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What do you need to know about making data centers sustainable?
Will data centers incorporate innovative sustainability and energy-efficiency features? Learn about the trends here
Learn about what it takes to design a smart building
By integrating a variety of systems within a building, engineers can design a building that can tackle the future
K-12 roundtable focuses on energy efficiency technologies
HVAC and security systems are being upgraded at K-12 schools
How to leverage construction data to level up your next food plant project
Modern data collection and analytics have created infinite opportunities for businesses to leverage information to their advantage.
3D design in a 2D world: Accelerating innovation with 2D BIM
BIM isn’t a singular idea or just 3D modeling software; it’s an engineering tool that aids designers by increasing efficiency and optimization.
Consulting-Specifying Engineer most-viewed integration articles in 2021
Read the best articles about BAS integration, smart grid integration, BIM use in a pandemic, building integration and more.
Your questions answered: Transforming the Construction Cycle to Build Smart Buildings
Questions left unanswered during the webcast are answered here by Joe Richard
Leaning into IPD: A primer for engineers: definitions
Integrated project delivery (IPD) is aimed at more directly connecting what the end users are expecting to get and what actually gets built for them, while at the same time minimizing lifecycle costs and shortening the overall schedule.
Improving construction industry efficiency with IPD
A review of the basic concepts relating to an integrated project delivery (IPD) model and the role that the consulting engineer plays in the collaborative efforts to design, build, and operate IPD facilities as efficiently as possible.
Ask an Engineering Expert: What trends do you see today in the design of industrial, manufacturing, and warehouse facilities?
In this installment of our Ask an Engineering Expert series, Marcin Jakubowski, Senior Mechanical Engineer at RTM Engineering Consultants, answers the question: What trends do you see today in the design of industrial, manufacturing, and warehouse facilities?
Your questions answered: Pre-Construction: How Focusing on it Early Helps Profitability Later
The September 13, 2018 “Pre-Construction: How Focusing on it Early Helps Profitability Later” webcast presenter addressed questions not covered during the live event.
Case study: Changing the continuum of mental health services
Via a public-private partnership, a Saskatchewan mental health facility was upgraded using integrated solutions.
Your questions answered: Lighting controls
The Aug. 16, 2018, lighting controls webcast presenters addressed questions not covered during the live event.
Enhancing integration of electric and HVAC design
Know the factors to consider when working to maximize integration of electrical and HVAC system design to achieve economic and operational benefits.
How to integrate lighting systems in health care facilities
Meeting lighting system requirements in a health care facility is a challenge because of the myriad codes and standards required to ensure safety.
Top 5 Consulting-Specifying Engineer Articles, May 7-13
Meeting NEC 240.87, lighting controls, efficient data centers, and building AEC firm value were Consulting-Specifying Engineer's five most clicked articles from last week, March April 23-29. Were you out last week? You can catch up here.
Case Study: Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department, 3-D laser scanning to BIM
Equipment upgrade using 3-D laser scanning
We are Open, Sorry for the Inconvenience
Open systems are often locked by manufacturers and system integrators in order to maintain a competitive advantage, but that is antithetical to their intended purpose.
We are all designers
The fields of construction, architecture, and engineering are merging. There are many factors that affect building design, and modern engineering challenges the way traditional design is segmented.
How to establish long-term client engagement
Analytics tools and data analysis allows for successful, long-term client engagement.
How to properly integrate fire alarm systems and HVAC systems
Organizing the coordination with the engineering team is key to a successful system integration project.
6 CFD post-processing tips to improve visualization productivity and quality
Post-processing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) data is a vital step in presenting the results to decision-makers, and ensuring the best product design.
How to use IPD for design-bid-build success
By engaging all the players in a building’s design or retrofit, integrated project delivery (IPD) can ensure the project runs smoothly.
Integrating teams for success
Integrate the architectural and engineering teams for project success.
Top 6 mistakes made on IPD projects
Integrated project delivery (IPD) projects involve equal opportunity for risk and reward.
How private capital can help AEC firms with growth and ownership transition
Private capital is a potentially viable solution for many common challenges relating to growth and ownership transition in the AEC industry.
Designing buildings for the Internet of Things
The networking of things within a building must be anticipated by building engineers.
Integrating BAS, controls for smart buildings
Technology integration between all engineering disciplines will create a smart building that can enhance building operations.
High expectations for high-performance buildings
High-performance buildings are intricate, complex projects that require attention—qualified, expert consulting-specifying engineers apply their knowledge on such projects.
High expectations for high-performance buildings: automation and controls
High-performance buildings are intricate, complex projects that require attention—qualified, expert consulting-specifying engineers apply their knowledge on such projects specifically within the building automation and controls segment.
High expectations for high-performance buildings: codes and standards
High-performance buildings are intricate, complex projects that require attention—qualified, expert consulting-specifying engineers apply their knowledge on such projects specifically within the codes and standards segment.
High expectations for high-performance buildings: electrical, lighting, power
High-performance buildings are intricate, complex projects that require attention—qualified, expert consulting-specifying engineers apply their knowledge on such projects specifically within the electrical, lighting, power segment.
High expectations for high-performance buildings: sustainable buildings/energy efficiency
High-performance buildings are intricate, complex projects that require attention—qualified, expert consulting-specifying engineers apply their knowledge on such projects specifically within the sustainable buildings/energy efficiency segment.
BIM champions: Why do we need them?
Currently, with the lack of studies on evaluating BIM, Professionals are using the BIM-MM as a tool to answer different questions on the BIM agenda.The BIM-MM is a tool that evaluates BIM in projects, it combines a set of critical BIM criteria including the BIM Champion.
Retooling practice for better BIM delivery
BIM-enabled design and construction enables an enhanced certainty of outcome, in accordance with the prescribed reliability of multidisciplinary BIM deliverables creating a more efficient process and successful project.
Analyzing data centers: automation and controls
Data is the lifeblood of any business or organization—which makes a data center a facility’s beating heart. Here, engineers with experience on data center projects show how to succeed on such facilities, and how to keep your finger on the pulse of data center trends in regards to automation and controls.
Emerging wireless technologies in building automation
Engineers need to consider wireless technologies for building automation systems and realize the benefits of wireless systems for each scenario.
Networked lighting controls
With the advent of building technology comes the need for monitoring and intercommunication between heating, cooling, electrical, lighting, fire/life safety, and other systems for optimized efficiency and operation.
A new approach to specifying with BACnet
Updated standard ASHRAE 135-2016 makes specifying BACnet equipment easier.
Integrated design solutions to improve energy efficiency
To resolve the issue of improving efficiency while making projects more cost-effective, disciplines must work together toward integrated design solutions.
Montreal Hospital the largest health care construction project in North America
At 21 stories tall and 3 million sq ft, CHUM is the largest health care construction project in North America.
Virtual reality and its role in architecture
On March 24th, I gave a presentation on real-time rendering and virtual reality (VR) at Midwest University 2016.
Appliance for building automation
The Commander Internet of Things appliance for building automation is designed for system interconnectivity, data visualization, and energy optimization for small and medium buildings.
Taking BIM to the next level
Electrical engineers are being pushed toward using BIM.
Integration: HVAC fans and smoke control
Fire, life safety, and HVAC systems must be integrated by the engineer to achieve reliability in smoke control systems. This includes mechanical equipment, physical barriers, or a combination of both.
Fiber optics: a backbone for advanced building design
Fiber-optic cables are an integral part of a building communication system. Although they are commonly installed for the enterprise network communication, they are also designed into building-management systems and electrical-power coordination.
Government building design: Automation and controls
When your client is the government, engineering design can be tricky, thanks to stepped-up regulations, budgetary concerns, and other considerations. Respondents discuss building automation and controls in government, state, municipal, federal, and military facilities.
Revit planning tools
Revit 2015 R2 includes features that add powerful capabilities, enhance software performance, and improve user productivity for architects, and MEP and structural engineers.
What the 1970s oil crisis taught us
Due in part to the 1973 oil crisis, government agencies emphasized energy efficiency in many sectors.
Using IPD and Lean in building design
Consider integrated project delivery (IPD) and Lean design to provide a more streamlined engineering process and less waste.
Arup Thoughts: Lawyers, don’t block BIM
It is time for lawyers to start enabling BIM instead of blocking it.The legal profession should not be permitted to dictate the direction of the construction industry when it comes to building information modelling (BIM).
Young architects challenge engineers
The newest generation of architects wants to be part of the larger plan.
Security essentials for BAS
Engineers should understand the three-legged stool of cybersecurity for building automation systems.
Programmable controllers offer diversity for building automation integrators
Building automation equipment market has been slow going; however, IHS expects this to change as the market moves toward fully programmable controllers in the shorter term.
Collaborate, integrate on lighting design
A panel discussion at LightFair International encouraged lighting designers to collaborate, educate, and integrate for the best possible outcome.
Data center design: Automation and controls
In the information age, data centers are one of the most critical components of a facility. If the data center isn’t reliable, business can’t be done. Automation and controls play a key role.
Integrators seek differentiation in building automation market
Integrators are putting an increasing emphasis on product choice and adding value to systems to better position themselves in a growing market where small- and medium-sized independent integrators accounted for 57 of the overall takings.
Why the time is right for integration
There are a number of factors that remove traditional integration barriers.
Cloud-based energy management system
Telkonet's EcoCentral Virtual Engineer is a cloud-based energy management command center that communicates with intelligent wireless thermostats, occupancy sensors, and other products and systems.
IP-all-the-way is the way to go
To take full advantage of building management systems, we need Internet protocol all the way down to the simplest devices.
Engineering systems in manufacturing, industrial buildings: Building automation and controls
Manufacturing and industrial facilities require specialized building automation, monitoring, and control systems.
Primary Integration Solutions names business development director
Primary Integration Solutions has named Christopher Ludeman the Director of Business Development; he has 15 years of experience in the mission critical industry.
Dual-protocol interval data recorders
E-Mon’s Interval Data Recorder (IDR) is designed for collecting kilowatt-hour and demand data from 8 or 16 connected meters at user-selectable 15-, 30-, or 60-min intervals.
Networked BAS, energy management systems
Read about the 5 finalists in the Networked BAS, Energy Management Systems category for the Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2013 Product of the Year competition.
Test instruments, meters, data loggers
Read about the 6 finalists in the Test Instruments, Meters, Data Loggers category for the Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2013 Product of the Year competition.
Open systems: The foundation for a new era of BAS
As system integration strategies become more complex, the need for improved building automation system specifications becomes evident.
Integrating electrical safety with design
Integrating maintenance requirements into the design of an electrical system is an important first step to provide workplace safety.
Engineers should focus on integration
By becoming a building systems integrator, engineers can ensure successful buildings—and a successful future.
ESI acquires ECC Controls
Environmental Systems Inc. looks to expand its technological offerings and geographical base by taking on ECC's temperature controls, building automation, energy management, and security system offerings.
