If the Cx Process starts at Design Phase, then the Cx Process activities described for the Pre-Design Phase must be completed (before / after) the Design Phase activities are begun.

• A. After
• B. Before
• C. Simultaneously
• D. Not required

Answer: (B)

Establishing owner requirements and design criteria before design work begins is essential to ensure the design can be tested against the intended performance. The Pre-Design activities produce foundational documents like the Owner's Project Requirements and the Basis of Design, which set targets, scope, and acceptance criteria for the project. These baselines guide design decisions and provide the criteria that the commissioning process will later verify during construction and operation. Because those outputs define what success looks like, they must be completed before any Design Phase activities start. If you try to begin design without these prerequisites, you risk misalignment with owner expectations, gaps in scope, and potential rework, undermining the ability to verify that the design meets the required performance. Therefore, the Pre-Design activities must be completed prior to starting Design Phase work.