM PDF.
