Category Archives: E-Newsletter
The Blackout Test: Coordinated Testing for Complicated Utility Infrastructure
by Shaun May, EIT, CEM This article is part of Wood Harbinger’s newsletter series. We spend the vast majority of our lives within the built environment. We put our trust in buildings, bridges, and utility infrastructure, and sometimes take for granted that they will safely meet our needs. It’s really only in times of emergency […]
The Big Picture Perspective: Whole Building/Whole Campus Facility Condition Assessment
by Nick Baker, P.E., CCP, GPCP, LEED AP BD+C, Shaun May, EIT, CEM, and Jacob Odell This article is part of Wood Harbinger’s newsletter series. Over the last six months, we have noticed a substantial increase in facility owners seeking facility condition assessment services.
Getting Beyond “It’s Been Like That For Years”: Systems Assessment
by Nick Baker, P.E., CCP, GPCP, LEED AP BD+C, Shaun May, EIT, CEM, and Jacob Odell This article is part of Wood Harbinger’s newsletter series. Facility condition assessments are a proactive path towards assuring that building systems are operating the way they should be (per design) and/or the way they need to be (per facility requirements) […]
The System That Cried Wolf: When to Believe the Fire Alarm
by Mike Lehner, P.E. This article is part of Wood Harbinger’s newsletter series. One of Aesop’s famous fables is “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” If you recall, the story tells of a young shepherd boy who cried out that a wolf was chasing the village sheep, and the villagers came running to help him, only […]
The Fire Protection Obstacle Course Part 2: Five More “Gotchas” That Can Make or Break Your Project
by Mike Lehner, P.E. This article is part of Wood Harbinger’s newsletter series. In a previous edition of this newsletter, I introduced five “gotchas” related to fire protection systems that could wreak havoc on your project. This list, of course, is far from comprehensive, so I thought I’d follow up with a few more “gotchas” […]
Cradle to Grave Sustainability: Electric Vehicle Batteries
by Shaun May, EIT, CEM, and Mitchell Hughey This article is part of Wood Harbinger’s newsletter series. An oft-undiscussed element of sustainability in the built environment is the “cradle to grave,” concept—that is, the sustainability factor of not only a finished product, but the impact throughout the lifespan of all products and materials, from production, […]
Electricity vs. Natural Gas: The Energy Showdown
by Paul Greenwalt, EIT This article is part of Wood Harbinger’s newsletter series. Residential, commercial, and industrial users have choices about the energy sources they use for building systems and processes, such as HVAC and water systems, refrigeration systems, manufacturing/production processes, cooking, and clothes drying. Natural gas and electricity are the two main options for […]
Commissioning for Design-Build Project Delivery
by Nick Baker, P.E., CCP, GPCP, LEED AP BD+C and Jeff Yirak, P.E., CCP, GPCP, LEED AP BD+C This article is part of Wood Harbinger’s newsletter series. A few years ago, Nick Baker wrote an article outlining how different project delivery methods affect the commissioning provider’s relationships with the project owner, design team, and contractor. We […]
Back to Basics for Energy Code-Required Commissioning
by Shaun May, EIT, CEM and Jacob Odell This article is part of Wood Harbinger’s newsletter series. The latest Washington State Energy Code (WSEC 2015) requires Fundamental Commissioning performed by a Certified Commissioning Professional. For many of our clients, commissioning isn’t a new concept—projects pursuing LEED require Fundamental Commissioning, so if you’ve participated in a […]