Established in Connecticut 1987, Guntermann Engineering offers complete
Professional Engineering services for Heating Ventilating & Air
Conditioning, Plumbing, Sprinkler, and Electrical. We provide the
following Mechanical and Electric services. With over one hundred
and fifty projects completed in Connecticut over a twenty year period,
virtually all of our projects have been built as designed and all of the
the systems are operating as designed.
Our services include:
Construction Bid Documents
Since buildings are custom built, not all mechanical and electrical
system designs result in well built systems.
Our basic product is quality Construction Bid Documents that: 1) meet
building codes, 2) provide mechanical and electrical designs that can be
built as designed, 3) operate properly, 4) reduce owner’s total
construction costs by obtaining the lowest contractor prices thru
competitive bidding, and 5) provide an accurate record for future
maintenance and renovations. There can be a substantial difference
in the value provided by engineers because the quality of the final
engineering designs cannot be specified. Some projects are over
designed, resulting in high construction costs. Some projects are
under designed, resulting in building systems that don't operate
properly and have high energy costs. Some projects can't be built
the way they were designed, resulting in redesigns that reduce the
owners competitive bidding advantage. We have a consistent
record of projects where these problems don't happen. Competitive bidding
of the engineering fee typically reduces the engineering fee but doesn't guarantee that the final
building systems will be
equivalent.
There is a misconception that
engineering is an unnecessary cost. Nothing could be further from
the truth. Someone has to spend the time and money to engineer the
building and its systems, whether it is the Professional Engineer or
Contractor. Design Build Contractors don't typically win
competitively bid projects because they have higher overhead costs due to
additional engineering expenses. And regular
Contractors don't have the engineering capability...regardless what they
are selling. Reducing the engineering fee and selecting the wrong
engineer typically reduces the quality of the final building that is
constructed. For an Owner to obtain the best value for his
engineering design fees, he needs to hire and pay for quality
engineering. This is not the place to save money.
AutoCAD
We use the latest software such as AutoCAD “Building Systems
2009”, Trane Trace 700 Load Analysis, Trane Duct Design, Trane Pipe
Design, and DOE 2.1 or Trace Energy Analysis.
All work is performed to meet the client's needs and schedules, and all
calculations and drafting are in accordance with current state of the
art practices.
We use AutoCAD Building Systems the way it is intended, with proper
layers to separate the various building systems and components.
This will allow large Owners who require AutoCAD copies to standardize.
Guntermann Engineering utilized "Building Systems" most recently in
designing the HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, and Sprinkler for a 22,500
sq.ft. $4,500,000 32 unit Housing for the Elderly project . By
performing both the engineering and CAD for all trades, we reduced
design time and simplified the coordination between trades. The
entire project with 26 drawings was completed in less than 3 months. This
included the use of the software's 3-Dimension capability for applications where space
was tight and to be sure
everything fits. Cross sectional details were provided to assist the
Contractor with bidding and construction.
The above project was featured in the October 2006 Microdesk Minute as
an example of a small engineering firm properly utilizing their
software...
The contractor received a set documents that can be built as
shown, the owner receives a set of drawings with systems that operate
properly, and final drawings are useful for future reference. By
simultaneously engineering and drafting the systems, we
are able to provide more value in far less time. Further, by
performing the Mechanical and Electrical engineering and drafting for
all trades, AutoCAD has enables us reduce the coordination time between
trades and to be more competitive in building
engineering industry.
Mechanical Engineering
Our basic Mechanical Engineering services include:
Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Duct and Piping
systems
Process Piping, Gas Piping, Compressed Air Systems
Heat Recovery Systems
Plumbing Systems
Laboratory Mechanical System Design
Central Heating and Cooling Plant Design
Co-Generation Plants
Process Cooling Water Systems
Utility Incentive Program Consultation
Electrical Engineering
Our basic Electrical Engineering services include:
Lighting System Design
Power Distribution Design
High Voltage Distribution and Switchgear Design
Uninterruptible Power Systems
Emergency and Standby Generation
Telecommunications and Wire Management
Public Address and Sound System Design
Fire Alarm System Design
Information Technology System Design
Sprinkler Engineering
Performance Based Drawings for Competitive bidding that includes
the Sprinkler contractor performing the Engineering Design and final
building code drawings.
Contract Administration
Shop Drawing Review
On Site Inspections to insure that contractors build the systems
as design.
Final Punch List and Sign Off.
Feasibility Studies
Typical building life is twenty to forty years. Once the
building is built, it is much more expensive to make changes. It
often makes sense to consider alternate designs rather than go with the
first and simplest design.
For renovation of existing buildings, a good building survey is typically necessary to evaluate existing
building systems. Existing building drawings can reduce
substantial study time; however, they must be updated to include any
changes that have occurred since the original construction. The
final Construction Bid Documents should include not only new
construction but also the building drawings showing demolition as well
as identifying what should be removed and what is to be reused.
Good design can also analyze alternate mechanical and electrical
systems to optimize a new building’s life cycle costs thru lower energy
and maintenance annual costs. The annual operating costs over the life
of a building are typically far greater than the initial cost of these
systems. And the cost of lost productivity from poor indoor air
quality, uncomfortable building temperatures, poor lighting, and an
unattractive work environment can be substantial.
Through careful design and engineering, Guntermann Engineering integrates the mechanical and electrical systems into a cost effective building that meets the owner’s needs…specializing in Total Integrated Systems.
New Building studies would typically incorporate "Green Building" designs.
Trouble Shooting
There are many "sick" building systems that do not operate properly.
This can be the result of equipment failure, improper engineering
design, or improper system installation. While some contractors
can diagnose equipment failure and sometimes system installation, they
are often not capable of analyzing improper engineering designs.
We have had a successful number of projects in which we have correctly
diagnosed the building system problems and provided detailed solutions
that contractors could complete, resulting in satisfactory system
operation.
We can analyze all levels of problems and failures. Our past
experience includes assisting contractors in performing service
operations for the Fort Wayne Indiana office of the Trane Company and
hiring, training, and managing a new Trane Service Agency.
Many building problems are the result of improper engineering and
therefore the solution to the problems must include an engineering
analysis of the buildings systems.
Energy Conservation
Studies and Designs
We have experience with several Energy Analysis Computer
Programs, including E Plus, the updated DOE-2 energy analysis which is
used to model the most complicated state of the art passive alternate
energy systems as well as the various HVAC systems. We also use
Trane Trace Energy Analysis Computer Program. There are many
energy analysis computer programs which simplify the building systems
and will not provide an accurate energy analysis. An in-depth
understanding of all of the details of all of the building systems,
equipment, controls, and maintenance is also required. We have the
experience to perform all of these and select the best computer program
for the correct system analysis.
Further, we have a standalone Life Cycle Cash Flow Analysis computer program with
can accurately reflect the investment ROI on any energy conservation
investment. The program was presented to the Connecticut Chapter
of ASHRAE in November 2008, See "Publications".
Existing Buildings were often built and originally operated when
energy was cheap. There are several levels of energy conservation
studies and designs which vary from piecemeal equipment or systems to
entire buildings and there subsystems. First, a good
building survey is typically necessary to evaluate existing building
systems. Existing building drawings can reduce substantial study
time; however, they must be updated to include any changes.
While the piecemeal approach can be performed by some contractors, such as temperature control contractors, many times the real savings can only be obtained a complete redesign of the building sub systems. This requires re-engineering the entire building, including revising the lighting and mechanical systems. An energy analysis for each retrofit option can be performed to determine which are cost effective. Then the interactive savings from combining the recommended retrofit options that can be achieved, giving the owner a clear financial analysis of the Energy Conservation design.
For a building that has considerable remaining life, the optimum method
of incorporating Energy Conservation is to update the entire building
structure and its subsystems at once. A proper energy conservation
analysis could utilize a computer energy analysis program to model the
existing building and then compare the various energy retrofit options.
Accurate computer modeling is very important, otherwise the calculated
energy savings may not be realized and the economics will not be
obtained. Further, a knowledge of the limitations of mechanical &
electrical equipment is necessary to insure that the new systems operate
properly. We have the DOE 2 energy analysis computer program
Alfred
Guntermann has been an innovator in the area of Energy Conservation on a
National Level, including winning two National ASHRAE Awards. A summary of the previous work performed by Alfred E.
Guntermann, P.E. can be observed from the December,
2005
Connecticut ASHRAE newsletter.
Regulatory Approval
In new and renovation building construction, a Professional
Engineers Stamp is required on most projects. We provide this with
Mechanical and Electrical Construction Bid Documents as required.
With renovation projects where the Mechanical and Electrical
portion of the work is predominate, we have assisted with code approval
with Planning and Zoning and minor Architectural work, were required.
Energy conservation work to existing systems could affect the
Building Codes and the owner could have liability if retrofits ignore or
modify the existing mechanical and electrical building codes.
Construction Management
Where the project is primarily Mechanical and Electrical systems
and the Owner has sufficient in house capability, the Owner can often
realize substantial cost savings by eliminating the General Contractor
and hiring his own subcontractors and purchase his own major equipment.
This requires Construction Bid Documents so that competitive bids can be
obtained for the sub contractors and major equipment.
By
combining the Construction Management with the Mechanical and Electrical
Engineering, additional cost savings are obtained because of better
knowledge of the project. Further, this allows better control of
the scheduling and quality of the major equipment and this can "fast
track" the construction.
We have Construction Managed three significant projects: 1)
Industrial/Manufacturing - Von Roll Isola Laminator Installation,
New Haven, CT.
2)
Residential Multi-Family - The
Connection, Inc (48 Howe Street), New Haven, CT,
and 3)
Industrial/Manufacturing - Latex Foam Products, Inc,
Ansonia, CT,
System Commissioning
A good system commissioner should be an expert in all phases of
the mechanical and electrical buildings sub systems, as well as building
codes and equipment limitations. There are few of these around. It
is typically provided by an independent specialist who reports to the
owner. This is a new step in engineering and construction which has become necessary in order to make
some building Mechanical and Electrical systems operate properly.
System Commissioning was not required in the past and if
the engineers basic work was done properly, it shouldn't be required now.
Notably, a good set of Construction Bid Documents for a well engineered
set of building systems with proper job supervision and final punch list
should include the results expected from System Commissioning.
If
the project is improperly engineered, it is unlikely that System
Commission will solve the problems.
System Commissioning adds another design cost. Often, System
Commissioning is performed by specialists such as Temperature Control.
In actuality, the problems may be in the engineering or design, and hard
to diagnose without that expertise. Guntermann Engineering has a
proven track record of expertise in all phases and Mechanical and
Electrical Engineering and could assist in System Commissioning or
Trouble Shooting.
Alternate Energy Systems
There are many new energy systems being proposed today, whether
photovoltaic solar energy, fuel cells, wind energy, passive solar
heating, or natural daylighting and controls.
These systems are typically more complex, have higher initial costs, and
require knowledgeable energy calculation procedures. Therefore, it
is necessary to have the best engineering when designing state of the
art cost effective mechanical and electrical systems. We have done
this; further, we have given advice to prevent owners from they from
installing systems that may seem popular at the time...but don't
withstand the test of time.
It is recommended that a detailed energy analysis program and a life
cycle cash flow program be used to evaluate alternate energy systems to
determine their cost effective feasibility.