Functional Testing Guide for Air Handling Systems: From the Fundamentals to the Field

The Functional Testing Guide for Air Handlers: From the Fundamentals to the Field (Functional Testing Guide) provides both a practical understanding of the fundamentals of air handling systems and field tips for functional testing. The Functional Testing Guide also reviews the energy and performance implications of common problems and provides links to test procedures. The Functional Testing Guide allows easy access to the many functional tests collected in the Commissioning Test Protocol Library (CTPL) developed by Pacific Gas & Electric Company. The CTPL is the largest existing collection of functional test procedures, including many non-copyrighted test procedures that can be customized to suit individual system configurations. Since the test procedures in the CTPL do not include detailed explanations, the Functional Testing Guide explains the "how" and "why" behind the functional tests in the CTPL. Understanding the reasoning behind test procedures and how to interpret and act upon the results is essential for successful testing. Together, the Functional Testing Guide and the CTPL will help commissioning providers standardize their functional testing procedures and improve quality control, two issues which continue to burden the commissioning industry. The Functional Testing Guide also covers design issues as a basis for design review and to help identify solutions for failed functional tests. The information in the Functional Testing Guide will help commissioning providers:

• Understand how to test from a systems perspective
• Identify common problems and the root causes of these problems
• Customize test procedures to meet the needs of their specific projects
• Understand why a specific test sequence is being executed
• Understand the possible outcomes and necessary precautions for the test sequence
• Understand the costs and benefits of the test sequences

Commissioning providers are the primary audience for the Functional Testing Guide and the CTPL. The commissioning providers using the Functional Testing Guide should already be familiar with the commissioning process, HVAC fundamentals, and the building construction process and industry.