TESTING METHODOLOGY

AC SYSTEM
Location: OPUS MALL
Project: Area Served: COMMON MALL AREA
ROBINSONS OPUS MALL Equipment Involved: CHILLER / AHU / AC PUMPS /
COOLING TOWER

METHOD STATEMENT FOR TESTING AND COMMISSIONING

SCOPE:
Acceptance test procedures shall cover the determination of efficiency and verification of all guarantee of
the Air Conditioning System designed and constructed for the project.

PURPOSE:
The main objective is to balance the air and water distribution system in this project to achieved the desired
space temperature. The process includes

1. Balancing of air distribution system of the following:

a. AHU
b. FCU

2. Balancing of the water distribution system of the following:

a. Chillers
b. PCHWP/SCHWP/COWP Pumps
c. Cooling Towers
d. AHU
e. FCU

3. Adjusting the total air and water to achieve the design quantities.

4. Establishing actual performance of the following equipment such as Chillers, Pumps, Cooling
Towers, AHU, and FCU.

Balancing the air and water distribution system shall be accomplished by checking the installation for
conformity to design, measuring, establishing / that the air and water quantities of the system meet the
required design specification, and recording / reporting the results.

Page 1 of 6
 TESTING METHODOLOGY

AC SYSTEM
Location: OPUS MALL
Project: Area Served: COMMON MALL AREA
ROBINSONS OPUS MALL Equipment Involved: CHILLER / AHU / AC PUMPS /
COOLING TOWER

AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM:

I. GENERAL CRITERIA
The balancing tolerance will be based on the tolerances acceptable in practice for terminal-to-terminal and
diffuser to diffuser balance.
Supply and Extract branch or Sub-branch with
Terminal Serving Common Area
Fan % of design flow -10 % to +10%
Diffuser / Grille % of design flow -10 % to +10%

II. EQUIPMENT AND DEVICES

All instruments shall be calibrated prior to use on site. Stated below are the list of instruments and devices
to be used in the system testing and balancing;
1. Balometer
2. Sling Psychrometer
3. Probe digital thermometer

III. SETTING TO WORK

Any outstanding defects from the pre-commissioning checking must be completed before setting to work
the system and its components. The major system components should then be set-to-work, utilizing the
pro-forma checklist of the type provided;
1. Air Handling Unit Performance Test Sheet
2. Cooling Tower Test Forms
3. Chiller Test Forms
4. Condenser Water Pump Test Forms
5. Chilled Water Pump Test Forms
7. Fan Coil Unit Test Forms
IV. PRELIMINARY SYSTEM PROCEDURES
Before starting Air Balancing process, it is essential the following conditions be fulfilled:
1. Verify that the construction/supplier team responsibilities for system installation and start-up
are complete.
2. Record equipment nameplate data.
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 TESTING METHODOLOGY

AC SYSTEM
Location: OPUS MALL
Project: Area Served: COMMON MALL AREA
ROBINSONS OPUS MALL Equipment Involved: CHILLER / AHU / AC PUMPS /
COOLING TOWER

3. Confirm that every item affecting the airflow of a duct system is ready for Air Balancing work,
such as ceilings, doors and windows installed, windows glazed, doors or windows in their
normal open or closed state, etc.
4. Confirm that the automatic control devices will not adversely affect Air Balancing operations.
The control system shall be installed and commissioned by others.
5. Verify that all dampers are open or set, motors are operating and rotation is correct.
V. PROCEDURE FOR BALANCING AIR DISTRIBUTIONS
1. Verify that all grille, register and diffuser (GRD) dampers are wide open.
2. Set all air outlet deflections as specified.
3. Determine total system airflow by the most appropriate method (Traverse Reading by
AHU/FCU Supplier).
4. Calculate the percentage of the actual airflow to the design airflow.
5. Adjust the fan to approximately 110% of the design airflow, if possible.
6. Measure the airflow at all GRD’s.
7. Compute the ratio of measured airflow to design airflow for each GRD.
8. The damper serving the GRD at the lowest percentage of design flow is not adjusted in this
procedure.
9. Adjust the damper serving the GRD with the next (second) lowest percentage of design until
both GRD’s are the same percentage of design. These GRD’s are now in balance.
10. Adjust the damper serving the GRD with the next (third) lowest percentage of design until all
three GRD’s are the same percentage of design, and in balance.
11. Continue this procedure until all remaining GRD’s have been adjusted to be in balance at
approximately the same percentage of design airflow
12. If necessary, adjust the fan speed to set all GRD’s at design airflow, ± 10%.
13. Re-measure all GRD’s and record final values.
14. Mark all GRD’s with felt markers, spray paint, or in some other manner that is permanent, so
that adjustment may be restored if necessary.

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 TESTING METHODOLOGY

AC SYSTEM
Location: OPUS MALL
Project: Area Served: COMMON MALL AREA
ROBINSONS OPUS MALL Equipment Involved: CHILLER / AHU / AC PUMPS /
COOLING TOWER
WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
I. GENERAL CRITERIA
Regardless of the method, the objectives remain the same and the system will be considered balanced in
accordance with procedural standards when the following conditions are satisfied:
a) All measured system flow quantities are within ± 10 percent of the design quantities.
b) All zones (AHU / FCU / Tenant Provisions) have attained the desired working pressure and
temperature to ensure all areas are served and within the specified design.
II. EQUIPMENT AND DEVICES
See the list below of instruments and devices to be used in the chilled water system testing and balancing.
All instruments shall be calibrated prior to use on site.
1. Ultrasonic Flow Water Meter for AC Pumps
2. Direct reading water flow meter
III. PRELIMINARY PROCEDURE
Any outstanding defects from the pre-commissioning checking must be completed before setting to work
the system and its components. The installing contractor / supplier has the responsibility for assuring that
satisfactory start-up procedures have been followed and that all systems and equipment is ready for the
Chilled Water System Balancing work.
Before starting water balancing, it is essential the following conditions are verified:
1. Verify the construction team responsibilities for system installation and start up.
2. Confirm that every item affecting the chilled water flow in a piping system is ready for the
balancing work, i.e. pumps started and operating, piping system flushed, filled, vented,
chemical treatment complete, air vents installed and operating, strainer screens removed
and free from debris and contaminants, etc.
3. Establish the conditions for design maximum system requirements.
4. Verify that all valves are open or set, all related system are operating, motors are operating
at or below full load amperage ratings, and pump rotation is correct.

IV. CHILLED WATER SYSTEM BALANCING PROCEDURES

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 TESTING METHODOLOGY

AC SYSTEM
Location: OPUS MALL
Project: Area Served: COMMON MALL AREA
ROBINSONS OPUS MALL Equipment Involved: CHILLER / AHU / AC PUMPS /
COOLING TOWER
1. Verify that all balancing, control and isolation valves are wide open.
2. Determine total system volume by the most appropriate method (Equivalent GPM/LPM flow
for Total Load TR).
3. Calculate the percentage of the actual flow to the design flow requirements.
4. Adjust the pump to approximately 110% of the design flow, if possible.
5. Measure the flow at all balancing valves.
6. Compute the ratio of measured flow to design flow for each unit served.
7. Compute the ratio of measured zone flow to design zone flow.
8. The balancing valve serving the zone at the lowest percentage of design flow is not
adjusted in this procedure.
9. Adjust the balancing valve serving the zone with the next (second) lowest percentage of
design until both zones are the same percentage of design and in balance.
10. Adjust the balancing valve serving the zone with the next (third) lowest percentage of
design until all three zones are the same percentage of design, and in balance.
11. Continue this procedure until all remaining zones have been adjusted to be in balance at
approximately the same percentage of design flow.
12. If necessary, adjust the pump volume to set all zones at design flow, ± 10%.
13. Re-measure all flow each balancing valves zones and record final values.
10. Mark or set all records on all of the balancing valves so that the adjustment may be
restored if necessary.

GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR PERFORMANCE TEST OF AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM:

1. Any outstanding defects from the pre-commissioning checking must be completed before setting
to work the air conditioning system and its components

2. At the time of the performance test, all air conditioning components should be running under
permanent power supply.

3. Ensure that there are no factor affecting airflow on Common Areas such as leak at branch ducts,
closed GRD, open doors, windows, glass, ceiling, hallways, and tenant doors, board up and
partition.

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 TESTING METHODOLOGY

AC SYSTEM
Location: OPUS MALL
Project: Area Served: COMMON MALL AREA
ROBINSONS OPUS MALL Equipment Involved: CHILLER / AHU / AC PUMPS /
COOLING TOWER
4. Ensure that the Chiller, Cooling Tower, Primary, Secondary Chilled and Condenser Water
Pumps, must be running designed working parameters.

5. All Air Handling Units and Fan Coil Units serving Common Area should be running to balance
the space temperature and must be free of contaminants from Air Distribution and Water
Distribution Side (Checking of Air Filter and Wye Strainer). Units must be running at designed
working flow, temperature, and pressure.

6. Conduct space temperature reading once all units are running and all areas have balance
airflow distribution to balance the space temperature.

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