As we head into the summer months, many of us look forward to spending our evenings under the stars. But sadly, that precious view is rapidly diminishing. Experts estimate that by the end of 2025 only a few true dark sky locations will remain in the United States. One of the two main culprits: light … Read more
Precipitated by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the world quickly realized that we didn’t know how much disease transmission mitigation was enough. To answer this question and at the request of the White House, The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) developed Standard 241-2023, Control of Infectious Aerosols. The primary intent of this standard … Read more
When Barton Associates was tasked with designing the domestic water system for the Nemours Children’s Health Specialty Care & Ambulatory Center located in Malvern, PA, cost savings for the owner and simplifying construction for the contractor were on our minds. Typical domestic water systems plumb cold water and 110°F hot water to most fixtures; however, … Read more
Cooling towers are the most energy-efficient design method available to reject heat from a building’s air conditioning system, but they are also the most maintenance-intensive option. Air conditioning is a way of life now; you rarely find commercial buildings without air conditioning in the mid-Atlantic region. We use it for human comfort, to preserve products, … Read more
If you are considering a new building or major renovation in 2024, you may already be behind schedule. In fact, completing construction in 2025 could also prove difficult. Lead times for structural materials, mechanical equipment, electrical gear, and many other critical building components have increased dramatically since 2020. The global pandemic and conflicts in Europe, … Read more
Significant changes are set to affect the building industry this year. National changes like refrigerant phase-outs due to global warming potential, and regional changes, like the triannual code updates. While increased cost of capital may have some owners thinking about delaying projects, other factors should be considered to have a full picture of what that delay … Read more
As energy resources become more scarce and global political issues threaten energy security and standards of living, the developed world has been focusing on alternative sources of energy. These sources of energy have ranged from renewable natural gas and “clean coal” to naturally renewable sources such as wind and solar. With any new energy transition, … Read more
Compounding pharmacies require tight temperature, relative humidity, and pressurization control to operate in compliance with established standards. Updates that took effect in 2023 introduced changes that affect how these spaces are designed, operated, monitored, and certified. Balancing and actively controlling the airflow to achieve the correct pressure relationships in compounding pharmacy spaces can be challenging. … Read more
There is an aspect of healthcare facility design that neither the design team nor the healthcare facility can avoid in any project – the classification of patient care areas and associated risk assessments. The Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) Design and Construction for Hospitals, and FGI Design and Construction for Outpatient Facilities, and NFPA 99, The … Read more
When planning for new lighting in your building, you will need to assess whether the current energy code will require new lighting controls to be included. But anyone who has picked up a code book knows it can feel a bit like fumbling your way through a “Choose Your Own Adventure” novel. So, to help … Read more
Remote and hybrid work schedules appear to be here to stay in many office environments. If you lease your office space, hopefully you can “right-size” your space requirements so that you can save cost the next time your lease is due for renegotiation. However, what happens when you’re on the other side of that equation, … Read more
Protection of the water supply system is paramount to the health and safety of not only the occupants of your building but also everyone else that is supplied water through a connection to the water system. Chapter 6 of the International Plumbing Code (IPC) is an example of where you will find the requirements that … Read more
With the winter weather upon us and the cold spell we had at the end of December, we took the time to review some of the means for freeze protection of piping and equipment with our staff. Our goal of continuous quality improvement turned into more of a round table discussion with various team members … Read more
Every four years, the Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) updates their Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals and Outpatient Facilities to stay up to date with current technologies and design concepts. From an MEP standpoint, the guidelines are updated to improve patient well-being, necessitate safer system operation, and to improve environmental quality in our health … Read more
With energy codes pushing for more complex lighting controls in buildings, it’s no wonder owners can feel overwhelmed when faced with questions about how they want their lighting to function. To make this subject feel less daunting, below are strategies to keep the systems simple and easy to use from an owner’s perspective. Strategy #1: … Read more
Medical gas systems rank high on the list of resources necessary for a hospital to function. Oxygen, medical air, vacuum, and other systems support all manner of life-saving and life-sustaining procedures, from providing oxygen therapy for a COVID-19 patient to providing vacuum during a heart transplant. Proper medical gas design requires both a clear understanding … Read more
With construction costs rising across the board, every dollar counts when planning for a project. Lately, many owners are getting surprised by a substantial cost that presents itself late in the project. Commissioning. Did you know that your project may require commissioning even though it is not a LEED or other green initiative project? Starting … Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic affected nearly every aspect of our personal and professional lives. In the case of the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC), it significantly delayed the legally required update to the 2018 edition of the International Construction Code. Among the many requirements and procedures outlined in the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act Omnibus Amendments (Act … Read more
There are many unique challenges in the design and construction of high-rise buildings. The electrical design in these facilities is no exception, particularly regarding the emergency systems required to allow people to safely exit the building during a fire or emergency event. A “high-rise building” is defined in the International Building Code (IBC) as “a … Read more
Having reliable sources of electrical power has become a critical part of what we do. Our daily lives have become so dependent on having places to plug in that many of us would be absolutely lost if the electricity stopped flowing. For most people, a brief loss of power while at home or even at … Read more
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