The commissioning process focuses on three primary areas that are reviewed in all phases of the construction process. 

1. Owner requirements: The purpose of the commissioning process is to deliver a building that meets the owner’s requirements. Therefore, it is imperative that these requirements be clearly defined and monitored for necessary adjustment throughout the process. 

2. Commissioning plan: Commissioning Smoke Management Systems, defines this as “The overall document that outlines the organization, scheduling, allocation of resources, documentation, etc. pertaining to the overall commissioning process.” 

The level of detail in the commissioning plan changes over the course of the project. The initial predesign phase plan may only define players from a functional perspective with little or no detail on the process. 

At the end of the construction process, detailed plans that include specific system and subsystem tests and inspections with associated pass/fail criteria are necessary.