The risk assessment ensures that the asset (as designed) is able to achieve the predicted performance.
It identifies where differences between the design assumptions and the operational situation could negatively impact on energy performance, and proposes how these risks can be managed.
The risks that should be considered may include:
– Product specification and the management of value engineering decisions.
– Construction and installation considerations, particularly for complex or novel systems.
– Sensitivity to occupancy assumption (particularly for speculative projects).
– Appropriate commissioning of servicing systems.
– Making sure end users know how to operate the building as intended.
For risks that cannot be directly managed by the design team, (and may, for instance, be under the control of the contractor or asset owner), evidence should be provided showing how the recommendations of the risk assessment are communicated to these parties, and any agreed actions.
The risk assessment is not intended to be a complex document. It is a list of risks to changes in the design, and how they will be managed in a practical way.
The format of the risk assessment can vary, and could include:
– Annotations or comments in the energy modelling report.
– An addendum to the energy modelling report.
– A separate document.
If the risk assessment is part of another document, relevant sections and comments should be clearly highlighted so that QA can identify how the intent of the criteria has been met.