Quality Alternatives Architecture & Engineering, LLC Newsletter
Here's what's happening

We want to keep all our friends and clients included in what's happening here at Quality Alternatives Architecture & Engineering.

Quality Alternatives will be supporting the Educational Services Commission located in Flemington NJ, participating in their Hunterdon Women's Education program. Antonette, Managing Member will be a part of a speaker panel inspiring women on June 29, 2004. The topic will be success for women in non-traditional careers. For further information call (908) 788-1453, visit their website at www.hcesc.com or email them at career&lifeplanning@hcesc.com

On April 30,2004 the grand opening and dedication of the CPL garden and recreation area was celebrated. All the participants who dedicated their services and time to make this dream a reality for the children and staff at the Cranford facility were invited to share in the festivities.

Quality Alternatives coordinated the design and construction to bring this effort to fruition. They also generously donated engineering services, project management and considerable time and labor in the landscape planting. The finishing touch was Quality Alternatives along with Total Control Concepts, purchased and installed the children's fountain. This is the focal point of the central garden.

The stronger the initial investigation for realistic acceptance criteria and incorporation of knowledge of existing base utilities into the design, the easier the commissioning effort and the faster the subsequent IQ/OQ/PQ. No matter who or what management wants to hear or what schedule is written, the fact remains, if the design does not support qualification or the control programmer doesn't have the system or equipment knowledge, then commissioning is going to be an arduous task. And worse, if commissioning is just a start up check list without incorporating solid details with system or equipment challenges, the IQ/OQ are going to be moving targets as they imbed system and equipment anomalies. A rigorous commissioning provides a solid base for qualification and assurance of a well designed and installed system, leaving IQ/OQ to simply record the success.

Things to look for:

• Well thought out and documented acceptance criteria: Do the critical performance parameters correspond to the tolerance of the supporting utilities or equipment? For example, does the operating range of the process air temperature limits correspond to the equipment or central system providing the hot water or chilled water?
• How do the control component dead-bands and instrument accuracy affect the system error for control? Will the combined system error support the operating ranges built within the acceptance criteria?

• Loop Checks: A key element indicating system performance. Are the loop checks performed across the full range of the device? Are the loops checks simulated at the end device and simultaneous readings taken at the local gauge, the PLC or controller and at all of the remote or local monitoring computer stations, to witness the full system error?
• Are the loop checks documented with a drawing defining the system loops for future reference?

• Calibration data sheets: A source of discrepancy or system failure. Have the calibration data sheets for all devices, both critical and non critical been checked for the following: Accurate, allowable drift against the operating range. The drift range defined by the cut sheet and evaluated for frequency of calibration. Compliance to and declaration of internal SOPs for calibration frequency and accuracy standards. Are the comments accurate and explain clearly any procedure deviations?
• Do the units and descriptions match the device?

In conclusion, commissioning is critical. It provides a bridge from design to installation and is the strategic point to optimize and capture the critical information. This will allow for repeated, successful performance of the system.