Technical guide
Commissioning Management & BSRIA BG2: a practical guide for M&E projects.
How the Commissioning Manager's role, programme and deliverables are defined under BSRIA BG2/2010 and CIBSE Commissioning Code M - and what good looks like on a UK construction project.
What is HVAC commissioning?
HVAC commissioning is the structured engineering process that proves heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems are installed correctly and operating in line with the design intent. It is not a single test at the end of a project - it is a sequence of design reviews, witness inspections, static completions, dynamic balancing and integrated systems testing carried out across the build programme.
In the UK, the framework is set by three CIBSE Commissioning Codes - Code A for air systems, Code W for water systems and Code M for management - supported by BSRIA guides including BG2/2010 (Commissioning Management), BG29/2021 (Pre-Commission Cleaning) and BG50/2021 (Water Treatment).
BSRIA BG2/2010 - what it actually defines.
BG2/2010 Commissioning Management is the BSRIA guide that formalises the Commissioning Manager role on UK projects. It sits alongside CIBSE Commissioning Code M and sets out: the appointment stage, the scope of services at each RIBA stage, the deliverables the Commissioning Manager owns, and the interfaces with the design team, principal contractor and specialist sub-contractors.
BG2 is deliberately programme-led. It treats commissioning as a coordinated workstream - not a punch-list - and assigns clear responsibility for the master commissioning programme, witness regime and final certification pack.
The role, stage by stage
Where the Commissioning Manager adds value.
Design (RIBA 2–4)
Review specifications, drawings and specialist scopes for commissionability. Set out the commissioning strategy, witness regime and information requirements. Define which BSRIA and CIBSE codes apply to each system.
Pre-construction
Develop the Commissioning Management Plan, master commissioning programme and trade interfaces. Procure specialist sub-contractors against clearly scoped packages and witness arrangements.
Construction & installation
Witness static completion, pressure tests, pre-commission cleaning (BG29/2021) and water quality (BG50/2021). Track readiness against the live programme and escalate constraints early.
Commissioning & IST
Coordinate air and water balancing (CIBSE Codes A & W), BMS validation, life-safety cause-and-effect, and integrated systems testing. Chair commissioning progress meetings and maintain the witness register.
Handover & Soft Landings
Issue the certification pack, validate O&M information, support client training and seasonal commissioning. Feed lessons-learned into post-occupancy evaluation per BSRIA BG54/2018.
Key deliverables
What the Commissioning Manager owns under BG2.
BG2/2010 frames the Commissioning Manager as the single point of accountability for a coordinated, witnessed and certified commissioning effort. Typical deliverables include:
- Commissioning Management Plan aligned to BSRIA BG2/2010
- Master commissioning programme integrated with the construction programme
- Design-stage commissionability review (RIBA 2–4)
- Specialist sub-contractor scope reviews and gap analysis
- Witness and sign-off schedule for static and dynamic testing
- Integrated systems testing (IST) coordination
- Soft Landings (BSRIA BG54/2018) alignment and POE inputs
- O&M data, training records and final handover certification
Relevant standards
We work to
- BSRIA BG2/2010 - Commissioning Management
- CIBSE Commissioning Code M - Management
- CIBSE Commissioning Code A - Air
- CIBSE Commissioning Code W - Water
- BSRIA BG29/2021 - Pre-Commission Cleaning
- BSRIA BG50/2021 - Water Treatment
- BSRIA BG54/2018 - Soft Landings
FAQs
Common questions.
- What is HVAC commissioning?
- HVAC commissioning is the structured process of verifying that heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems are installed, tested, balanced and operating in accordance with the design intent and the relevant CIBSE Commissioning Codes (A for Air, W for Water, M for Management). It begins at design and continues through to seasonal post-occupancy checks.
- What does BSRIA BG2/2010 cover?
- BG2/2010 'Commissioning Management' is the UK industry guide that defines the Commissioning Manager's role, the deliverables expected at each project stage and how commissioning is planned, witnessed and signed off. It is the companion document to CIBSE Commissioning Code M.
- When should a Commissioning Manager be appointed?
- BG2/2010 recommends appointment at RIBA Stage 2 or 3 - early enough to influence design for commissionability, set the witness regime and lock the programme. Late appointment routinely causes overruns at handover.
- How is a Commissioning Manager different from a Commissioning Engineer?
- The engineer performs the physical testing and balancing of systems. The manager is a project-level role: planning, programming, witnessing and reporting on the full commissioning effort across all specialist trades.
- How does commissioning management interact with Soft Landings?
- Soft Landings (BSRIA BG54/2018) extends commissioning into operation - seasonal commissioning, aftercare and post-occupancy evaluation. The Commissioning Manager carries the technical baseline that Soft Landings reviews against in-use performance.