What You Don’t Know

About Aquacultural Commissioning……..Could Cost You

What exactly is Aquacultural (Aquatic) Commissioning?

Aquacultural (Aquatic) Commissioning is the systematic process of proactively verifying that aquatic systems are designed, installed, thoroughly tested and capable of being operated and maintained to perform as intended and as the owner expects and believes. A commissioned aquatic system provides optimized design and development of effective aquacultural systems for marine and freshwater facilities, as well as a foundation for minimal operation and maintenance costs.

Commissioning is not a new concept. It has been utilized for many years in the military, most prominently for Navy ships and submarines. Commission is also performed on building systems as they have become more complex and system integration becomes necessary for life safety and proper indoor environmental quality. Aquacultural (Aquatic) owners should include commissioning agents in the design, construction and building turnover process.

Aquacultural Commissioning goes beyond equipment inspections and startup. As commission of aquatic systems become more prevalent, organizations, including Cultured Aquatic Life, will write specific standards and guidelines for the commissioning process.

Shouldn’t our design and construction team already be doing this?

The Commissioning Process is adopted by an owner to consistently achieve successful construction projects. It is not an additional layer of construction or project management – it is the owner’s means of verifying that the planning, design, construction and operational processes are achieving their goals, and ensures the delivery of a high quality aquacultural facility. Some manufacturing and contracting firms can provide commissioning if they are additionally compensated to perform these specialized services.  Unlike manufacturing and contracting firms, Cultured Aquatic Life specializes in the growing, culturing and husbandry of livestock; hence we are much more qualified to perform the commission of a system we currently maintain and is similar in nature to the one being commissioned.

Aren’t the contractors who are installing the equipment performing testing to ensure the equipment works properly?

On most aquatic projects the responsibility for the installation and functionality of equipment is divided amongst many contractors and subcontractors.

Each one is focused solely on their portion of the project and only conducts testing on the equipment for which they are directly responsible. The Commissioning Agent spends the essential time to test the equipment in an integrated manner to assess total system operations.

Most owners may want to believe that the significant financial investment they are already making guarantees they will receive a well designed and functional aquacultural (aquatic) system. However, this does not happen enough of the time to rely on it. In the brutal low bid construction environment, corners will be cut.

What services can I expect to receive from the Commissioning Agent?

The services of the Commissioning Agent extend well beyond the normal design and construction process and requirements. A trained Commissioning Agent will put your aquacultural (aquatic) system through an extensive set of tests to see just how it will work under normal operating conditions. These tests will detect any faults or problems before the owner takes possession and places livestock within the system.

Additionally, the Commissioning Agent can develop customized aquacultural (aquatic) system operational manuals, preventive maintenance plans, perform extensive operator training, monitor energy usage and system performance.

Is Commissioning beneficial for every aquacultural (aquatic) system?

Not every system can benefit from commissioning. Many older existing aquatic systems had simple systems installed to hold and move water that due to their simplistic design may not have benefited from comprehensive commissioning. However, we are on the forefront of the next step of aquacultural systems (marine invertebrates) with their complex indoor environmental requirements that rely on integrated high water quality demands. These complexities combined with the rising costs of energy make it essential that these systems not only operate properly but that operating personnel are well trained and thoroughly understand their new aquacultural systems.

Commissioning can benefit aquacultural systems that have great complexity by providing owners with services that have tremendous value and savings. Additionally, commissioning is not only reserved for new construction. Retro-Commissioning can also be performed on existing aquacultural (aquatic) systems that exhibit high mortality rates and poor growth rates.

Why should I pay for Commissioning? What are the benefits?

Just as we rely on lawyers and accountants to navigate tax law, we need to begin using commissioning professionals to help us navigate the complicated process of designing, building and operating aquacultural (aquatic) systems. More and more aquacultural (aquatic) owners are beginning to realize that commissioning typically results in lower lifetime costs. Spending a bit more time, effort and money on the front end of an aquacultural (aquatic) project can save for years to come.

Specific Benefits Include:

· Reduced operating costs · Improved health and growth of livestock

· Reduced change orders · Increased life of existing equipment

· Reduced mortality of livestock · Reduced warranty issues

· Fewer water quality problems ·  Reduced contractor callbacks

· Improved staff training ·  Documented maintenance requirements

What does Commissioning cost?

Generally, commissioning services are calculated on a percentage of the cost of the entire aquacultural (aquatic) system.  The cost of the building structure is not included in the calculation.

What happens if aquacultural systems are not Commissioned?

Many aquacultural owners are concerned that the savings and benefits will not outweigh the costs of commissioning services. Problems with aquatic equipment and systems that are identified long into the full operation and longevity of the project are the responsibility of the owner, regardless of when the problem actually occurred. These problems will most likely manifest into additional costs for resolving these issues, the disruption of growth and breeding, increase mortality rates, reduced productivity and increased production costs.

Aquacultural (Aquatic) owners that have incorporated commissioning into their construction projects have realized that there is an alternative to spending 6 to 24 months to resolve problems after construction has ended and the contractors have moved on to other projects. They have also recognized that there is significant benefit to resolving these issues prior to occupancy, when no livestock need to be disrupted or displaced, and prior to final payment to the contractors.

Does Commissioning adversely impact the construction schedule?

No. If commissioning is done properly and the Commissioning Agent is effectively integrated with the design and construction team, Commissioning will not adversely affect the schedule, and in most cases, it shortens the total construction and turnover schedule.

Cultured Aquatic Life, LLC
Central Connecticut

Phone: 203.439.7993


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