Buildings

Basis of Design

What Is It?

The Basis of Design (BOD) provides a narrative describing the design of the systems to be commissioned, and outlines any design assumptions that are not otherwise included in the design documents. It is a living document that is initially developed by the Architect / Engineer early in the design phase, based on the Owner's Project Requirements. It is updated with each subsequent design submission with increasing specificity. The BOD translates the Owner's needs into building components and describes the technical approach and design parameters used for the project. At a minimum, the following information should be included in the document:

Primary Design Assumptions - including space use, redundancy, diversity, climatic design conditions, space zoning, occupancy, operations, and space environmental requirements.

Standards - including applicable codes, guidelines, regulations, and other references that will be followed.

Narrative Descriptions - including performance criteria for the HVAC&R systems, lighting systems, hot water systems, on-site power systems, and other systems to be commissioned.

The Commissioning Agent will utilize this document along with the Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) to analyze if the construction documents meet the program and sustainability goals for the project.