The Commissioning Manager (CM), acting as the Owner’s Representative, is responsible for providing governance, technical oversight, and acceptance authority for the commissioning process on colocation data center projects. This role ensures that building systems are designed, installed, tested, and perform in accordance with the Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR), ASHRAE commissioning principles, and the operational needs of a multi-tenant, concurrently maintainable facility.
The Commissioning Manager oversees—but does not directly perform—commissioning activities executed by the Architect & Engineer (A&E), General Contractor (GC) and subcontractors, and the independent Commissioning Agent (CxA). The CM ensures alignment, integration, and completeness of commissioning deliverables from design through operational turnover.
Commissioning Framework & Roles
- L0 – Design Commissioning (A&E Led)
A&E is responsible for development and execution of design-phase commissioning deliverables including the OPR, Basis of Design (BOD), Sequence of Operations (SOO), and design reviews. - L1–L3 – Construction & Acceptance Phase Commissioning (GC Led)
GC is responsible for commissioning plan development and execution covering installation verification, pre-functional testing, functional performance testing, and system-level verification. - L4–L5 – Integrated Systems & Operational Commissioning (CxA Led)
The independent Commissioning Agent is responsible for commissioning plan development and execution of integrated systems testing, failure mode testing, and operational readiness validation.
The Commissioning Manager ensures conformance to Local and National Building Codes, Project Specifications and BOD.
Key Responsibilities
Owner’s Representation & Commissioning Governance
- Act as the Owner’s commissioning authority for colocation facilities, representing Owner interests in performance, reliability, safety, and tenant readiness.
- Ensure commissioning activities align with ASHRAE commissioning process and terminology.
- Establish and maintain commissioning roles, responsibilities, interfaces, and acceptance criteria across all parties.
- Serve as escalation authority for commissioning-related risks, conflicts, and non-conformances.
Design Phase Commissioning Oversight (L0 – A&E Led)
- Oversee the A&E’s development and execution of project stakeholder aligned design commissioning deliverables.
- Review and approve:
- Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR), with specific focus on colocation operational flexibility, scalability, and tenant isolation
- Basis of Design (BOD) for mechanical, electrical, controls, and life-safety systems
- Sequences of Operation (SOO) supporting concurrent maintainability and fault tolerance
- Have an awareness and act accordingly if design documentation are required to supports future tenant fit-outs, phased occupancy, and live-site expansions.
Construction & Acceptance Phase Oversight (L1–L3 – GC Led)
- Oversee the GC’s development and execution of commissioning plans and procedures consistent with industry and/or ASHRAE Standards.
- Verify effective coordination between GC and subcontractors for:
- L1: Factory testing, material verification, and equipment certification
- L2: Installation verification and pre-functional checklists
- L3: Functional performance testing at the system level
- Ensure commissioning activities reflect multi-tenant operational constraints, including isolation of tenant spaces and shared infrastructure.
- Review commissioning documentation, test results, deficiency logs, and corrective action plans.
Integrated Systems & Operational Commissioning Oversight (L4–L5 – CxA Led)
- Oversee the CxA’s development and execution of integrated systems commissioning plans.
- Validate that L4 and L5 testing aligns with project definitions and contracted General Requirements for Integrated Systems Testing (IST) and Operational Performance Verification.
- Ensure testing includes but not limited to:
- Failure mode and effects testing (FMET)
- Load transfer and redundancy validation
- Controls integration and alarm management
- Witness and participate in acceptance testing required for Owner turnover and tenant readiness.
Colocation-Specific Operational Readiness
- Ensure commissioning supports partial turnover, phased energization, and tenant-by-tenant occupancy.
- Validate operational procedures, emergency response scenarios, and tenant-impact mitigation strategies.
- Support development and validation of facility operations manuals, training programs, and handover documentation.
- Coordinate commissioning activities with Owner operations, leasing, and tenant delivery teams.
Quality, Risk, Safety, and Compliance
- Ensure all commissioning activities comply with applicable local and national building codes, regulatory requirements, project specifications, and ASHRAE guidelines and standards.
- Align with site Safety Professionals on Control of Hazardous Energy (COHE) principles throughout all commissioning phases to ensure personnel safety, equipment protection, energy efficiency, and long-term operational reliability.
- Collaborate with Site Safety Professionals in relation to governance and enforcement of Control of Hazardous Energy (COHE) and Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) requirements across all commissioning activities.
- Require that all commissioning activities involving energized systems, system manipulation, or failure scenario testing are conducted under formally approved COHE and LOTO procedures.
- Verify that clear authority, roles, and responsibilities are established for hazardous energy isolation, lock application, tag control, verification, and release during commissioning and integrated systems testing.
- Ensure commissioning plans, test procedures, and method statements explicitly identify hazardous energy sources, isolation points, and required safety controls prior to execution.
- Align with Site Safety Professionals on required documented LOTO plans, switching procedures, and job hazard analyses (JHAs) for commissioning activities involving:
- Electrical energization and de-energization
- Mechanical, thermal, hydraulic, pneumatic, and stored energy systems
- Integrated Systems Testing (IST), Failure Mode and Effects Testing (FMET), and operational scenario exercises
- Coordinate COHE and LOTO execution with Owner safety leadership, GC safety teams, subcontractors, and the Commissioning Agent to prevent unauthorized energization, unsafe testing conditions, or system operation.
- Coordinate with Owner safety leadership regarding commissioning-related risks unique to colocation environments, including shared infrastructure, live systems, phased turnover, and tenant-adjacent operations.
- Track, manage, and drive closure of commissioning deficiencies and safety-related findings in alignment with Owner acceptance criteria and project schedule milestones.
- Support Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) inspections, utility coordination, and occupancy requirements as they relate to commissioning, energization, and life-safety system acceptance.
Documentation & Reporting
- Ensure commissioning documentation is complete, auditable, and traceable across all phases.
- Maintain commissioning logs, issue trackers, and executive-level status reports.
- Verify all commissioning records are transferred into Owner document management systems.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Architectural Engineering, or equivalent experience.
- And/or 8–12+ years of experience in data center design, construction, or commissioning, with direct colocation experience.
- Strong understanding of COHE and LOTO requirements
- Strong working knowledge of ASHRAE Guidelines, AMSE and NEC.
- Proven experience acting as Owner’s Representative or Owner’s Agent for mission-critical facilities.
Preferred Qualifications
- Certified Commissioning Professional (CCP), PE, or equivalent certification.
- Experience with multi-tenant, concurrently maintainable data center designs.
- Familiarity with tenant delivery, phased turnover, and live-site commissioning.
Core Competencies
- ASHRAE-based commissioning leadership
- Multi-tenant risk management
- Systems integration and operational readiness
- Technical communication and documentation rigor
- Stakeholder coordination across design, construction, and operations