News & Insights

New Healthcare Construction Codes Effective 2023: MEP Systems Impact

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

Strategies for Achieving User-Friendly Lighting Controls

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

David A. Taylor, PE hired as the New Director of Plumbing and Fire Protection

We are excited to announce and welcome David A. Taylor, PE as Barton’s new Director of Plumbing and Fire Protection Engineering! “We are extremely happy to have David join our Barton team. He is a great addition and a step forward to establishing our presence in the Raleigh/Durham North Carolina area.” said Michael S. Rader, … Read more

Medical Gas Design – Is Your Team Certified?

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. In 1987, the American Society of Sanitary Engineering (ASSE) … Read more

Barton’s Lighting Studio Celebrates Two National IES Illumination Awards

Barton’s Lighting Studio is honored to have received two Awards of Merit from the Illuminating Engineering Society’s 49th Annual IES Illumination Awards. The Pennsylvania State University’s Willard Building Renovation was recognized for ‘Lighting Control Innovation’ while Allegheny College Bentley Hall Renovation was recognized for its ‘Energy and Environmental Lighting Design’.  The IES Illumination Awards acknowledge professionalism, … Read more

Meet Barton Associates, Inc. Talented 2022 Interns

We are pleased and happy to introduce and welcome Barton Associates’ interns Elizabeth Hargrove, Brendon Little, Adelaide Pearce, Sarah Kane, and Vincent Viola to the team! Our internship program is designed to give students the most real-world experience possible which may include project surveys, project specific design tasks, attending project meetings, building information modeling, and … Read more

IES Philadelphia Recognizes Barton’s Lighting Studio with Three Award-Winning Projects

Barton’s Lighting Studio is honored to have received three lighting awards from the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Philadelphia Section. The Pennsylvania State University’s Willard Building Renovation/Addition, the new Kim S Phipps Admissions and Welcome Center at Messiah University and the new WellSpan Heart and Vascular Center were recognized for their professionalism, ingenuity, and originality in … Read more

When is Commissioning Required?

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

New Construction Codes Effective 2022: Plumbing Code Changes

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will adopt the 2018 International Plumbing Code for construction projects, except for two municipalities (the City of Philadelphia and Allegheny County), on February 14, 2022.  There will be a six-month grace period during which some may be reviewed under the 2015 IPC.  Construction projects, regardless of circumstances, will be designed in … Read more

New Construction Codes Effective 2022: Mechanical Code Changes

As Pennsylvania begins enforcement of 2018 International Mechanical Code, it’s important to understand what, if any changes could affect your project.  This is particularly important if you’ve had a project shelved due to the pandemic and are planning to dust it off this year.  Whether it was a funding issue, price of materials, or just … Read more

New Construction Codes Effective 2022: Electrical Code Changes

The building code in Pennsylvania is known as the Uniform Construction Code (UCC). Enforcement of this code is handled either locally (by municipalities, townships, or contracted third-party reviewers) or by the state’s Department of Labor and Industry. Prior to 2018, the Pennsylvania UCC referenced the 2009 International Codes (I-Codes). In 2018, the UCC was updated … Read more

New Construction Codes Effective 2022: The Overview

The current pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of our personal and professional lives.  In the case of the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Codes (UCC), it has significantly delayed the legally required update to the 2018 edition of the International Construction Codes.  Among the many requirements and procedures outlined in the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act Omnibus Amendments (Act … Read more

Electrical Design Challenges in High-Rise Buildings

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