Let’s face it; “Owner/Facility Training” is, without a doubt, the least prioritized“thing to do” at the end of the construction phase of commercial building projects. At least, that is how most contractors treat this “last, little step” before they get the final payment. At the end of the project, they just want to get paid and get out of Dodge. Of all the commissioning tasks included in the BCxA’s Best Practices, training of the facility staff on their new systems is the least popular, least planned, and for the most part, the least supported by everyone.

However, it does not need to be this way. For example, suppose training is planned right from the beginning of the project, documented well in the project specifications and on the drawings, and pushed by the CxP early and often. In that case, this training can be the highlight of the turnover process. The basis for this transformation, as we will learn from this session, is that when the CxPs take responsibility for planning the training, producing materials, and organizing the presenters, the result is high-quality training where the operational staff is empowered to proactively manage and maintain the project facility.

In this session, we will discuss the many ways, means, and methods for turning facility training from “ho-hum” to “Hell Yeah”!!

Learning Objectives

1. Define when in the commissioning process training of facility staff should begin and why.
2. List the stakeholders who are responsible for delivering the training.
3. Describe which documents and resources the training should include and emphasize.
4. Recognize the best methods to ensure training is delivered and facility staff are prepared to “own” the newly-commissioned facility.