Diagnosing Mechanical System Issues: Listening to What Buildings Are Saying
Typical complaints from building owners and occupants are often related to the performance of mechanical systems, including excessive hot or cold conditions, poor air quality, noise, and odor transmission. When these issues arise, it’s like the building systems themselves are trying to talk to you and tell you what’s wrong—you just need to know how to listen. Diagnosing the cause (or more often, causes) of these symptoms accurately enough to develop solutions requires a thorough understanding of multiple aspects of building design and construction, but most issues can be fairly well understood if you just understand the basics. In this webinar, we will present an overview of heating, cooling, and ventilation systems—including basic system types and functionality—to provide a foundation for understanding how these systems can lead to problems in the interior environment. Building on these basics, we will share a series of case studies that illustrate the challenges of diagnosing mechanical system issues in occupied buildings to restore functionality or address occupant complaints.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Understand the basic concepts of heat, air, and moisture transfer within buildings.
- Understand the basic types of mechanical systems in modern buildings.
- Identify the potential causes for a variety of interior environmental problems.
- Design effective investigation and remediation plans to address interior environmental issues.
Participants will earn 1 AIA CES Learning Unit (LU/HSW) for attending the webinar. Registration is free. Please note that space is limited – email events@sgh.com to join our waitlist if the session is closed when you register.
About the Speaker
Sean leads the Building Technology group in SGH’s New York City office. He has extensive experience in the architecture and engineering field, specializing in building science and building enclosure performance, including analysis and simulation of heat, air, and moisture migration and energy efficiency issues. He has a particular interest in iconic New York City cultural buildings, helping to make them more sustainable with high-performing enclosures. Sean has investigated and designed repairs for a wide variety of building types and has published papers on topics including mechanical system impacts on building enclosure performance and condensation resistance of windows and curtain walls. He is an active member of several professional organizations in New York and nationally. In addition to his extensive experience in building enclosure design, Sean brings to each project his genuine desire to improve the built environment, meet his client’s specific needs, and help educate both clients and team members along the way.
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