Emergency / Standby Power Systems

Many companies today rely more and more on electronics and computer systems.  The cost of downtime when power is lost has risen drastically over the years and most companies cannot financially deal with the risk of a power outage. 

As an engineering driven project we help companies identify the systems that are important to their business continuity and help plan for a power outage.  We work to determine specific requirements regarding fuel for generators and potential load shedding opportunities. 

We also work with healthcare facilities to provide legally required emergency power systems and how to integrate them into the electrical systems in a safe, cost effective manner.

From design conceptualization, to budgeting, to pre-purchasing, through construction, Engineering Driven Design can help navigate your emergency and standby power system on the road to success.

Projects

Wardlaw-Hartridge School– Edison, NJ

Fire Alarm System Design / Shop Drawings

We offer multiple services for fire alarm systems.  Providing a new or replacement fire alarm system is definitely an engineering-driven project that requires knowledge of the Building Codes, which determine what is required, and the NFPA standards that explain how to do it.

We provide design phase services for Owners and Architects interested in fire alarm systems.  We develop a performance based specification that is used by the Installing Contractor to develop Shop Drawings, which include the Building Code defined Construction Documents.  We can also help manage the project through construction completion.

We also provide Construction Document creation for our Contractor Clients.  The Construction Documents meet the requirements in the Building Code and are required for permitting in most jurisdictions.  As licensed engineers we can oversee the final layout, battery calculations, voltage drop calculations, and we will compile a comprehensive package for delivery to the permitting authority.

Whether your project is just starting or if you are trying to obtain permits, contact Engineering Driven Design to get your Fire Alarm project on the road to success.

Fire Suppression System Design / Shop Drawings

Fire suppression systems are not often fully engineered by the Design Team in the State of New Jersey.  Often a performance specification is provided for the Contractor to develop detailed shop drawings that include hydraulic calculations.  Whether you are an Owner, Architect, or Engineer looking for a performance specification that is something more than "Comply with NFPA 13", or if you are a Contractor looking for a new resource to provide fully engineered shop drawings look no further.

Engineering Driven Design can provide fire suppression system design including wet, dry, pre-action, dry- and wet-chemical fire suppression systems.  We have experience with early suppression fast response systems, in-rack systems, and aqueous film-forming foam solutions for flammable liquid applications.

Let us work with you on your next fire suppression project and put your project driven on the road to success!

Direct Digital Control System Design

In the engineering world there is a big problem with Direct Digital Control (DDC) Systems- very few engineers actually understand how to specify DDC systems.  The industry relies heavily on the use of DDC system vendors.  In our experience the DDC system is a complex system that is the last component to be installed on a project and the first component to be overlooked during testing.

We offer services including reviewing existing DDC systems, as well as specifying new DDC systems.  We also offer functional performance testing of the DDC system where we will sit with the DDC system vendor and review the sequence of operation as well as the equipment to ensure the systems are operating how they were designed to operate.

Too often  the control system for a project is neglected and unfortunately the control system will make or break the entire mechanical installation.  Don't let this happen to your project!

Let Engineering Driven Design drive your DDC system project on the road to success.

Security System Design

Security system design is a specialty design that takes experience and close interaction with the Owner or Tenant of a facility. Engineering Driven Design can help with your security project whether it is Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), access control, or intrusion detection. 

Often the security system design is left to the vendor that the Owner or Tenant chooses.  If you as the Owner or Tenant would like to ensure that you competitively bid your security project, allow Engineering Driven Design to produce Contract Documents for bidding and construction to ensure you are getting the best value!

CCTV system design has changed significantly over the years and most solutions are not internet protocol (IP) based.  We have experience utilizing existing networks as well as specifying completely new networks for the CCTV system (video uses a lot of bandwidth)!  We have provided designs that include fiber optic connections for the remotely-mounted cameras as well as cameras that require pan-tilt-zoom functionality.

Access control systems are used in many buildings today.  We have successfully integrated access control systems into doors and automobile gate operators to provide to multiple levels of security. 

Intrusion detection systems can be comprised of motion sensors, glass break sensors, and window or door contacts.  We can integrate this system with the other security systems to provide consistent monitoring and alarming of your building.

Often when the vendor provides the security system design and installation they do not provide the line-voltage electrical power for the devices.  Our designs will provide the required power branch circuiting for a complete package.

Let us drive your next security project on the road to success!

Energy Audits

Every company wants to find ways to save mone and have a direct effect their bottom line.  Finding ways to reduce the energy costs for the building is a great way to save money.  Let the Certified Energy Managers of Engineering Driven Design provide an energy audit for your building. 

We offer two levels of energy audits based on the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Level 1 Audit (Walk Through Audit)

We will review the energy use of your building based on years of utility bills.  We will benchmark your building against other buildings that have the same use and provide you with high level feed back on how your building stands today.

We will visit your building and walk through to review the installed systems that affect energy consumption.  We will review the building envelope, mechanical systems, electrical systems, lighting systems, and water heating systems to identify if there are any "low-hanging" fruit that can be modified quickly to yeild energy savings right away.  For other components that are older, perform poorly, or have low efficiency we will provide some ballpark construction cost estimates with an anticipated simple payback analysis.

Level 2 Audit

This will include everything in a Level 1 audit (or pick up from a previously performed audit) and provide engineering calculations to identify more precise costs for construction and potential energy savings.  We will provide detailed analyses along with a financial analysis utilizing project energy cost escalation (determined in conjunction with the Client) as well as incorporating your company's minimum acceptable rate of return.

Energy Upgrades

Perhaps you have already had an energy audit and know what building systems require upgrade to provide for energy cost savings.  You would like to take the energy audit and convert it into a project that can be bid and constructed.  Engineering Driven Design can put that project on the road to success.

We specialize in projects that focus on mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems.  If any of these systems are affected by the energy upgrades we will be sure to include designs to accomodate these systems. 

These are the types of projects that we established this company to design, these projects are engineering-driven.

HVAC Equipment Replacement Design

The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) have published data that outlines the median life of various heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment.  Surprisingly, most standard off-the-shelf type equipment has a median life of only 15-20 years.  While custom air handling units, chillers, and boilers have median useful lives in the 30-40 year range. 

Most HVAC equipment in this area of the country falls into these ranges (or older).  Instead of continuing to patch and repair the existing components, perhaps it is time to have an expert take a look at each of your components and the entire system to help develop a replacement strategy.

Depending upon your budget and timeframe, we can help develop a replacement strategy that can achieve a higher operating efficiency for your system and roll the project out logically over a period of time to ensure the projects meet your budget.

If you have HVAC equipment in need of replacement or augmenting, let Engineering Driven Design drive your project on the road to success!

Projects

Merrill Lynch - Egg Harbor, New Jersey HVAC Replacement

Overcurrent Coordination / Arc Flash Studies

The National Electric Code (NFPA 70) has increased the requirements for overcurrent protection (OCP) coordination studies over the years.  The CP coordination study will review the trip curves of various OCP devices such as circuit breakers or fuses and ensure that in a fault condition the OCP device closest to the fault is the device that opens rather than a main OCP device.  This is mandated on emergency power systems and is good practice on all designs. 

Let us review your existing or proposed electrical installation and model the system in our software to find where the devices are not coordinated and what devices need to be adjusted or changed to achieve industry-standard coordination.

We utilize the same software to identify arc flas hazards at various points in the electrical distribution system.  The arc flash hazard will correlate to the NFPA 70E safety standard and we will prepare a report and stickers for application on your electrical equipment.