A functional commissioning checklist for one piece of building mechanical equipment — packaged or split unit, air handler, pump or fan: readiness, installation, the air, refrigerant and water sides that apply, disconnects, rotation, overloads and the VFD, sensor calibration against a reference, functional tests with expected and actual results, safeties with their trip points, measured airflow, flow, temperatures, volts and amps, O&M manuals and training, an issues log, and sign-off by contractor, commissioning agent and owner.
Project and Equipment
Which unit, what it serves, which stage of commissioning, and who is here.
Equipment tag
Project
Building address
What kind of equipment is it? — Packaged or split DX unit (rooftop, split, heat pump), Air handling unit, Pump, Fan — supply, return or exhaust, Other mechanical equipment
What it serves
Where it is
Manufacturer and model
Serial number
Specification section and drawing reference
Mechanical contractor
Controls contractor
Test and balance firm
Stage of commissioning — Installation (pre-functional) checks, Functional performance test, Both on this visit, Retest of failed items, Seasonal or deferred test
Commissioning firm
Commissioning agent
Also present
Date
Time
Photos of the unit and its nameplate
Ready to Test
The things that have to be finished before testing means anything.
Does the installed equipment match the approved submittal — model, capacity, options? — Yes, No, N/A
Has factory or installer start-up been done, with the start-up report received? — Yes, No, N/A
Have the controls point-to-point checks been done and documented for this unit? — Yes, No, N/A
Is test and balance complete for this unit, or the balancing devices in place for it to be done? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the unit on permanent power, not a temporary construction feed? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the latest sequence of operation on hand, with any changes since design written down? — Yes, No, N/A
Anything not ready, and what that means for today
Installation
Set, connected, labeled and reachable — as the drawings show.
Is the unit tagged with its permanent equipment ID, matching the drawings and the BAS? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the casing undamaged, with panels, seals and gaskets all fitted and no air or water leaks? — Yes, No, N/A
Can every part that needs service — filters, belts, motor, coils, valves — be reached with the clearance the maker asks for? — Yes, No, N/A
Are vibration isolators installed, adjusted, and freed from their shipping restraints? — Yes, No, N/A
Are flexible connections fitted between the unit and its ductwork or piping, not stretched or crushed? — Yes, No, N/A
Are seismic restraints and anchors fitted where the project requires them? — Yes, No, N/A
Is insulation complete and sealed, with no gaps at fittings or valves? — Yes, No, N/A
Are thermometers, gauges and test ports installed where the drawings show them? — Yes, No, N/A
Has construction dust, debris and packaging been cleared from in and around the unit? — Yes, No, N/A
Installation photos
Air Side
Filters, coils, dampers, fan and the duct connections.
Are the final filters fitted, construction filters removed, and the filter size and rating labeled at the rack? — Yes, No, N/A
Is a filter pressure gauge or sensor installed and reading? — Yes, No, N/A
Are the coils clean with straight fins? — Yes, No, N/A
Does the condensate pan slope to its drain, with a trap that is filled and the right depth? — Yes, No, N/A
Do the dampers shut tight, with linkages firm and no slack? — Yes, No, N/A
Are belts tensioned and in line, with guards fitted — or is the fan direct drive? — Yes, No, N/A
Are the fan and motor aligned and lubricated, and does the fan spin freely by hand? — Yes, No, N/A
Are duct connections sealed, with no crushed sections or obvious restrictions near the unit? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the outdoor air intake well clear of exhaust outlets, flues and other pollution sources? — Yes, No, N/A
Air-side photos
Refrigeration Circuit
For units with their own compressors.
Does this unit have its own refrigeration circuit (compressors)?
Has the refrigerant piping been pressure and leak tested, with no oil stains or leaks at joints now? — Yes, No, N/A
Are refrigerant lines supported, with the suction line insulated its full length? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the compressor crankcase heater energized while the compressor is off? — Yes, No, N/A
Running in cooling, does the sight glass show a full liquid column and a dry moisture indicator? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the condenser coil clean, with the clearance around it the maker asks for? — Yes, No, N/A
Suction superheat
Liquid subcooling
Are superheat and subcooling within the maker's range for these conditions? — Yes, No, N/A
Water Side
Pumps, coils and the piping connected to them.
Does this equipment have water or glycol piping — a pump, coils, a water-source loop?
Is the pump set on its base, grouted, and aligned at the coupling with the record of it? — Yes, No, N/A
Has the system been flushed and cleaned, and the strainers emptied after it? — Yes, No, N/A
Has the piping passed its pressure test, with the record on file? — Yes, No, N/A
Running at normal pressure, are joints, valves and seals dry? — Yes, No, N/A
Has air been vented from the high points, with the system full and the expansion tank charged correctly? — Yes, No, N/A
Are isolation and balancing valves fitted, tagged, and facing the right way? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the piping supported independently of the equipment, with room to expand? — Yes, No, N/A
Do the control valves stroke fully open and shut, and hold shut with no flow through the coil? — Yes, No, N/A
Water-side photos
Electrical
Safe to isolate, correctly protected, turning the right way.
Is there a lockable disconnect within sight of the unit, labeled with the panel and circuit that feed it? — Yes, No, N/A
Are power and control terminations tight, with no signs of heating? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the unit grounded, with the bonding conductor connected at both ends? — Yes, No, N/A
Are motor overload settings or heaters sized to the nameplate full-load amps? — Yes, No, N/A
When bumped, does every motor — fans, compressors, pump — turn the right way? — Yes, No, N/A
Does the hand-off-auto switch start and stop the unit in hand, and hand control back in auto? — Yes, No, N/A
Voltage, L1 to L2
Voltage, L2 to L3
Voltage, L1 to L3
Voltage imbalance
Is the imbalance within the specification's limit? — Yes, No, N/A
Highest running current on any phase
Nameplate full-load amps
Is the running current at or below nameplate full-load amps? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the motor on a variable frequency drive?
Is the drive sized for the motor, and its motor data entered from the nameplate? — Yes, No, N/A
Are minimum and maximum speed, acceleration and deceleration set as the design or application needs? — Yes, No, N/A
Do speed command, speed feedback and fault status agree between the drive and the BAS? — Yes, No, N/A
Where a bypass is fitted, does the motor run correctly on bypass? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the drive mounted where it stays cool, dry and clean? — Yes, No, N/A
Is a record of the drive's programmed settings saved and handed over? — Yes, No, N/A
Electrical photos
Controls and Sensors
The BAS sees what is really there, and its outputs move what they claim to.
Sensor checks against a reference instrument
Point
Where the sensor is
Reading at the BAS
Reading on the reference instrument
Difference inside the allowed tolerance? — Yes, No, N/A
Reference instrument and its calibration date
Are sensors where the design puts them — outdoor air sensor shaded, mixed air averaging across the coil face? — Yes, No, N/A
Do dampers and valves travel fully open and fully shut, matching the position the BAS shows? — Yes, No, N/A
Do the setpoints, schedules and limits in the BAS match the design? — Yes, No, N/A
Are all the BAS points for this unit present, named to the project standard and on the graphics? — Yes, No, N/A
Do alarms for this unit reach the operator's workstation with a clear description? — Yes, No, N/A
Are trend logs set up on the key points for this unit? — Yes, No, N/A
Do interlocks with other equipment — exhaust fans, pumps, packaged controls — work as the sequence says? — Yes, No, N/A
Functional Tests
Each mode of the sequence: what should happen, written first; what did happen, written after.
Write the expected response before you induce each condition. Then record exactly what the equipment did. A step that could not be run today is Not tested, with the reason — it is left out of the score, not passed.
Test steps
Mode being tested — Start, stop and schedule, Occupied and unoccupied, Morning warm-up or cool-down, Heating, Cooling, Economizer or free cooling, Minimum outdoor air, Static or pressure reset, Lead, lag and failover, Alarm response, Power failure and restart, Fire or smoke mode, Other
How the condition was created
Expected response
Actual response
Result — Pass, Fail, Not tested
Why it was not tested
Trend or screenshot
Notes on the functional tests
Safeties
Every protective device tripped, its trip point recorded, the response watched.
Safety devices tested
Device — Freeze protection thermostat, High static pressure limit, Low static pressure limit, Duct smoke detector, Smoke or fire damper end switch, Condensate overflow switch, Low-flow or differential pressure switch, Refrigerant high-pressure cutout, Refrigerant low-pressure cutout, Emergency stop, Other
Set point
Tripped at
Equipment went to its safe state as designed? — Yes, No, N/A
Needed the reset the design calls for — manual or automatic? — Yes, No, N/A
Alarm reached the BAS? — Yes, No, N/A
Is this unit shut down or controlled by the fire alarm system?
On a fire alarm signal, did the unit respond as the fire and smoke control sequence requires? — Yes, No, N/A
Did the associated smoke dampers close, and show closed at the BAS or fire panel? — Yes, No, N/A
Was the test witnessed by the fire alarm contractor? — Yes, No, N/A
After the alarm was reset, did the unit return to normal operation as the sequence intends? — Yes, No, N/A
Notes on safeties
Performance Readings
Measured numbers beside the design numbers.
Design airflow
Measured airflow
External static pressure
Pressure drop across the filters
Supply air temperature
Return air temperature
Outdoor air temperature
Minimum outdoor airflow
Design water flow
Measured water flow
Pump differential pressure
Entering water temperature
Leaving water temperature
Vibration at the motor bearings
Running at full speed, is the unit free of unusual noise and vibration? — Yes, No, N/A
Are the measured flows within the tolerance of design the specification allows? — Yes, No, N/A
Has the test and balance report for this unit been received and reviewed? — Yes, No, N/A
Manuals and Training
The operators can run it and have the papers to keep it running.
Have operation and maintenance manuals for this unit been received and reviewed? — Yes, No, N/A
Do the record drawings and control drawings show the unit as installed? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the final, as-programmed sequence of operation included in the manuals? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the warranty documented, with its start date agreed? — Yes, No, N/A
Warranty starts on
Have spare filters, belts and any specified spare parts been handed over? — Yes, No, N/A
Have the owner's operators been trained on this unit, with attendance recorded? — Yes, No, N/A
Training attendance
Name
Role
What was covered
Issues Log
Every problem found, who owns it, and whether it has been seen fixed.
Issues
Issue number
What is wrong
Responsible party
To be resolved by
Status — Open, Fixed — waiting to be verified, Verified closed
Photo
Outcome and Sign-Off
Contractor, commissioning agent and owner each sign for their part.
Outcome — Passed — accepted, Passed with open issues, Failed — retest required
Retest planned for
Comments
Installing contractor — name and company
Installing contractor — signature
Commissioning agent — signature
Owner's representative — name and title
Owner's representative — signature
Facilities Management
Building Commissioning Checklist (HVAC Equipment)
A functional commissioning checklist for one piece of building mechanical equipment — packaged or split unit, air handler, pump or fan: readiness, installation, the air, refrigerant and water sides that apply, disconnects, rotation, overloads and the VFD, sensor calibration against a reference, functional tests with expected and actual results, safeties with their trip points, measured airflow, flow, temperatures, volts and amps, O&M manuals and training, an issues log, and sign-off by contractor, commissioning agent and owner.
✓Free — no account, no trial, no card.
Fill this in and download the finished PDF. Your answers stay on this device as you type. We ask for an email address once, at the download.
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A building commissioning checklist is the record that a piece of mechanical equipment was installed as designed and then made to prove it: started, run through every mode its sequence of operation describes, tripped on each of its safeties, and measured. This one covers one unit at a time — a packaged rooftop or split system, an air handler, a pump or a fan — and opens only the sections that apply to it. Each functional test step has its expected result written before the test and the actual result after, so a pass means something. Fill it in here and download a PDF without an account, or speak while you walk, and the document writes itself.
Installation checks first, functional tests second
Commissioning usually happens in two passes. The first — often called the pre-functional or installation checklist — confirms the equipment is the right equipment, set and connected properly, labeled, accessible and ready to run. The second is the functional performance test, where the equipment is operated through its sequence and its responses are checked against the design.
This form holds both, in that order, because a functional test run on a unit with shipping restraints still on its isolators or construction filters still in its filter rack proves very little. Readiness items — start-up report, test and balance, controls point-to-point — come before either, so nobody spends a day testing equipment that was never ready.
Expected versus actual is the whole test
A functional test step that only says "economizer — OK" cannot be checked by anyone else. Write what should happen before you make it happen: "with outdoor air below the changeover setpoint and a call for cooling, outdoor damper modulates open, compressors stay off, supply air holds 55 °F". Then induce the condition, watch, and write what actually happened.
The form keeps every step as its own entry — mode, how it was induced, expected, actual, pass or fail — so a failed step becomes a finding and the retest covers just that step. Attach a trend log or a screenshot of the building automation system where it shows the response better than words.
Sensors are checked against a reference, not assumed
Controls can only be as good as the sensors feeding them. For each critical sensor — supply, return, mixed and outdoor air temperature, static or differential pressure, flow — the form records the reading at the building automation system beside a reading from a calibrated hand instrument at the same place, and whether the difference is inside the tolerance your specification allows.
Safeties are tripped, not just looked at
Freeze protection, high and low static pressure limits, duct smoke detectors, condensate overflow switches, low-flow switches and refrigerant pressure cutouts are what stop a unit from damaging itself or the building. Each one goes on the list with its set point, the value it actually tripped at, whether the equipment went to its safe state, whether it needed the reset the design calls for, and whether an alarm reached the operators.
Where the unit is shut down or controlled by the fire alarm system, that interface is tested with the fire alarm contractor present. The fire alarm system itself has its own acceptance test; this form records only what the mechanical equipment did when the signal arrived.
Issues log and sign-off
Every problem found goes on the issues log with who is responsible and its status, and it stays open until the commissioning agent has seen it fixed. The form ends with an outcome — passed, passed with open issues, or failed with a retest needed — and signatures from the installing contractor, the commissioning agent and the owner's representative. In the ReportWalk app, Start a re-inspection turns each failed check into its own card for the retest visit.
Common questions
What is the difference between start-up and commissioning?
Start-up is the installer or manufacturer getting the equipment running safely for the first time, following the maker's procedure. Commissioning comes after and asks whether the equipment, its controls and its sequences work together as the design intends. A start-up report is one of the things commissioning checks for.
Who fills in a commissioning checklist?
Commonly the installing contractor completes the installation checks, and the commissioning agent or authority witnesses or runs the functional tests. The owner's representative signs at the end. The form has a place for each.
Is commissioning required by code?
In many places, for many buildings, yes. Several US energy codes and standards call for functional testing of HVAC systems and controls above a certain size, and green building programs such as LEED include commissioning requirements. What applies depends on your jurisdiction and project; this form records the work, it does not decide what is required.
Should I use one checklist for the whole system or one per unit?
One per unit. A building with twelve rooftop units gets twelve checklists, each with its own tag, readings, failures and sign-off. Project details carry from one to the next in the app, so the repeat work is small.
What if a test cannot be done in this season?
Mark the step Not tested and say why — for example, full cooling cannot be proven in midwinter. It is left out of the score, and many projects schedule a seasonal or deferred test to come back for it.
Does this cover the fire alarm system?
No. Fire alarm acceptance testing has its own form. This checklist records only how the mechanical equipment responded to a fire alarm signal, such as shutting down and closing its smoke dampers.