Commissioning and Engineering Services

EH&E’s independent, third-party building commissioning and engineering services help owners ensure and optimize their cost investment in a facility. Our combined expertise in commissioning and building forensics means we know why systems fail and the problems that occur in buildings after occupancy. And we can help you avoid them.

Leveraging our expertise in all aspects of a building life cycle, EH&E engineers meticulously review new and existing construction to ensure your structure is operationally proficient and working as intended initially or currently required.

EH&E has a successful history of resolving the engineering challenges encountered in complex building systems and environments, such as those found in health, science, and academic facilities. Commissioning facilities such as hospitals and research laboratories requires understanding of their unique operations and compliance requirements. Our team specializes in these mission-critical facilities where the stakes are high, and verifying system performance is essential.

Commissioning - Existing Building

‘Recommissioning’ (or ‘retrocommissioning’ if the building systems were not previously commissioned) provides a complete picture of your facility’s true performance, uncovering costly hidden problems and identifying effective solutions for correction.

Our commissioning engineers assess your building systems to achieve peak performance for a healthy environment, energy savings, and long-term sustainable operations. In addition, recommissioning can help solve a variety of common building issues, including poor indoor air quality, high utility bills, and occupant temperature complaints.

EH&E’s team is experienced in recommissioning all types of buildings, from commercial spaces and academic facilities to highly sensitive environments such as hospitals, laboratories, and data centers. We fine-tune your building systems without disrupting your staff and sensitive operations.

Commissioning - New Building

When investing in new construction you need a commissioning partner who will help you avoid costly schedule and occupancy delays, and ensure your facility performs as intended from day one. Commissioning isn’t merely an end of construction test. Conducted by an independent third-party, it is a careful review, verification, and documentation process to validate that all building systems and components are designed, installed, and performing optimally and according to owner requirements. System performance directly impacts energy usage, maintenance frequency, equipment life, and occupant comfort.

EH&E’s vast experience in building investigations brings additional value to the commissioning services process. We’ve literally seen hundreds of buildings, and we know why systems fail and the problems that occur after building occupancy. We evaluate the complete life cycle of the building and help owners avoid costly future problems.

Design Review

When an HVAC system performs poorly in a building, the managers can be faced with a significant loss of building efficiency. Indoor air quality can suffer, bacteria can grow in cooling towers, and occupant health can deteriorate, leaving companies at risk for low productivity, excessive sick time, degraded system performance, and possible liability claims. Close review of HVAC system design prior to installation helps discover and avoid potential design deficiencies.

The experienced engineering staff at EH&E can completely review an HVAC system design well before the start of construction. Based on our many years of experience, we identify potential problem areas and present reasoned recommendations for correction. This allows building owners and managers to avoid expensive fixes after a building is finished and occupied.

Forensic Engineering

EH&E has conducted numerous forensic investigations on building systems and indoor environmental quality to identify and resolve problems. In addition to working directly for the building owners and managers, many of these have been to resolve insurance or legal claims. We can recreate the environmental conditions in question and provide clear documentation or deliver expert testimony based on the results of our findings.

Ventilation Gap Assessment

The COVID pandemic demonstrated the essential role that ventilation and filtration play in airborne pathogen mitigation and ensuring healthy indoor environments. In its new standard Control of Infectious Aerosols (ASHRAE 241-2023), ASHRAE sets out to provide clear guidance that organizations of all types and sizes can follow in the event of future viral outbreaks.

Interpreting the guidelines and determining whether your HVAC systems can support the recommendations, without compromising indoor air quality, can be challenging. EH&E’s team of engineers and environmental health specialists are uniquely qualified to assess your building’s systems to identify any gaps or limitations with meeting guidelines. We also identify any risks or downsides associated with implementation of guidelines and offer alternative solutions.

Related Services:
Commissioning for Optimal Performance, Infection Prevention, and Resiliency

This targeted recommissioning process assesses your building systems with a focus on mitigating risk while meeting specific operational goals, such as increasing airflow or filtration during certain periods to mitigate infectious risk or recirculating air during times of dangerous outdoor air conditions. Whatever your goals might be, EH&E’s experienced engineers work hand-in-hand with experts in building air quality and infection prevention to identify the optimal performance parameters in accordance with recognized best practices, and return to as-designed – or better – performance when the time is right. Better still, this process brings building owners and managers closer to true building resiliency, by providing invaluable insight into how much flexibility exists in systems and how they can be appropriately adjusted to achieve desired operational objectives.

Energy Optimization

Optimization isn’t always about reducing energy usage – sometimes it’s about selecting the solution that best balances the health of a building, its occupants, and the surrounding environment. EH&E’s team of experts helps identify solutions that support your buildings’ exceptional performance while meeting critical environmental goals. We help right-size energy usage, evaluate potential trade-offs, and leave buildings working better and more capable of supporting emission reduction objectives.

Learn more about our turn-key service designed for all types of buildings.

Contact EH&E today to speak with an expert.
Complex problem solving for optimal building performance.