Why a Commissioning Agent Belongs on Your A/E Team From Day One
Optimize performance. Maximize value. For building owners, those goals sound simple enough. In practice, they depend on dozens of systems working together behind the scenes, from heating and cooling to lighting controls and automation. A building can look exceptional on opening day and still struggle with comfort issues, unnecessary energy use or ongoing … Continue reading “Why a Commissioning Agent Belongs on Your A/E Team From Day One”
Inflation Reduction Act HVAC Incentives: How Building Owners Can Save on Upgrades
Inflation Reduction Act HVAC incentives are helping building owners offset the cost of upgrading aging HVAC systems while reducing long-term energy expenses. With energy costs rising, many owners are looking for ways to improve efficiency without taking on the full upfront cost. The Inflation Reduction Act offers tax credits, rebates, and other incentives that can … Continue reading “Inflation Reduction Act HVAC Incentives: How Building Owners Can Save on Upgrades”
Creative Solutions for Complex Power Challenges
At the UofL Hospital West Tower Addition, there wasn’t room near the tower for critical equipment, so our team got creative. Generators and paralleling gear were placed on the opposite side of the property, and over 700 feet of conduit were routed around the existing hospital, 30 feet below grade, and through underground structures to … Continue reading “Creative Solutions for Complex Power Challenges”
Building Safety from the Inside Out: The Importance of MEP Systems in Ensuring Occupant Safety and Well-Being
Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems are essential components of any building, contributing not only to functionality but to the safety and well-being of the occupants. These systems encompass a variety of components, including HVAC, electrical, fire protection, water supply, and drainage. Proper MEP design is crucial to ensure the building functions efficiently, and its … Continue reading “Building Safety from the Inside Out: The Importance of MEP Systems in Ensuring Occupant Safety and Well-Being”
Navigating the Grey Area – Can I use residential cooking equipment in a commercial building?
The architect just called, and the owner wants to add a residential oven/range to their breakroom. Do I need a commercial hood? This could be expensive, but I don’t want to discourage my client. Can you help? As a consulting MEP engineer, this type of issue will likely come up in around 75% of … Continue reading “Navigating the Grey Area – Can I use residential cooking equipment in a commercial building?”
Elevating Safety: The Power of Stairwell Pressurization in Fire Control
Stairwell pressurization is a critical smoke control method used in high-rise buildings, aimed at maintaining a smokeproof enclosure in stairwells during a fire. It involves creating a higher pressure in the stairwell compared to the surrounding areas, preventing smoke and fire products from entering. This approach is considered an alternative method to establish a smokeproof … Continue reading “Elevating Safety: The Power of Stairwell Pressurization in Fire Control”
Checklists Can Make or Break a Project
Every day we make countless decisions both at work and at home. At work, did we include everything in our calculations, does our design meet the required codes, have we met the requirements of the customer? At home, are we keeping up with the filter changes and other maintenance, how does the landscaping look, do … Continue reading “Checklists Can Make or Break a Project”
The Importance of Synchronous Design
According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of synchronous is: happening, existing, or arising at precisely the same time. This is an expectation that has arisen in our lifetime. The world seems to spin a little faster than it did last year. We can order a package and it will arrive tomorrow (or even today). We can … Continue reading “The Importance of Synchronous Design”
Communication Delivers Value to Our Clients
What is the difference between an engineer and a marketing professional? Maybe not as much as you’d think. Engineers must translate simple requests into complex designs and engineering solutions. Marketing professionals must translate those complex engineering solutions into easily understood communications. While similar, they can sometimes be at odds. For nearly two decades, I … Continue reading “Communication Delivers Value to Our Clients”
Evaluations, Maintenance and Upgrades Lead to Longevity
Recently, our firm was contacted to assist with an HVAC evaluation for a dormitory at a university in an adjoining state. The building was constructed in the early 1960s when cooling equipment was a new concept, generally rugged and durable, but unsophisticated. Controls were inaccurate and modulation was limited. Energy was cheap and humidity was … Continue reading “Evaluations, Maintenance and Upgrades Lead to Longevity”
