K-12 | ABCs of Campus Engineering

Ee is for Electrical Engineering

READING HOUSING AUTHORITY | Glenside Elementary

Electrical Service Upgrade and Cogeneration System Modification. SSM electrical engineers designed the new 5 KV underground primary connection and medium voltage cables from the existing Met-Ed aerial line and pole to the Met-Ed Metering Section and Main Fused Switch of the new 5 KV Outdoor Switchgear. Designed the new 5 KV Outdoor Switchgear for installation along the outside southeast wall of the boiler and maintenance building. Designed the concrete pad for the switchgear. Designed the 5 KV medium voltage cable feeders from the new fused feeder switches to supply existing feeder cables and circuits. Re-circuiting of the existing cables will be in the existing electrical vault and possibly within the enclosure of the existing 4800 Volt Switchgear. Evaluated the overall loads of the facility 5 KV feeder circuits, the boiler plant, and the cogeneration based on the FSG data in order to determine the cogeneration spare capacity. Designed the modifications to the Cogeneration Power Distribution circuits and equipment to add an electrically motor operated circuit breakers in order to supply power during a utility outage.

Ii is for Indoor Air Quality

HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, Haverford MD

Conducted an asbestos survey and assessment and delivered AHERA Management Plans including review of existing drawings, previous asbestos inspections, and current Management Plans for 60+ buildings including re-locatables. Assessment and documentation of both the condition of any ACM not previously identified and previously identified ACM.

Ww is for Water System

CENTRAL BUCKS SCHOOL DISTRICT

• Water System Evaluation and Feasibility Study - Provided a water system evaluation and feasibility study to address current water needs and provide recommendations to the District for improvements to the system and better service to the schools’ population. SSM’s engineers evaluated the existing wells, the water supply system, and the storage and distribution system for the East High School and Holicong Middle School.
• Potable Water Tank Replacement and Maintenance Building Addition - SSM engineers provided structural, electrical, and mechanical engineering and design services for the removal and replacement of an existing 5,000 gallon potable water storage tank with two new 7,500 gallon storage tanks to be supported on new foundations, and a maintenance equipment room addition for storage of equipment.

Higher Education | ABCs of Campus Engineering

Aa is for Architectural Engineering

MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY | Foor and Associates Architects

Study and preliminary design for the conversion of a 2,400 square foot lecture hall into three separate functional spaces by the installation of moveable partitions. HVAC and electrical systems needed to be reconfigured to function as three individual zones. SSM performed a survey of existing HVAC and electrical systems, determined how to modify these systems to support the new architectural layout for the space, and estimated the cost of construction for the renovations. SSM also evaluated the existing structure to determine if it could support the proposed moveable partitions.

Hh is for High-Definition Scanning

SWARTHMORE COLLEGE | The Scott Amphitheatre

Working for Project Architect Atkin-Olshin, and CVM, the structural engineers responsible for designing a proposed removable canopy and supporting structures for the existing 50-year-old open-air Amphitheatre, SSM utilized high-definition laser scanning equipment and software to quickly and accurately capture the existing structure and landscape conditions. The Revit model and accompanying point cloud allows the team and owner to design and then view the effects their design will have on the multi-terraced levels, stone retaining walls and mature trees. In addition, SSM utilized an existing topographical survey plan that was imported into Revit and used as supplemental background information. SSM delivered the point cloud data, Leica Tru-View of each scanner position and an accurate 3D model of the Amphitheatre developed in Revit.

Mm is for Mechanical Engineering

MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY| Berg Hall and Rowley Hall

Conversion of two dormitory HVAC Systems from Two-Pipe to Four-Pipe Systems. Berg Hall and Rowley Hall are both dormitory buildings located at Marymount University in Arlington, VA. The existing dorm rooms in each building were served by fan coil units supplied by a two-pipe heating and cooling system. The scope of the project was to replace the existing fan coil units, greater than 270 individual units, and upgrade the existing two-pipe system to a four-pipe system in each building. Work in Berg Hall also included replacement of the existing air-cooled chiller with two new 35-ton water-cooled heat recovery chillers, and the addition of a dry cooler. The existing boilers were also replaced with a new 600 MBH boiler, and new pumps were provided for the heating system as well as the cooling system. SSM performed a detailed field survey of each building. The existing fan coil units were located in extremely tight spaces above the ceiling.

Ss is for Structural Engineering

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY

SSM engineers provided structural engineering for an approximately 15,000 square foot addition to the Student Union and Services Building at Lincoln University. The project included significant upgrades to the existing building area. The existing two-story concrete framed building was expanded on three sides by the addition of a two-story steel framed structure. The upgrades included the addition or modification of a mailroom, bookstore, cinema viewing area, offices, game room, two-story atrium, storage and maintenance areas, and a multi-purpose area. The existing structure was analyzed and reinforced as required for new loads, including new rooftop mechanical equipment. The structural design included design of foundations, ground floor slab, retaining walls, elevated floor slabs, steel framing, and roof deck. Performed construction phase services including structural shop drawing reviews, responding to contractor's “Request for Information” (RFI), and occasional site visits to review construction.

Back to Basics 101: Focus on the Core

Every organization has a core; the primary area or activity on which the organization was founded. And the most successful organizations focus their efforts on that core business, deliberately culling the tasks from their day-to-day operations that are detracting from that focus. As a result, more and more organizations are realizing the benefits of expanded consultant relationships for those projects, tasks or activities that are outside of their core area.

Hiring a Consultant

• Manpower - Resources are limited. Organizations must balance people resources and associated expenses, capital expenditures, and investments in growth with day-to-day operations. Sometimes all you need is some extra horsepower to complete a task. A consultant adds to the size of your staff without adding the long-term commitment of a new hire.
• Expertise - Sometimes the project requires some specialized expertise. It makes sense to bring in a consultant rather than investing in developing the expertise in-house, especially if the project is not a regular focus area for the organization.
• Perspective – When an organization needs an objective third party to help with a challenging situation or maybe a fresh set of eyes on the problem, consultants offer a new way of looking at the situation. Organizations use this resource to facilitate new ideas and share insights based on other similar experiences.

Selecting a Consultant

One of the most important elements of a successful consultant relationship is setting clear expectations at the beginning of the process.

• Task - Define the task by establishing the goals and describe the desired outcome. Simply answer the question, “What do we want the consultant to do?”
• Schedule - Establish a timeframe for the project. Whether the project is a few weeks or a few years in duration, it’s important to have an expectation of milestones and completion dates to measure progress.
• Skills - Define the skill set and experience that the consultant must have to be successful on your project.
• References – Don’t forget to ask for references from other clients that are similar to you in terms of project assignment, industry and size.
• Relationship - How will you and the consultant work together? Identify the parameters for the working relationship and what support the consultant needs from the organization.
• Decision Makers - Identify within the organization who the decision-makers are and who the stakeholders are. Be sure that both groups are involved in the selection process.