The Commissioning Gap: When New Building Systems Ship Broken by Design

When a new building opens its doors, everyone expects the technology to work. But too often, the systems that power modern facilities—network infrastructure, access control, HVAC automation, and life safety—are installed without rigorous testing. The result? Hidden defects that surface months later as tenant complaints, security gaps, and expensive emergency repairs. In this episode, Alex Morgan sits down with property management expert Michael Harrington and facilities leader James Rogers to unpack the commissioning gap: why this critical quality assurance step is frequently undervalued, who's responsible when it falls through the cracks, and what owners and operators can do to protect their investments. They discuss real-world examples of commissioning failures, the tension between construction schedules and quality assurance, and practical steps to ensure new systems actually perform as designed. Listeners will learn how to ask the right questions before, during, and after installation—and why a few extra days of testing can save millions in avoided failures.