Dedicated Outdoor Air System Functional Test

It covers the core DOAS checks that matter at turnover: outdoor airflow verification, exhaust air recovery effectiveness, zone terminal unit integration, and controls and safety interlocks. The template is built to follow the commissioning plan and sequence of operations, so the record shows what was tested, what was observed, and what failed. It is not a design review or a full TAB report. Use it to document functional performance after installation and balancing are complete.

Run it after startup, TAB, and controls checkout, when the DOAS can be placed in the intended test mode and the BAS can be observed without conflicting overrides. It is also useful after major control changes, recovery section repairs, or complaints about ventilation, humidity, or simultaneous heating and cooling. If the system is still under construction or the test instruments are not calibrated, the results will be hard to defend. The template works best as a commissioning closeout document.

A commissioning authority, controls contractor, TAB technician, or qualified facilities team member can complete it, provided the person understands the sequence of operations and can observe the BAS and field conditions. A competent person should verify the measurements and note any deficiencies that require retest. For projects with formal commissioning, the test should be coordinated with the owner’s representative and the controls contractor. The key is that the tester can confirm both measured performance and control response.

This template supports documentation practices commonly expected under OSHA general industry and construction programs, especially where ventilation, access, and safe startup conditions matter. It also helps record control responses tied to fire-life-safety and equipment shutdown functions that may be governed by NFPA codes and the AHJ. If the DOAS serves healthcare, foodservice, or other regulated spaces, the same record can support project-specific acceptance criteria. It is a commissioning tool, not a substitute for code approval.

A common mistake is checking only whether the unit is running instead of confirming measured outdoor airflow against design minimums. Another is ignoring BAS overrides, which can mask a control problem or make the test non-repeatable. Teams also miss recovery section issues such as leakage, frost, condensate, or a bypass damper stuck in the wrong position. Finally, some tests fail to tie zone terminal unit behavior back to the sequence of operations, so the root cause of comfort complaints is never documented.

Yes. You can add or remove checks for enthalpy wheels, plate heat exchangers, runaround coils, dehumidification stages, or economizer interactions depending on the project. The section structure already supports different zone terminal unit types and different control sequences, so it can be adapted for office, lab, school, or healthcare applications. If the project has special acceptance criteria, add them to the recovery effectiveness and control response sections. Keep the observable test points intact so the record stays useful.

An ad hoc checklist often confirms that equipment powers on, but it usually does not prove that outdoor airflow, recovery effectiveness, and zone integration all work together. This template creates a repeatable functional test with measured values, control observations, and deficiency tracking in one place. That makes it easier to compare results across sites and to close out issues before occupancy. It also reduces the chance that a hidden control interaction will surface after turnover.

Attach calibration certificates or instrument IDs, trend logs or screenshots from the BAS, and any photos of dampers, sensors, recovery sections, or deficiencies. If the project team uses a commissioning plan or sequence of operations, reference those documents directly in the record. For unresolved items, include corrective action notes and the retest date. Those attachments make the test defensible during closeout and future troubleshooting.