2013 High Performance Healthy Schools Summit-Call for Nominations & Registration Open

Jan 7, 2013 Sustainability News

2013 Regional Schools Summit -February 19, 2013

As the 2013 High Performance Healthy Schools Summit approaches, it is time to begin the delightful process of identifying and recognizing those K-12 schools around the State of Georgia for their contributions to the Green Schools movement.    

The deadline for receipt of nominations has been extended to January 11, 2013.

We recognize individuals, schools and/or school systems dedicated to K-12 education for leadership and achievement in the following operational and learning areas:

• Energy Efficiency
• Environmental Curriculum
• Indoor Air Quality
• Materials Management and Recycling
• Water Efficiency and Conservation
• Other Innovations in Sustainability
• Service in Sustainability

Once again, the 2013 awards will be presented at a special Awards Luncheon on February 19th.  

Lt. Governor Casey Cagle will recognize the best and the greenest schools with “High Performance, Healthy Schools Awards” to schools, school systems and/or individuals who have shown leadership in Georgia green schools.

Submit Your Nomination Here!   

The deadline for receipt of nominations has been extended to January 11, 2013. The submittals will be reviewed by the Branch Leadership Group in early January 2013.  

Register for the Summit Here! 

Prices: $69 for Summit Full Day, including Awards Banquet 

$50 for Tuesday Luncheon only  

Sponsorship Opportunities are still available.  

CLICK HERE  for more information or contact Suzanne Haerther at edudirector@usgbcga.org or 404-431-5213 to learn about sponsorship opportunities.

 Premier Events Description – Tuesday, February 19^th

Opening Keynote w/ Light Breakfast 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM
Keynote Address by Denise Quarles, Director of Sustainability, City of Atlanta
	Denise Quarles is Director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. She has recently completed a refresh of Atlanta’s sustainability plan while implementing policies and best practices across a range of government operations and facilities. In an effort to help realize Mayor Kasim Reed’s goal of making Atlanta a top-tier city for sustainability, her priority is to build a strong government, business and non-profit collaborative that will foster the achievement of both short and long-term sustainability goals.Prior to joining the Reed administration, Denise was Vice President of Environmental Affairs for Southwire, a Georgia-based manufacturer and North Americas leading producer of electric wiring and cabling. At DiamlerChysler, she gained extensive experience in business and operations management during her 12 year tenure. Denise has also taught Operations Management part-time at the University of West Georgia, Richard College of Business for the past 3 years. She is a member of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership Board of Directors, and maintains memberships with many professional organizations. A Michigan native, Denise holds a Master of Business Administration degree as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering.
High Performance, Healthy Schools Award Luncheon 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM Presented by Lt. Governor Casey Cagle – Lt. Governor’s Healthy Kids Georgia As Lieutenant Governor, Casey works tirelessly to ensure all children in Georgia have access to a personalized educational environment suited for their individual talents and needs. Thanks to his Charter System Initiative, entire school systems can now convert to charter system status and focus their efforts on educating students instead of complying with burdensome mandates.Additionally, he launched the Georgia College and Career Academy Network, a partnership between local community leaders, school systems, and Georgia’s technical colleges. The college and career academies provide a relevant and rigorous curriculum aimed at preparing students for a highly skilled, 21st-Century workforce upon graduation. Thanks to Casey’s leadership, Georgia has 23 college and career academies today with additional academies planned every year. An avid athlete, Casey also understands the importance of health and wellness for today’s youth. Recognizing Georgia faces an obesity epidemic, with over one in three Georgia children considered obese, Casey, as both the Lieutenant Governor and a parent, decided it was time to reverse these trends and confront the challenge of childhood obesity. In 2010, he launched the Lieutenant Governor’s Healthy Kids Challenge, with the goal of enrolling 50 Georgia schools in the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program within one year. After achieving this initial goal in less than 3 months, the Lt. Governor is now working to provide every Georgia student with access to an environment that encourages healthy lifestyle decisions.
Advocacy Panel 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Senator Donzella James, 35th District, Georgia Assembly
	Senator James represents Metropolitan Atlanta’s 35thDistrict of Georgia, which includes parts of Fulton and Douglas Counties. She served four and a half terms in the Georgia Assembly starting in 2009, took time off to run for the US Congress, and has since been reelected as a State Senator. She is a member of the Education and Youth Committee and several other State Committees.She has worked to bring progressive change in the areas of crime reduction, a safe and clean environment, stronger drunk driving laws and drug trafficking laws, economic development, increased access to quality healthcare and quality education. Senator James authored and passed the Child Endangerment bill, the Child Sexual Commerce Act of 2001 and other legislation preserving the safety and rights of children. As a leader in community affairs and Co-chairperson of “Keep South Fulton Beautiful,” Senator James promotes the green movement as a global perspective. Senator James earned a Bachelors degree in criminal justice and political science from Morris Brown College and has received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Macon’s Emmanuel Bible College.

Gretchen Gigley – Clean Air School Program – Clean Air Campaign

Gretchen joined The Clean Air Campaign as Director of Education in September 2009 to lead environmental education efforts and children’s health initiatives for the organization. Gretchen brings over 15 years of experience in education, environmental and public health and community planning.Over the past 2 years, Gretchen has advanced programs such as the No-Idling Program, Ride The Bus! For Clean Air, and Pool to School that empower Georgia’s schools to take actions to reduce air pollution both at their school and in their community. As of June 2011, the Clean Air Schools programs have expanded to almost 350 schools in 35 school districts around the state. Student involvement has been a key component to the program’s success. As a result, Gretchen has led the development of 2 new student-led initiatives, Get There Green for high school students and Breathe Easy for elementary and middle school students, both available in the 2011-2012 school year. Gretchen holds a degree in Environmental Health from Ohio University. She completed her Masters of Landscape Architecture at the University of Georgia in 2007 and published “Grounds To Grow: Closing the Design Gap Between Children’s Health and Public Playspace.”

Laura Turner-Seydel – Turner Foundation & Captain Planet Foundation

Laura Turner Seydel is a national environmental advocate and eco-living expert dedicated to creating a healthy and sustainable future for our children.Laura is chairperson of the Captain Planet Foundation, which promotes environmental education and gardens in schools, and Zero Waste Zone, an organization that promotes communities working together to change current disposal methods of consumed products. She co-founded Mothers and Others for Clean Air and the Chattahoochee River Keeper. She is passionate about keeping toxic chemicals out of consumer products, which can be especially harmful to pregnant mothers and children, and works with EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and Environmental Working Group to educate the public about the effects of these toxins. Laura serves on her family’s foundation boards including The Turner Foundation, Jane Smith Turner Foundation, the Turner Endangered Species Fund, and Ted’s Montana Grill. She also serves on national boards including League of Conservation Voters, Defenders of Wildlife, Waterkeeper Alliance, the Green Schools Alliance and National Parks Conservation Association. Laura is the recipient of numerous humanitarian and environmental awards, including the League of Conservation Voters Environmental Hero Award, the SCLC Drum Major for Justice Award, the Healthy Child Healthy World’s 2010 Mom on a Mission for Service Award, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta’s Legacy Award, and the YWCA Academy of Women Achievement Award.

The Honorable Jere Wood – Mayor of Roswell

Jere Wood was elected Mayor of Roswell in 1997 and is serving in his fourth term as Mayor. Mayor Wood’s goal has been to make Roswell a great place to live. He was the first Georgia Mayor to sign the Mayors’ Alliance for Green Schools and is an advocate of high performance healthy schools.Under Mayor Wood’s leadership, Roswell has grown. The City increased from 32 to 41 square miles in area, and from 57,000 to 85,000 people. The appraised value of real estate in the City has grown from $3 billion to over $11 billion. Seven new parks have been added, increasing the acreage of park land from 314.7 acres to 912.8 acres. Since his election, Roswell has been named as: One of the top three cities in the nation to raise your family (Frommer’s 2006) The Sixth Best Place in America to Retire (Black Enterprise Magazine, September 2008) The 18th Safest City in the United States (FBI Crime Statistics 2007) Top 20 Cities in the United States with a Population Under 100,000 (Money Magazine) Best Place to Live in Metro Atlanta (Atlanta Magazine) Mayor Wood graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Economics cum laude in 1971, and a law degree in 1974. From that time to the present, Mayor Wood has practiced law, first in Atlanta, and then on Canton Street in Roswell with Richard Perry. Mayor Wood enjoys building. He moved and restored the 1810 log cabin where he and his wife live, and the 1830′s dog trot cabin which is his law office. He operates a small sawmill, which he used to saw the lumber for his mother’s house and the Raiford Gallery for his wife. Currently he is working on a camp meeting arbor to be constructed on Canton Street.

Tags: Georgia USGBC, Regional Schools Summit

H. JAY ENCK AWARDED LEED® FELLOW DESIGNATION

Oct 24, 2012 CxGBS Articles, CxGBS in the News, Editorials, Press Release, Sustainability News

LEED Fellows represent green building industry’s most accomplished professionals

ATLANTA, GA (October 24, 2012) – CXGBS® Co-founder and Chief Technical Officer H. Jay Enck has been nominated for inclusion in Green Building Certification Institute’s prestigious LEED® Fellowship program.

The Green Building Certification Institute’s LEED® Fellowship annually honors professional excellence and contributions to the green building industry. Outstanding LEED accredited professionals must demonstrate expert-level knowledge technical proficiency, education, leadership, commitment and service, and advocacy. They must also hold a LEED professional credential for more than eight years and have at least ten years of green building experience. This will be the program’s second fellowship class. The LEED Fellow program officially launched with its inaugural class of 34 candidates being announced in 2011.

Enck, also a senior commissioning authority and LEED® accredited professional for CXGBS®, has more than 40 years of green building and general construction experience. A LEED® pioneer, he is also the first of the 77 LEED® fellows to have earned his LEED AP Designation and completed a LEED® project. He’s spearheaded many notable LEED® projects including the first LEED® Platinum certified building in Georgia (ASHRAE Headquarters), the first LEED® Gold certified office building in Georgia (The Arthur M. Blank Family Office), and the first LEED® Silver certified animal research laboratory in the southeast.

An industry leader who has conducted commissioning for more than $3.5 billion in construction projects, Enck has advocated for the importance of quality construction and commissioning in delivering and sustaining high-performance buildings for their useful operating life. His published works which include, co-authoring ASHRAE’s Green Guide, Advanced Energy Design guides, and IFMA’s Sustainability How-To Guide “Commissioning for Existing Buildings,” serve as industry road maps. Enck is also a sought after subject matter expert quoted in articles on green design, commissioning, and eco-structure for the ASHRAE Journal, Green Building News, Consulting Specific Engineer magazine, and Engineered Systems among others.

Enck stays committed to advancing the green building industry by continuing to facilitate LEED® certification, sustainable design principles, and commissioning through mentoring project teams, training emerging industry professionals as an instructor at the University of Wisconsin, and serving on multiple LEED® certification exam and ASHRAE committees. Enck also founded Atlanta’s USGBC Chapter and the Southeast Regional Chapter of the Building Commissioners Association. His contributions can be linked to the Sustainable Sites and Energy and Atmosphere technical advisory groups tasked with improving LEED® products as well.

“We are thrilled to present these highly accomplished individuals with the LEED Fellow designation,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, USGBC. “The Fellows are some of the leading innovators and vanguards of the green building movement, and their bodies of work strongly underscore their commitment to LEED and a sustainable built environment.”

CXGBS® has driven many LEED firsts including guiding the project teams of the first LEED-certified schools in Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia, the first LEED certified theater in the United States, and in developing the first Green Housekeeping and Site Management program to meet LEED requirements in the southeast.

Join us in congratulating H. Jay Enck.

Enck will be recognized with the rest of the 2012 LEED Fellow class at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in San Francisco next month. For more information on the LEED Fellow program, please visit new.usgbc.org/leed/credentials/leed-fellow/.

For more information about H. Jay Enck please visit: http://www.cxgbs.com/about-us/team-leadership/h-jay-enck/

About CxGBS®
Commissioning & Green Building Solutions, Inc. (CXGBS®) is a professional consultancy providing innovative solutions to achieve high-performing buildings. CXGBS® serves clients nationwide from its headquarters in Duluth, GA and satellite offices in Mississippi and Tennessee. As a project team member, CXGBS® applies our Holistic Commissioning® process to assist the team in achieving high performing buildings right from the start and throughout the life of your building. Our process guides the project team in meeting the owner’s performance goals, reducing total cost of building ownership and improving occupant and stakeholder satisfaction.
CXGBS® is a Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB).

Tags: Green Building, H. Jay Enck, LEED AP, LEED Fellow, USGBC

A client’s story of sustainability – Spelman College: Changing the World

Mar 19, 2012 Sustainability News

Spelman College has entered the following video for Second Nature’s Climate Leadership Awards. Way to go Spelman!

Read the article here, or learn more about Spelman College here.

The video gives an overview of Spelman’s sustainability initiatives featuring President Beverly Daniel Tatum, Art Frazier, director of Facilities and Management Services, and Spelman’s sustainability interns.

Tags: Atlanta, campus projects, green, Spelman College, sustainability

Sweat the Details! – by Jesse Ross CxGBS®

Oct 28, 2011 CxGBS Articles, Sustainability News

It seems all too often that when I first start making site observations of new construction, the same issues are observed for every one of my projects. Issues such as continuous vapor or air barriers, protections of ducts and equipment, or clearance allowed for insulation on piping or ducts. And, nearly every time I bring them up with the construction team, I get the same initial response from the contractors: “That’s how I’ve done it for 30 years” or “That isn’t a big deal.”

While I would like to argue that it doesn’t matter how long someone has done something if it is done wrong in the first place. Instead, I try and educate the team on why it is important to sweat these details that seem so trivial to the contractors. What the contractors fail to realize is that these issues will not present themselves quickly. Usually, they are issues that will take years to become an eventual problem, long after the contractors have left the site and the warranty period has expired.

 Having been involved in many retro-commissioning projects, I have personally seen the kind of damage an issue, which seemed so innocuous at the time, could do. In some cases, a problem may never present itself. But, why even take that chance?

Tags: Commissioning, consultant, design professional, Jesse Ross, Sustainable Design Guidance

Good INTENTions for Regional Materials in LEED 2012 – by Danna Lopez CxGBS®

Oct 21, 2011 CxGBS Articles, Editorials, Sustainability News

One of the biggest problems I have with the LEEDv2.2 and LEEDv3.0 MR credits is with MR Credit 5: Regional Materials.  This credit currently defines regional materials as materials that are both harvested and manufactured within 500 miles of the project.  The INTENT of the credit is to support the use of indigenous resources and reduce the environmental impacts resulting from transportation. 

The following is an example to illustrate my concern:

Product A is harvested 500 miles east of the project and manufactured 500 miles west of the project.  Therefore, the total traveling distance of the product from cradle to grave (from the harvest location, to the manufacturing location, and then finally to the project) is 1,500 miles.  Product B is harvested 700 miles east of the project and manufactured 300 miles east of the project.  Therefore, the total traveling distance of the product from cradle to grave is 1,000 miles. 

This is the flaw within MR credit 5.  Product A is transported 500 miles more than product B, yet product A contributes towards the credit because it was both harvested and manufactured within 500 miles of the project, and product B does not. This contradicts the credit intent: To reduce environmental impacts resulting from transportation.

It is unfortunate that this flaw was overlooked in both LEEDv2.2 and LEEDv3.0; however, it looks like LEED 2012 will eliminate this flaw by eliminating the harvesting requirements all together, and making more stringent requirements for manufacturing and purchasing locations.  The proposed modifications to the reference guide will be addressed in two new MR credits, which address both structural and non-structural building materials.  The intent of these credits is (in part) to reduce environmental harm from materials manufacturing and transport.  The portion of these credits titled “Support Local Economy,” requires that project teams use building materials and products that are manufactured and purchased within the Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) as defined by the US Office of Management and Budget statistical area that the project is located in.  For projects located outside a prescribed CBSA, materials and products shall be purchased within the projects county. 

While the proposed LEED 2012 requirements do eliminate local harvesting requirements, it is generally in the best interest of the product/material vendor to harvest/extract materials locally anyway.  I believe the new MR credits address the more important issue of buying local materials (both manufactured and purchased locally), which will accurately address the intent of the credit by reducing transportation between purchasing & manufacturing locations and the project.

Tags: cbsa, core based statistical area, Danna Lopez, LEED, LEED 2012, LEEDv2.2, LEEDv3.0, linkedin, MR Credit, mr5, Regional M

A Control Point by Any Other Name…By David Cantrill CxGBS®

Sep 15, 2011 Editorials, Sustainability News

As energy efficiency goals become common place in almost every area in the United States, project teams are taking advantage of the use of a building automation system (BAS) to aid in keeping a building running as efficient as the day it was opened.  But are these building automation systems setup in a manner that will allow for the building operators to understand and maintain the building systems?  Being a part of many commissioning projects has allowed me to view the “inner workings” of these building automation systems and witness how the control professionals are setting up the systems.  More often than not, you find that control points have confusing names or are named something that does not allow for a building operator to understand what they are.  If a building operator is unclear what he is looking at, the chances of the building efficiency being maintained decreases.  It is important that the naming of control points in these building automation systems be adequate for long term maintainability and long term energy efficiency.  As commissioning authorities, it is key during the commissioning testing phase of the project that a review of the control points is completed and comments to the contractors are given to eliminate confusion in naming of control points.  Having this issue taken care of before building turnover will result in a better maintained building which will in turn lead to a greater chance of long term building efficiency.

Tags: BAS, Building Automation System, Commissioning, David Cantrill, set points

GO TEAM! – by Jesse Ross CxGBS®

Sep 1, 2011 Editorials, Sustainability News

It is not uncommon, or unexpected, for contractors to see a Commissioning Authority as the “enemy.” After all, CxAs are responsible for assessing the contractor’s construction quality and installation practices, which may mean more work than they are used to. However, commissioning can be much more difficult when you come across a project where neither the project manager nor the owner is familiar with the commissioning process and its benefits. When this is the case, I find they usually chose to commission their project only because of LEED or some another regulation.

It doesn’t matter that the reasons for commissioning are explained to the team in the Commissioning Scoping meeting. At that point, it can seem, commissioning is just extra paper work and yet another hurdle to delay the project’s completion. Some may wonder – “Why pay for commissioning when there are inspections and punch list walkthroughs that seemingly cover all of the same things as commissioning?” Commissioning meetings can be brushed over quickly without engaging in discussions about the project status and upcoming commissioning activities. Unfortunately, until the benefits of commissioning for that particular project are realized, it seems like commissioning will be seen by the owner and project manager as more of a chore than necessary for the successful delivery of their building.

The reason I bring this up is because commissioning is something that works best when there is total buy-in from the entire team (designer, project manager, owner, contractors, and CxA). That doesn’t mean that it is a waste of time to have commissioning when no one on the team is familiar with it. The building will still be commissioned, and work as designed. But, when an entire team is working together with a common goal in mind (a high performance building), a considerable amount of heartburn and strife can be avoided, and commissioning will be substantially more effective.

Tags: Commissioning, GA, Jesse Ross, Mississippi, Retro-Commissioning, Scoping meeting

CxGBS® Commissions Pi Beta Phi Sorority House at Mississippi State University

Aug 25, 2011 CxGBS Articles, CxGBS in the News, Editorials, Press Release, Sustainability News

Duluth, Georgia – August 26, 2011 – CxGBS^® announced today that they have completed commissioning of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority House on the Mississippi State University Campus in Starkville, MS. The newly constructed house is owned and operated by Pi Beta Phi and Fraternity Housing Corporation (FHC) and is home to the Mississippi Gamma Chapter of Pi Beta Phi.

“Our objective in designing this house was to build a sustainable sorority house that could serve as an example of the leadership values which Pi Beta Phi instills in its members. This is the first of its kind and sets a precedent for other sororities across the country,” said Leah FitzGerald of Fraternity Housing Corporation. “However, with the owner a thousand miles away, we felt it was important to have third party eyes and ears on the project.”

 Pi Phi and FHC hired CxGBS to be that objective third-party and help ensure construction of the house met their specifications and requirements for achieving LEED certification.

 ”CxGBS has an incredible reputation for other work they have done on the Mississippi State University campus and were vital to our process,” continues FitzGerald.

 The newly constructed Pi Phi House is almost 20,000 square feet with 20 bedrooms, including rooms for the chapter president and the house director. The façade and architectural style of the house was designed in keeping with the surrounding buildings on the campus. The house has a painted brick exterior with porches on the exterior. Inside are dining and study halls, as well as a formal living room, library, study rooms and TV lounges.

 Pi Phi recently gained special recognition when the house became the first sorority house in the country to be recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council with a LEED Silver certification for new construction.

 ”Today’s students are making not only their housing decisions but their university decisions based on how “green” or environmentally sensitive they find the campus,” said Jay Enck, CEO, CxGBS. “In order to remain relevant, Universities and Greek letter organizations are responding with a higher level of design, construction and sustainability in university buildings and campus housing.”

About Pi Beta Phi
Founded at Monmouth College in Illinois in 1867, Pi Beta Phi has 134 active chapters and more than 330 alumnae groups in the United States and Canada. The partnership with First Book, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to giving children from low-income homes the opportunity to read and own books, solidifies Pi Beta Phi’s commitment to literacy.

About FHC
Pi Beta Fraternity for women founded its Fraternity Housing Corporation (FHC) in April 2008. The mission of the Fraternity Housing Corporation is to strengthen, support and service Chapter House Corporations (CHC) and FHC managed chapters within Pi Beta Phi Fraternity. The FHC serves as a CHC resource in many areas including volunteer development, finance, safety issues and training. FHC staff assist CHC members in need of third party services which include a variety of disciplines such as property management, fundraising, interior design, furnishings and employment searches.

The FHC currently provides the day-to-day facility management services for 10 chapters including all newly chartered chapters.

About CxGBS^®
Commissioning & Green Building Solutions, Inc. (CxGBS^®) is a nationally recognized green building consulting firm that helps clients build environmentally friendly, top performing buildings. The firm’s professionals work with project teams to reduce risk and apply sustainable development principles that lower the total cost of ownership and create healthy conditions for occupants. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with a satellite office in Jackson, Mississippi, CxGBS^® offers a comprehensive suite of services to provide high value solutions for better performing buildings including Sustainable Design Consulting, Holistic Commissioning^®, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED^®) Certification and Forensic Investigation.

Tags: Commissioning, LEED, Mississippi, Pi Beta Phi, sorority, Sustainable Design Guidance

Energy & Atmosphere Credit 1: Do You Know the Savings – by David Cantrill CxGBS®

Jul 28, 2011 CxGBS Articles, Editorials, Sustainability News

A LEED project can achieve up to 19 points through the energy efficiency credit of EAc1. With this in mind, designers are typically instructed by the owner to design a building that will meet an agreed upon energy savings level. After the energy model is completed and the LEED online template is completed, the results show an energy savings enough to reach the point level requested by the owner. But the template shows that the project will earn fewer points than what they were expecting. Why might this be? The answer is simple, the savings referenced by LEED are for energy cost savings and not actual energy savings. You may design a building that saves 30% more energy than the baseline model but your cost savings could be substantially less. This can happen if using an energy source that has a high cost to unit of energy ratio. When all of your energy savings is in the lower cost energy source and not in your high cost energy source, you can run into this issue. It is important, when designing a project to meet a specified EAc1 point amount that everyone on the LEED project team is clear that the savings for this credit is based upon cost savings and not energy savings. Understanding this early in the process will save a lot of potential headaches and surprises when these credits are reviewed.

Tags: David Cantrill, EAc1, Energy & Atmostphere, energy model, LEED

Communication Opens Doors to Design Quality – by Don Zerrip CxGBS®

Jun 30, 2011 CxGBS Articles, Sustainability News

One of the most common consistencies seen in building commissioning is the quality level of designs being presented in the DD and CD level. It is clear in reviews that designers are being pressed to lower prices and are looking for ways to reduce their costs, however sometimes this is at the expense of the quality of work produced. The building owner has a right to a complete and functional design completed by professional engineers that will meet or exceed their requirements. The exchange of design criteria between architects, structural engineers, mechanical designers, electrical designers, and other members of the design team must continuously take place to reduce the risk to the owner. Simply increasing the size of a pump in the CD stage can bring major issues to the owner if not shared within the design team or caught prior to construction. Remember, a construction contractor builds the professional engineer’s stamped and signed design. If the wire size is not adjusted for full load amperes, the voltage drop is not accounted in the cable length, the overload protection not properly sized, and the panel lacks the capacity then there is every possibility of a change order during construction or worse yet the pump will not function properly until after failure occurs and substantial rework is performed. Timely communications is the key to a successful project.

Tags: Commissioning, design, design review, drawings