Testing & Commissioning

• Review of design documentation, specifications, and the owner's project requirements
• Development of commissioning plans, test scripts, and acceptance criteria
• Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) coordination and witnessing for critical plant and equipment
• Pre-functional checklists and installation verification
• Equipment start-up witnessing and recording
• Functional performance testing of individual systems
• Integrated systems testing across HVAC, BMS, electrical, and life-safety
• Issues logging, root-cause analysis, and retesting
• Compilation of test results, as-built data, and operator handover documentation

• Mechanical System Testing & Commissioning

  Systematic testing and commissioning of HVAC and mechanical systems — from chilled-water and heating plant through air-handling units, fan coil units, and associated controls. Each system is taken from pre-functional verification through functional performance testing to final acceptance.

  • Pre-functional inspection of mechanical plant, pipework, and ductwork
  • Chiller, boiler, and cooling tower start-up and performance verification
  • Air-handling unit and fan coil unit functional performance testing
  • Duct leakage testing and pressure verification
  • Controls sequence and BMS integration verification
  • Refrigerant leak testing and pressure decay testing

• Electrical Testing & Commissioning

  Independent testing and commissioning of low-voltage and high-voltage electrical systems — from HV/LV switchgear and distribution boards through UPS, standby generation, and metering. All testing follows applicable IEC and BS standards with witnessed and recorded results.

  • HV and LV switchgear installation verification and protection relay testing
  • Insulation resistance, earth continuity, and loop impedance testing
  • Distribution board schedule verification and circuit testing
  • UPS and battery system functional testing and switchover verification
  • Generator load testing and automatic transfer switch verification
  • Power quality and metering accuracy verification

• Testing & Balancing (TAB)

  Air and hydronic balancing to ensure designed flow rates are achieved across all served spaces — carried out in accordance with ASHRAE or CIBSE guidelines and verified against the design schedule. Imbalances identified during TAB are resolved through adjustment, not accepted as-found.

  • Air systems balancing: supply, return, and exhaust across all zones
  • Hydronic systems balancing: chilled water, heating water, and condenser water circuits
  • Flow measurement using calibrated anemometers, pitot tubes, and clamp-on flow meters
  • Fan and pump performance verification against design duty points
  • Variable air volume (VAV) and variable flow control verification
  • Final TAB report with as-found and as-left readings for every terminal

• ELV Systems Testing & Commissioning

  Testing and commissioning of extra-low-voltage systems — including structured cabling, CCTV, access control, public address, audio-visual, and BMS networks — verifying that every sub-system performs to specification and integrates correctly with the wider building infrastructure.

  • Structured cabling certification: copper and fibre, including OTDR and link testing
  • CCTV system functional testing and camera coverage verification
  • Access control and intercom system functional performance testing
  • Public address and audio-visual system commissioning and level setting
  • IP network and building management system communications verification
  • System integration testing across ELV sub-systems and interfaces to BMS

• Building Management System (BMS) Testing & Commissioning

  End-to-end verification of BMS hardware, software, and control sequences — from field device loop checking through graphic commissioning to final integrated testing against the owner's project requirements. Particular attention is given to sequence of operations, setpoint accuracy, and alarm management.

  • Field device loop checking: sensors, actuators, and controllers
  • Control sequence verification against the approved sequence-of-operations document
  • BMS graphic display and trending verification
  • Alarm management setup and priority verification
  • Energy metering and sub-metering integration commissioning
  • BMS-to-life-safety interface testing and cause-and-effect verification

• Fire Fighting System Testing & Commissioning

  Testing and commissioning of active fire suppression systems — including sprinkler systems, gaseous suppression, and wet/dry risers — to ensure that every system activates correctly, discharges in the right zone, and integrates with the fire alarm and building management system.

  • Sprinkler system hydraulic test, flow test, and inspector's test valve verification
  • Gaseous suppression system functional test and zone verification (pre-discharge)
  • Wet and dry riser pressure testing and valve operation verification
  • Fire pump start-up: duty, standby, and jockey pump functional testing
  • Foam and mist system functional testing where applicable
  • Integration with fire alarm cause-and-effect matrix verification

• Fire Alarm & Cause-and-Effect Testing

  Systematic testing of the fire detection and alarm system across every loop, zone, and device — followed by full cause-and-effect testing to verify that every alarm input triggers the correct output responses across all connected systems, including smoke control, suppression, lift recall, and access control.

  • Detector and call-point functional testing — 100% of installed devices
  • Alarm routing and zone verification against the fire strategy and drawings
  • Fire alarm panel programming verification against the approved matrix
  • Full cause-and-effect testing: every trigger mapped to every required response
  • Smoke control system integration and actuator response verification
  • Third-party life-safety interface testing: lifts, access control, BMS, and suppression

• Integrated Systems Testing (IST)

  The final commissioning phase — verifying that all building systems operate together as a coordinated whole under simulated normal and emergency operating scenarios. IST is typically the last activity before practical completion and the final evidence that the building is ready for occupation.

  • IST programme development: scenarios, acceptance criteria, and participant matrix
  • Normal-mode operation scenarios across HVAC, electrical, BMS, and life-safety
  • Emergency-mode scenarios: fire, power failure, and loss-of-cooling events
  • Witnessed and recorded verification against each scenario acceptance criterion
  • Deficiency log with priority grading and resolution tracking
  • Final IST completion report confirming readiness for occupation

• Retro-Commissioning / Re-Commissioning

  Applied to existing buildings whose systems no longer perform to design intent — typically after a change of ownership, a refurbishment, or 7–10 years of operation. The methodology is similar to new-build commissioning but works backwards: from observed performance against the original design baseline.

  • As-found system assessment and BMS sequence verification
  • Baseline performance benchmarking against historical or design data
  • Short-term sub-metering for diagnostic data capture
  • Performance optimisation recommendations with payback ranking
  • Re-testing after remediation to verify the improvement

• Commercial Buildings
• Data Centres
• Healthcare
• Hospitality
• Industrial
• Infrastructure

Projects led by members of our team in prior roles before CXA Global — drawn from our project experience list to illustrate where this discipline applies.

• 

  Marsa Al Seef, Phases 1–4AED 1.5B

  Dubai, UAE

• 

  Address the GrandAED 1.2B

  Dubai, UAE

• 

  Palace Residences & HotelAED 500M

  Dubai, UAE