Norwalk City School District administrators told the board on Sept. 10 that they selected a commissioning agent (identified in interviews as a Dayton-area firm, referred to in the meeting as “Stan”) to review mechanical, electrical and building-envelope systems for the district’s new elementary building and that the firm rose to the top in the interview process. District officials said next steps include a public briefing with the architect, construction manager at risk (CMR), the commissioning agent and Westfield Consulting Group to explain roles, system-level choices and training for operations staff.

Administrators said the commissioning agent will evaluate HVAC, electrical, roofing and other systems to confirm they meet the district’s specifications and to provide training to maintenance and operations staff. Discussion during the meeting touched on specific technical tradeoffs — for example, dimming and sensor-driven lighting tied to natural light, mechanical ventilation strategies and ionization vs. conventional filtration — and on how those choices affect operating costs, maintenance and classroom conditions.

School staff and board members described the commissioning work as detailed and technical; the district plans to have the architect, the CMR and the commissioning agent present at a fall meeting so the public, the board and building-level staff can review the recommended systems and ask technical questions. Administrators said the commissioning agent will also assist in verifying that the project delivers specified features, and that training sessions will be provided so building staff know how to operate controls and settings. The district said it brought two commissioning-agent firms to interviews and selected the candidate it judged to be the best fit; the firm’s contract and exhibits were described as part of the procurement record that will be presented to the board for formal approval.

District leaders also discussed community engagement measures planned by the CMR and architect, including on-site visits for elementary students, trade-student engagement opportunities and a live construction webcam so community members can monitor progress. Board members and administrators noted the project team includes the architect, the CMR (CT Taylor was named by presenters), Westfield Consulting Group and the commissioning agent; the district will finalize some scheduling details for the October briefing and said it will post the team and exhibit materials before that meeting.

No formal construction contract or final CMR approval was announced at the Sept. 10 meeting; administrators said the commissioning-agent recommendation will be posted with contract exhibits and the project team will present at the following month’s meeting for additional public review and formal board action.