Heating and air conditioning is something we all take for granted. We probably don’t remember that each type of heating and air conditioning system comes with a “user beware” awareness.

Over the next 40 years, an estimated 2 trillion square feet of new and rebuilt building space will be constructed worldwide.

This month's Facility Files will focus on the Back2Basics test addressing the renovation of an existing Metro station with the addition of a new smoke evacuation system located within the building and within the subway’s inbound and outbound tunnels. The associated ADA-compliant elevator will have its own stand-alone, engineered, smoke control, 100 percent outside air fan to a positive-pressurized elevator shaft system.

Most of us have experienced one of our best solutions backfiring and unintentionally creating a bigger problem in the future. One historical example of an unintended consequence occurred in the early 1900s in Hanoi, Vietnam. Under French Colonial rule, the city was proud of the sanitation benefits of its indoor toilets supported by a vast sewer system.

In order to make effective recommendations for your customers related to selecting systems, components, and processes, a project should be grounded in three principles.

The industry standard commissioning process includes development of a systems manual to supplement the equipment O&M manuals provided by equipment manufacturers. The systems manual is intended to document at least the following information about each commissioned system:

We are starting a new year, and I believe the HVAC consulting engineers responsible for design engineering need to make a change in 2019 as to how HVAC systems are engineered to be safe.

While the advent of membrane-based rooftop air conditioners, VRF, energy storage, and a number of other technologies appear to be testing the limits of energy efficiency, the International Energy Agency (IEA) believes the industry is miles from touching its proverbial glass ceiling.

This month’s Facility File will focus on the B2B December test for the energy retrofit of a commercial office building hot water heating system conversion from a utility company steam system to a new, high-efficiency condensing boiler system.

Balancing relative humidity plays a key role in not only comfort but the health of occupants.