Wesley Stiles, PE, Director of Electrical Engineering for the York office, is featured in the December Issue of Consulting-Specifying Magazine for the article below. NFPA 37: Standard for the Installation and Use of Stationary Combustion Engines and Gas Turbines, 2015 edition, is an important yet often overlooked player in NFPA’s extensive lineup of codes and … Read more
When designing plumbing systems for science laboratories certain requirements such as space planning, code compliance and user’s needs must be considered. Acid waste, natural gas, reverse osmosis/deionized water, compressed air and vacuum are the most common plumbing systems utilized in science laboratories. The most important part of science laboratory system design is coordination between the … Read more
The coming of winter requires building owners and managers to review their buildings and systems for protection against freezing. However, there is one building system that may already be freeze protected and should be reviewed due to recent developments — sprinkler antifreeze systems. Based upon reports of a fire incident involving a sprinkler system that … Read more
Many existing chilled water plants are designed using primary-secondary pumping where one set of pumps circulates water at the chilled water plant and then another set of pumps circulates water to the building or buildings. This is common in larger buildings or campuses where the many spaces or buildings are served by one system, and allows … Read more
Barton Associates recently retro-commissioned an air handler for a hospital client. The retro-commissioning process typically starts with a review of the Building Automation System (BAS). A graphic screen shot from the subject air handler is shown above. There is a lot of information on this screen, but focus on the basic information circled in red … Read more
Traditional air conditioning typically conditions an entire room or space, such as in an office space or classroom. Air is supplied from the ceiling and distributed throughout the space. This is a cost effective method but is not well suited for some applications due to the limitations in efficiency in cooling the entire space including … Read more
Across the country, people are starting to recognize the vulnerability of our electrical infrastructure — whether it be from capacity issues, natural disasters, or other events. Because of this, government regulations are increasingly pressuring utility companies to decrease demand on their systems. By pushing individual consumers to curtail demand and increase efficiency, utility companies are … Read more
Are we truly taking advantage of our oldest and most important natural resource – the sun? The sun plays a major role in the design of most facilities. It can impact the orientation of the building as well as the design of the building envelope and windows. For lighting designers, it also impacts the control … Read more
As the design of buildings evolves to integrate users’ demands to reduce the environmental impacts of construction, conserve energy and improve safety and security, the design community has shifted from looking at individual building systems and components to a holistic approach to building design. The products of this design approach are described as “high performance … Read more
The Energy Policy Act of 2005, defines a high performance building as one that “integrates and optimizes all major high-performance building attributes, including energy efficiency, durability, life-cycle performance, and occupant productivity.” (EPACT 2005, Section 914) One of the simplest ways to incorporate these attributes into any building is through the use of high-efficiency lighting and … Read more
As technology in the building industry changes and advances, designers must ask themselves how they can make a building’s Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing systems adaptable for new or emerging technologies. The ability to “future proof” a building’s MEP systems may seem like a daunting task but with planning and foresight based upon the owner’s desires, … Read more
With constantly increasing capabilities of IP-based communications, integration of communications systems in building projects is a major topic of discussion today. Whether it’s as simple as controlling lights and room temperature by using occupancy sensors in a room or as extensive as collecting patient medical information throughout a medical facility into a common database or coordinating … Read more
Regardless if you are a healthcare facility, school or university or a consulting engineering firm, we are all looking for ways to reduce cost, increase quality and drive employee engagement. Lean concepts and principles have long been a part of industry but how can they be applied in a service industry? Some of these principles … Read more
Making or exceeding your enrollment goal is a good thing, right? Well, maybe… Colleges and universities, especially private institutions, have continued to increase their offering of discount rates to help drive enrollment. This means that, even though enrollment goals have been met, there is less overall revenue to meet rising facility maintenance and operation costs. … Read more
When looking for a quick, temporary way to distribute power to several devices one might use a power strip. But what if you need a quick, temporary way to distribute power to an entire facility? When Penn State University began a project to build 18,000 square feet of temporary lab space within 24 trailer units, … Read more
Is your food service facility serving the same old food? If not, the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems serving the facility need to change with the times as well. With food service moving toward made-to-order service for students, even in cafeteria atmospheres, the HVAC system should and can follow suit. Below are some … Read more
From people to structures, all good systems bear upon on a sturdy and reliable framework. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) infrastructure is the framework of a successful campus. Central equipment, utilities, and buildings are all components of campus infrastructure that help students, faculty, and staff perform to their highest potential. Planning, maintaining, and optimizing your … Read more
As education trends change, educators are continually developing new means of teaching today’s students. These trends have architects and engineers thinking outside the box to create academic facilities of the future. Not only are classrooms being affected, but there is a dramatic shift in what students and educators are demanding in library designs. In today’s … Read more
“The most important person in the patient room is the patient.” – HermanMiller Healthcare “Patient Rooms: A Changing Scene of Healing” Research Summary, 2010 With the advancements in medical treatment, more procedures and surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis. Therefore, patients requiring hospitalization, tend to be even less healthy than in the past. At … Read more
Student housing has become one of the most important pieces in an institution’s strategic plan to attract prospective students, transition new students to collegiate life, develop and retain students as well as educate students throughout their academic careers. A comprehensive approach to match housing options with developing trends is a critical component both now and … Read more