What do you do when you need help? Where do you go? Who do you ask? Most TAB Firms are just trying to keep their doors open, their employees working, pay the bills and make a profit. All the while, staying up to date with the NEBB TAB Procedural Standard changes. When you are the owner, all your employees and some customers come to you for the TAB answers.
If you are the NEBB Designated Certified Professional (DCP), you are expected to have the answers to all NEBB specific questions for your discipline. Who can you ask if you have a question? Hopefully you have a peer group or better yet, a mentor you can call. Improvement is a continuous goal that we must all strive to achieve.
NEBB TAB Firm Requirements
Each NEBB TAB Firm is required to produce NEBB TAB Procedural Standard 2019 – 9th Edition compliant TAB Reports when stamping their reports with the NEBB TAB Stamp. The NEBB Procedural Standard for Testing, Adjusting and Balancing (TAB) of Environmental Systems 2019 – 9th Edition was issued to the NEBB Membership on July 15, 2019. This replaced the NEBB Procedural Standard for Testing, Adjusting and Balancing of Environmental Systems 2015 – 8th Edition (PS8).
The credibility of NEBB is built by maintaining integrity through high standards, quality programs and demonstrated capabilities of NEBB Certified Firms. Building owners are entitled to a professional service by every NEBB Certified Firm on every project, whether the job is NEBB specified or not. It is the responsibility of the NEBB Certified Firm and NEBB Certified Professional to establish and maintain procedures and practices that will assure a consistent pattern of high-quality work on all projects.
Is there such a thing as a NEBB Certified Project?
No, NEBB does not certify projects. However, it is common to hear “NEBB certified project” when referencing a project that will have a NEBB Certified TAB Report issued. Project scope is guided by the project specifications. Project TAB procedures will be guided by NEBB TAB Procedural Standard, recorded in the TAB report, and will serve as a record of data acquired and work performed.
How long does a NEBB Certified Firm have before a NEBB Certified TAB Report must be PS9 Compliant?
Regardless of project specifications, data acquisition will always conform to the NEBB Procedural Standard in effect at the time the contract was issued. All TAB projects contracted after July 15, 2019; with NEBB Certified TAB Reports being issued after January 1, 2020; must be compliant to the NEBB Procedural Standard for Testing, Adjusting and Balancing of Environmental Systems 2019 – 9th Edition (PS9). NEBB allowed a six-month timeframe for NEBB Firms to update their TAB Report Formats.
What if a project TAB specification exceeds the NEBB Procedural Standard 9?
If the project TAB specification requirements exceed the current NEBB Procedural Standard, those specifications will take precedence.
For instance: NEBB Specification suggests +/- 10% on TAB airflow and water flow measurements due to equipment accuracy. The project specifications lists +/-5% on final TAB airflow and water flow measurements. The project specifications take precedence over NEBB PS9 Appendix Specifications. The TAB Report will reflect +/-5% on TAB airflow and water flow measurements.
What if a project TAB specification / TAB Contract are less than the NEBB Procedural Standard 9?
If the project TAB specification requirements are less than the current NEBB Procedural Standard, the specifications will take precedence and be noted in the TAB Report Project Summary. For instance: NEBB requires +/-10% on TAB airflow.
The project specifications list +/-15% on TAB airflow when three or more supply diffusers serve one room. The TAB Report will reflect +/-15% on TAB airflow measurements and be noted in the TAB Report Project Summary. The TAB Specification / Contract requires new AHU’s capacity testing only and no downstream TAB. Perform the TAB on the AHU’s and note project requirements in the Report Summary.
What is a TAB Report?
A TAB report documents all relevant factors that determine whether an HVAC system meets the building design requirements. It is one of the core outputs of the TAB process, and offers the builder owner, construction team, or designer with insight to improve the energy efficiency of the building.
Who issues a NEBB Certified TAB Report?
Only a NEBB TAB Certified Firm (CF) can issue a NEBB Certified TAB Report. Each NEBB Certified Professional’s Stamp has a NEBB Certified Firm’s name on the NEBB Stamp. A NEBB Certified Professional can only be employed by one NEBB Certified Firm at a time. A NEBB Certified Professional (CP) must supervise all work recorded in a NEBB Certified Report.
Who can perform TAB in a NEBB Certified TAB Report?
The NEBB Certified Professional is responsible for ensuring either a NEBB Certified Professional or NEBB Certified Technician is continually present while TAB work is being performed on every NEBB certified project and directing those technicians in performing the work.
The NEBB Certified Professional is ultimately responsible for the accuracy of any field measurements and certified reports generated. A NEBB Certified Professional or NEBB Certified Technician can direct non-certified technicians on the same project and must be onsite. A TAB Technician needs a minimum of two years field experience to apply for the NEBB Certified Technician exam.
Can a NEBB Certified Firm issue a non-NEBB Certified TAB Report?
Yes, if the TAB Final Report is issued without a NEBB TAB Stamp, without using the NEBB Logo, and without referencing or mentioning NEBB.
The NEBB TAB Stamp does not certify or apply to Pre-Read Reports, Survey Reports, System Readiness Reports, Duct Air Leakage Test Reports (DALT) or Commissioning Reports and are non-NEBB Certified Reports. Only the TAB Final Report shall have the NEBB Stamp and Certification page included. All other reports must be issued without using the NEBB Logo, NEBB Stamp, and/or referencing or mentioning NEBB.
The NEBB Procedural Standard for Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing of Environmental Systems – 9th Edition, establishes minimum requirements of a NEBB Certified TAB Report in Section 5 Standards for Reports and Forms.
Section 5.1 Reports:
NEBB does not require the use of NEBB produced forms. Customized forms are acceptable based on the data acquisition requirements of this section. Contract document data reporting requirements shall take precedence when they exceed minimum requirements of NEBB. If a reporting platform software is used, it is the sole responsibility of the NEBB CP to ensure that submitted reports are NEBB Compliant!
Section 5.2 Report Content:
Listed below are the minimum requirements for each NEBB Certified TAB Report.
Section 5.2.1 Report Title:
Include: The heading: “Certified Test, Adjust and Balance Report” (Project Name/Address; Engineer Name; HVAC Contractor Name; NEBB Certified TAB Firm Name / Address / Certification Number).
Section 5.2.2 Report Certification:
The certification page bears the stamp of the NEBB Certified TAB Professional (CP). The stamp on the certification page is signed as evidence the CP has reviewed the report and assumes responsibility for all work, test methods and observed conditions documented within.
The Report Certification page must include Project Name; Certifying NEBB Certified TAB Professional’s Name; Firm Name; Certification Number; Expiration Date; Certifying NEBB Certified TAB Professional’s NEBB Stamp (signed & dated); and the following exact verbiage:
“The data presented in this report is a record of system measurements and final adjustments that have been obtained in accordance with the current edition of the NEBB Procedural Standard for Testing, Adjusting and Balancing of Environmental Systems. The measurements shown, and the information given, in this report are certified to be accurate and complete, at the time and date information was gathered. Any variances from design quantities, which exceed NEBB tolerances, are noted in the TAB report project summary.”
Section 5.2.3 Table of Contents:
The table of contents, with page numbers or clickable links, serves as a guide to the organization of the TAB report. For digital reports, bookmarks may be used as the table of contents as long as every data page has a consecutive and unique page number.
Section 5.2.4 Report Summary / Remarks:
A NEBB Certified TAB Report is required to include a narrative description of system set-up conditions established prior to testing, adjusting, and balancing. The narrative must explain the rationale for how the system was configured for testing, such as to establish full flow conditions, control configuration, and the steps taken to achieve the desired set-up.
This section shall also include a listing of deficiencies in the summary and identify the appropriate pages in the report. Part of the Certified Professional’s responsibilities is to determine “noteworthy” deficiencies. This section might also be used to discuss possible recommendations such as solutions to system balance issues.
A summary of all Procedural Standard items that exceed NEBB and/or Contract Document tolerances or any other items that require discussion or explanation shall be included. A list of all items which could not be obtained for reasons beyond the control of the Certified Firm shall be included.
Section 5.2.5 All Report Pages:
All tested items included in the NEBB TAB Report shall be clearly identified with a unique designation. Schematic diagrams, mechanical plans where permissible, or a narrative description may be used. Each data form supplied in a NEBB TAB Report shall include the name of the individual who reported the information, along with the date the data was collected. Each report page must include the project name, sequentially numbered pages, and remarks section to record pertinent information.
Section 5.2.6 Instrument Calibration:
This is a listing of the instruments that were used on the project or will be used to verify the reported data including instrument type, manufacturer, model number, serial number, and calibration date.
Section 5.2.7 Abbreviation List:
This is a listing of any abbreviations or acronyms used in the report shall be defined in an abbreviation list.
Section 5.2.8 Drawings and Schematics:
The TAB Report must include pertinent contract drawings, schematics, sketches, or other mechanical plans where permissible, that identify the area, location, etc. of the tested equipment / systems. A narrative description may be used.
Section 5.3 TAB Equipment Report Forms:
Please see the NEBB TAB Procedural Standard 2019 – 9th Edition for the requirements for various types of equipment, systems, and measurements in a NEBB Certified TAB Report.
If you would like for your NEBB Chapter to receive Continuing Education Credits (CEC’s) training on NEBB TAB Procedural Standard 2019 – 9th Edition TAB Report compliance or if you would like specific help with your NEBB TAB Reports to achieve NEBB TAB Procedural Standard 2019 – 9th Edition compliance, please contact the NEBB TAB Committee Chairman.
