History

CFMS was the first company in Canada to offer independent commissioning consulting in the building industry. Founded in 1992 by Mel James in Toronto, Ontario, CFMS Consulting Inc. was created on the principle of “quality control realized through an inclusive team approach.” Mel recognized that clients could benefit from a better facility if someone was there to help them with properly designed and implemented commissioning services.

Over the twenty years that followed, CFMS expanded to new markets, offering its services to meet client needs. Buildings ranged in size from 5,000 to 2.5 million square feet and spanned a broad sector of industries ranging from libraries to oil and gas facilities.

In 2003, CFMS Alberta Ltd. was formed to provide commissioning services in Western Canada. Our Calgary-based office operates independently while maintaining our long-standing national client relationships. All CFMS offices located throughout Canada are now independently owned and operated.

Mel James is a true pioneer of the Canadian commissioning industry. A Welsh national, Mel came to Canada in the 1970s after attaining his certification in electrical and electronic engineering. He gained his experience in the UK working for Sauter Controls in London and shortly thereafter was employed by Honeywell International—a multinational conglomerate. He later worked for MCC Powers (now Siemens), and immediately prior to the establishment of CFMS Consulting, Mel was employed by Smith and Andersen Consulting. It was during his tenure there that CFMS Consulting was established.

Mel values long-term relationships with his clients and project team members. He’s worked for some of the country’s largest property managers and has been directly involved with large-scale projects such as Toronto’s Pearson International Airport expansion, where Mel designed the Building Automation System (BAS) system that monitored and controlled over 80,000 points and integrated with 14 other airport systems.

In the past 20 years, years, Mel has been instrumental in the establishment, growth and development of the current CFMS offices: CFMS Consulting Inc., CFMS Alberta Ltd., CFMS West Consulting Inc., and CFMS Atlantic Ltd. All CFMS offices operate independently.