The company retreat to Skytop Lodge in the Poconos was a success! Skytop is a stunning place to be in October and we couldn’t have asked for more beautiful days. The colorful fall foliage was in full effect and there was no shortage on activities for all to enjoy together. We hiked trails, played paintball and even went ziplining. It’s safe to say that everyone had a blast on this trip.
Thank you to everyone for an unforgettable weekend!
Alban Engineering has officially been in business for 7 years as of 2021! We couldn’t be happier with the success we’ve encountered in our first 7 years of business. There is much to be grateful for and we are very excited to carry on our successes into the next 7 years!
From our start date on July 9, 2014; to now, we have –
We are very grateful for the opportunities that have been presented to us in the past and we are looking forward to embarking on new opportunities and journeys in the future!
At Alban Engineering, we aim to understand the owner’s and architect’s vision for the structure’s completion and, most importantly, its future use and operation. Our approach relies on knowledge earned from 200+ years of combined experience in sustainable, innovative, and
dependable MEP system and lighting design, but also involves attentive listening, out-of-the-box thinking, and practiced problem-solving. Alban Engineering delivers solutions based on this full-circle view that consistently results in achieving not only our objectives for the project, but in accomplishing the client’s and architect’s ultimate goals.
We can’t thank you enough for working with us and playing part in our success. Without you, none of this would be possible. We are beyond thankful to work with so many like-minded individuals; designing buildings that are sustainable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective. We look forward to many more years of continued success, with you right by our side.
Alban Engineering is very proud to announce that Bay Brook Elementary/Middle School has been awarded LEED Gold, registered by the U.S. Green Building Council. Alban Engineering performed the MEP and lighting design for this replacement school in Baltimore City, MD. Bay Brook Elementary/Middle School earned 62 points within the LEED for Schools v2009 rating system, which is enough points to achieve a certification level of LEED Gold. Various innovative green strategies were implemented at Bay Brook Elementary/Middle School, with many quantifiable green achievements.
The LEED for Schools rating system encourages and guides the design, construction, renovation, and operating of educational facilities that are environmentally sustainable, socially responsible, and altogether healthier and more vibrant spaces for living and learning.
Bay Brook Elementary/Middle School is a new, 115,945 square foot, $33,500,000, 800 student facility designed to promote interactive and flexible learning environments, integrate security measures and increased visibility, enhance accessibility and life-safety, incorporate sustainable materials and practices, and provide educational opportunities during both school and non-school hours. Each floor of the 3-story building houses 3 classroom wings.
All three classroom wings, P-K through 2nd grade, 3rd through 5th grade and 6th through 8th grade, contain dedicated Collaborative Learning Areas which are centralized to make the spaces open and easily accessible. Larger core-curriculum spaces consisting of the Cafeteria/Dining, Media Center, Administration, Gymnasium, and Community Space are located first floor. Write up of Bay Brook provided by Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates – Architects.
What specific strategies were implemented at Bay Brook, may you ask?
During design –
During Construction –
Bay-Brook Elementary/Middle School is part of the 21st Century School Buildings Program which, through legislation, creates a partnership between the City of Baltimore, Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners, Inter-agency Committee on School Construction and the Maryland Stadium Authority. The partnership leveraged $60M dollars into bond money to support school renovation and replacement projects.
To see the full write up of Bay Brook provided by Alban Engineering, CLICK HERE.
Beyond 21st Century Design has released a 100-plus page guide titled “A Clearinghouse of Resources to Aid in Reopening Schools”, which includes analyses of design and space requirements to safely educate students in the midst of a global pandemic. There is a powerful desire among teachers, parents, and even students to return children to classrooms. This guide provides insight from industry experts on how to safely educate students of all ages in the midst of a pandemic.
Our President, Jeff Alban was the only MEP contributor in the guide. Jeff provides valuable insight on refining K-12 design to accommodate emergency situations. Jeff is the lead contributor to Topic 5 – “HVAC & Air Purification” and also contributes to Topic 6 – “Sanitizing Schools”. Jeff is the only contributor to Topic 5, and this topic is what we will be summarizing.
In Topic 5 ; “HVAC & Air Purification”, there are 3 main takeaways. These takeaways are to control airborne infection, upgrade health/nurses’ station, and to utilize outdoor air to flush the indoor environment.
Integral to determining rational engineering interventions is having a clear understanding of how effectively the virus is transmitted through the air by infected people and understanding the types of controls utilized by hospitals and other high-risk facilities to reduce the spread. Ventilation and filtration provided by heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems can help reduce the airborne concentration of SARS-CoV2-like and thus the risk of transmission through the air.
Use of UV-C energy to kill microorganisms used in conjunction with high efficiency filters to capture particles is an effective combination method to kill and capture viruses. ASHRAE recommends consideration of using UV-C in healthcare suites and in high density spaces in non-healthcare buildings.
The use of higher efficiency filters to capture particles used in conjunction with UV-C provides an effective capture and kill approach for cleaning and disinfecting the air. ASHRAE recommends consideration of using the highest efficiency MERV filter achievable and portable HEPA filter room air-cleaners with due consideration to the clean air delivery rate. For high risk healthcare suites local HEPA filtration should be considered. Appropriate PPE is recommended when changing filters.
Increasing outdoor air per person can occur by reducing the number of occupants in the space. Adjusting control sequences can provide extra outdoor air for dilution of contaminates in the space. Exhaust systems are recommended for higher risk areas of concern. Dilution utilizing higher outdoor air rates per person (dilution) should be used in conjunction with upgrades to mechanical air filtration (capture) and disinfection systems (kill).
Maintaining a clean and sanitized environment will depend not only on the training of the staff to follow defined protocols, but also on the effectiveness of the mechanical system to introduce outdoor air, provide ample air changes, and filtrate the air before it enters spaces. For suggestions on the upgrading and maintenance of the mechanical system, see the HVAC and COVID 19 section.
It is obvious that empty buildings need less heating and cooling than occupied ones. Many buildings around the world have been empty/unoccupied for weeks due to COVID-19. You may save a little money switching off the HVAC in an unoccupied building, but it is a terrible decision in the long-run. Most people may think that the only purpose of HVAC systems is for human comfort, however, this is very wrong. HVAC systems are meant for protecting your building and the equipment inside the building from damage.
A building that turns off HVAC for long periods of time results in uncontrolled humidity. Uncontrolled humidity can damage the building and end up being very expensive, and will need many repairs. These repairs and damage will result in delays of normal operation, since the building and equipment will have to be fixed. So even after all stay-at-home orders are retracted, you still won’t be able to get into your building. Below are three reasons to keep your HVAC running during this global pandemic.
When HVAC systems are turned off, this will lead to high humidity inside your building. Mold, bacteria and fungi stem from high humidity. Having this in your building can be very dangerous, and sometimes even fatal. It is imperative to keep your building from high humidity levels.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning (ASHRAE) recommend to keep a relative humidity of 40%-60% for building interiors. With a humidity range of %40-%60, this minimizes the reproduction and spread of viruses, fungi, and bacteria.
If HVAC systems are turned off, it can leave a very negative impact on the service life of many components and equipment. When the HVAC equipment has been inactive for a long period of time, the equipment may fail without warning.
Issues are detected more easily when the HVAC equipment is running, because there are warning signs such as unusual noises and vibrations. When the systems are turned off, you will have no warning signs of issues. Other issues of inactive equipment include the rusting of piping due to stagnant water, and motor equipment becoming jammed if the bearings accumulate rust.
Data centers are used by most buildings to be able to operate different types of applications. Most of these applications run 24/7, especially when your clients/customers are in different time zones. Also, a good majority of companies are using a virtual private network (VPN) to access company files.
The VPN extends a private network across a public network and enables users to send/receive data across shared or public networks, as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network. In order for the VPN to work, the data center hosting the information and applications must stay on, or the work will be disrupted.
Data centers and servers produce an immense amount of heat, which is why they need permanent air-conditioning. If data centers are operating without air-conditioning, this can lead to serious issues. Best case scenario is the servers will shut down automatically to prevent overheating. Worst case scenario is the expensive equipment will be damaged by heat, leading to purchasing new, expensive equipment.
When it comes down to it, HVAC systems need to operate for a business to be able to operate. If you keep your HVAC systems off during COVID-19, they will deteriorate, cause bacteria/fungi, and could ruin your expensive IT equipment. The best move is to keep your HVAC systems running even in an unoccupied building. This will save a lot of money in the long run, it is better and cheaper to protect your equipment during the pandemic, rather than dealing with unplanned repairs/delays in the future.
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School districts all across the country have been on the never-ending pursuit to keep their schools as safe as possible, no matter what. New technologies and techniques are helping schools manage who gains access to their facilities. Investing in upgrades that add layers of security before visitors are able to get through the front door is one of the more popular moves over the last few years.
There is no secret as to whats been going on in America over the last few decades. Since 2009, at least 177 of America’s schools experienced some sort of shooting. School shootings are increasing, and no type of community is safe from this. In the last 10 years, there were 356 victims who lost their lives due to schools not being safe. Security vestibules aim to control this problem by not letting anyone in their school unless they are trusted.
Security vestibules/secure entries require school visitors to enter through the main office, after being buzzed in, and signing in after presenting valid photo ID. Security vestibules are used as a strategy to funnel visitors into the main office, providing administrators more control over who has access to the school. This design has become the standard for new school construction and renovation projects. In wake of the massive school shootings over the past 10 years, it is absolutely essential to include security vestibules in any K-12 school, regardless of the area.
School districts around the country have been making a push to include security vestibules in everyone single one of their schools. Unfortunately, there are still plenty of schools around the country where visitors are able to just walk right in. This is a growing concern of communities nationwide.
The hundreds of school shootings over the past decade has forever altered the way school buildings are designed/renovated. Safety has been moved to the most important thing when designing/renovating a school. Schools across the country are supposed to be a safe place for students to learn and teachers to educate. Students and faculty should never have to fear for their lives while they are in school.
Schools that have been built over the last few decades weren’t built to protect students from a gunman, they were built to educate students. Now, in the new decade, the number one priority is protecting students/faculty from a gunman.
In this day and age, it is much more important to be safe than sorry. Security vestibules need to be implemented in every school in the country, to ensure a safe place for teachers to teach and students to learn.
Alban Engineering is currently working on supplying many schools with security vestibules. Want to learn more?
