The change from the 2009 International Codes to the 2015 International codes in Pennsylvania, except for the City of Philadelphia, ushered in many substantial changes when it comes to mechanical system design, construction and operation. Similar to other code updates, the hike toward sustainable design and operation continues in these common areas: increased equipment efficiency
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The Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code (UCC) first began being enforced in April 2004. Fourteen years later, Act 35 of 2017 updated the code requirements to the 2015 International Codes. Application of this new standard began for all projects without a signed construction contract on October 1, 2018. The grace period for permit application for projects
There seems to be a misunderstanding among facility owners and operators these days about requirements for emergency fixtures (eyewashes and drench showers). Plumbing codes generally do not prescribe when or where to locate eyewash fixtures. Rather, they address the installation of these emergency fixtures if or when they are required. The Owner is responsible for
Pontiac Fever. It’s got nothing to do with cars, and everything to do with Legionellosis, the disease caused by a pathogenic bacterium called Legionella pneumophila. Legionellosis or Legionnaire’s Disease preys on the elderly, the young and anyone with weakened immune systems. The subsequent fallout can also be catastrophic to a facility and owner because the
Electronic devices are everywhere – in our pockets, on our desks, in our homes, in our cars, and in our facilities. Technological advances that make our lives simpler and more productive are made possible by countless electronic devices. The water, gas, electricity, air, and even the information that flows in and out of our buildings
Healthcare Acquired Infections, or HAIs, can result in up to $147 Billion worth of medical expenses per year, with surgical site infections accounting for approximately 33% of these HAI’s. To combat this statistic, Hospitals are doing everything they can to eliminate the causes of these infections by not only performing a “terminal” cleaning at the
Importance of Proper Ventilation Is your building properly ventilated? What is proper ventilation? How do you know if you have it? These may not be the burning questions you ask yourself when evaluating student performance, but if your key business is education, perhaps they should be at the top of your list. Some facilities personnel
The 2018 edition of the FGI Guidelines are available and ready for use. The Pennsylvania Department of Health is still allowing the option to have new projects reviewed under either the 2014 or 2018 editions through October. After November 1, 2018, however, all new projects submitted to PA DOH for approval will be reviewed under
When undertaking a renovation or new construction project as an Owner do you know what questions to ask regarding the design of the MEP/FP systems? What is different about this project that was not on the last one that no one was expecting? The advantage of an experienced MEP engineer is that we have seen
For many years now, the design community has been laser-focused on creating ‘green’ buildings that use less energy and have a smaller impact on their surrounding environments. That is until recently. Due to growing concern amongst the healthcare community that Americans are spending too much of their days indoors coupled with the scientific community’s increasing
