BMS Commissioning & System Upgrades
Expert commissioning engineers and system upgrade specialists covering London and the UK. From new installations to legacy migrations, we ensure your building management systems perform as designed — first time, every time.
Getting BMS Right First Time
Poor commissioning is the single biggest cause of underperforming building management systems. A system that is installed but never properly commissioned wastes energy from day one — running default schedules, failing to coordinate plant, and generating alarms nobody acts on.
Alpha Controls commissioning engineers are manufacturer-trained on Trend, Distech, and Siemens platforms. We follow BSRIA BG8 commissioning protocols and provide full documentation packages that satisfy main contractor sign-off requirements.
- Point-to-point testing of all field devices
- Control strategy programming and verification
- Functional performance testing under load
- Seasonal commissioning and optimisation
- BSRIA BG8 compliant documentation
- O&M manuals and software backups
- Handover training for facilities teams
- Post-occupancy fine-tuning
System Upgrades & Migrations
From end-of-life supervisors to full platform migrations, we manage the entire upgrade process with minimal disruption to building occupants.
Our Commissioning Process
Pre-Commissioning Checks
We verify all mechanical installation is complete and correct before touching controls. Sensors are in the right locations, dampers move freely, valves have been flushed. Commissioning problems caught here cost nothing to fix.
Point-to-Point Testing
Every input and output is tested individually — sensors read correctly, actuators respond to signals, alarm circuits operate as designed. We log everything against the I/O schedule.
Software Loading & Strategy Verification
Control programs are loaded and verified. Setpoints, schedules, interlocks, and sequences are checked against the agreed specification. We do not rely on default factory settings.
Functional Performance Testing
Each system is tested as a whole under representative operating conditions. AHU sequences are stepped through, plant room sequencing is verified, alarms are triggered and confirmed.
Optimisation & Handover
Control loops are tuned, energy-saving strategies are enabled, and the system is optimised for the actual building loads. Full documentation is produced and a handover training session delivered.
Further Reading
Case Studies
- 10 Whitechapel — BMS Commissioning with BACnet/IP Integration
Full commissioning of Trend IQ4 ECO controllers, chilled beam controls, CO₂ sensors and partition monitoring across a live office fit-out.
- 20 Gresham Street — Full Building BMS Commissioning
Zero-disruption commissioning of Trend and Distech systems across six floors of a live occupied building.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does BMS commissioning involve?
BMS commissioning is the process of configuring, testing, and verifying that all building control systems operate as designed. This includes point-to-point testing of every sensor and actuator, programming control strategies into the controller, running functional tests under real operating conditions, and producing commissioning records accepted by the main contractor.
Our Trend 963 Supervisor has reached end of life — what are our options?
As of January 2025, Trend has withdrawn all support for the 963 Supervisor including security patches. The recommended upgrade is to Trend IQVISION, built on Niagara 4 with a modern HTML5 browser interface. Alpha Controls carries out 963 to IQVISION migrations, preserving existing IQ field controllers and wiring where possible to minimise cost.
Can you recommission a BMS installed by another company?
Yes. We regularly take over and recommission BMS systems originally installed by others. We can work with Trend, Distech, Siemens, Johnson Controls, Honeywell, and most other common platforms. A site survey and system audit typically takes half a day and gives us everything needed to quote accurately.
How long does BMS commissioning take?
A small system (one AHU and 20-30 FCUs) typically takes 3-5 days to commission. A large multi-floor commercial building with AHUs, chillers, boilers, and metering can take 3-6 weeks. We work around tenant occupation and can phase commissioning floor by floor if needed.
What documentation do you provide after commissioning?
We provide full commissioning records including point schedules, I/O schedules, control strategy documents, software backups, and O&M manuals. All documentation meets BSRIA BG8 and CIBSE TM31 standards where applicable.
Need BMS Commissioning or an Upgrade?
Contact our team for expert commissioning services, legacy system migrations, or energy performance recommissioning across London and the UK.
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