Which activity is characteristic of the Construction phase in the Commissioning process?

• A. Observe and document equipment and system start-ups
• B. Perform occupancy testing (post-occupancy)
• C. Finalize the operating manual only
• D. Complete energy conservation measures only

Answer: (A)

During the Construction phase of commissioning, the key activity is witnessing and recording how equipment and systems start up. This involves watching energization, verifying that components power and sequence correctly, checking safety interlocks and control logic, and collecting data on initial performance. This firsthand observation ensures that equipment can actually initialize and run as designed before advancing to more formal testing and handover.

Occupancy testing happens after people use the space, so it’s a post-occupancy activity rather than a Construction-phase task. Finalizing the operating manual typically occurs during commissioning and handover, not as the primary Construction-phase activity. Completing energy conservation measures may be part of the project, but focusing on those measures “only” misses the core Construction-phase work of starting up and documenting how equipment actually comes online.