Commissioning Standard Translated into Spanish to Promote Better Building Practices

From eSociety, April 2019

The updated Spanish translation of ASHRAE/IES Standard 202, Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems, could help Spanish-speaking engineers improve their commissioning processes.

The sole translator of Standard 202—Andrés Sepúlveda, Member ASHRAE, vice president and Chapter Technology Transfer Chair for the ASHRAE Spain Chapter—said the translation will help promote commissioning among property owners and end-users as a cost-efficient investment to have buildings meet their expectations and be well-managed by a well-trained operations and maintenance staff.

Sepúlveda further explains the uses of this translation.

1. What is the significance of this standard being translated into Spanish?

The commissioning industry is still at an early stage in Spain. The idea behind translating ASHRAE/IES Standard 202, Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems, and other ASHRAE commissioning publications into Spanish was to bring to our market the quite structured and applicable American way of doing commissioning.

The 2018 edition of Standard 202 is an excellent tool that very clearly specified how to implement the commissioning process both by activities and project phases.

The spectrum of potential Spanish readers of this standard is quite wide from end-users to practitioners because it addresses how the fundamental functional building requirements can be delivered and maintained by an effective commissioning process coming on board at a very early stage of a project. Those requirements include high energy efficiency, adequate comfort and a good program to have well-trained O&M staff.

2. Why is it important to translate this topic now?

American sustainability certifications such as LEED and the WELL Building Standard strongly advise the application of Standard 202 among other ASHRAE commissioning standards and guidelines.

These certifications are nowadays widely demanded in new and existing buildings by property owners and end-users. They both understood the commissioning process in an excellent and complementary way to manage a project aimed at delivering buildings that operate as expected.

Spanish contractors and manufacturers who were a bit reluctant years ago are now very supportive to the commissioning regime carried out by an independent and third party.

3. What lessons, facts and/or guidance can an engineer working in the field take away from this translated standard?

Those engineers who are designing building systems are more reassured since they know that their basis of design through their corresponding nominal values and conditions are going to be adjusted and verified thanks to commissioning.

Those working in building facility management are now more confident on having really well-trained O&M personnel.

Those engineers working in contracting are now much more supportive to the benefit of commissioning.

Standard 202-2018 is very illustrative in showing the great benefits of commissioned buildings in order to increase their reliability and efficiency.

4. How can this translation further the industry’s knowledge on this topic?

The Spanish translation of ASHRAE Standard 202-2018 will be very important to promote commissioning among property owners and end-users as a cost-efficient investment to have buildings meet their expectations and be well-managed by a well-trained operations and maintenance staff.

5. Were there any surprises or unforeseen challenges for you when preparing this translated standard?

I must admit the exercise of translating an ASHRAE publication is always very exciting and rewarding. You need to understand the technical principles, and then address them in a way that is well-understood by the potential readers, without introducing any changes.

I am sure the translation into Spanish of Standard 202-2018 is going to be a great success in the Spanish construction industry.