Capabilities - Engineering

In the McKinstry Engineering department, we utilize a "Project Management" approach to each job. For a given project, we assign a principal to be in overall charge of the design. The principal is supported by a senior engineer to fulfill the day-to-day duties as "Project Manager". The senior engineer has, at his disposal, a staff of designers and drafters to help produce the documents according to the project schedule. Below is an outline of each individual's duties.

Principal in Charge

• Management of the engineering design team.

• Backup management should the senior engineer be unavailable.

• Final Review and approval of design documents.

Senior Engineer (Engineering Project Manager)

• Client contact and coordination.

• Coordination and direction of the daily design effort.

• Project Presentations.

• Cost control.

• Quality control of contract documents.

• Construction administration.

Scope Control

In order to control the mechanical scope for the project we use a team approach consisting of an engineer, estimator and construction manager. At the beginning of the schematic design process we produce a flow chart describing the decision process for mechanical issues. This flow chart, which includes owner and architect input, then becomes a weekly scheduling tool for our design effort.

This process also involves McKinstry operations personnel for budgeting and constructability issues. In this way we can guarantee control of the scope and assure the owner and architect that we are performing a complete design. As for controlling the scope via drawings and specifications, our association with McKinstry operations keeps our design finely tuned in the contract document phase. We review the drawings and specifications as they progress with an eye toward completeness eliminating possibilities of overlooked items.

Design Criteria

The schematic design process requires investigation of not only the mechanical system options, but a wide range of information about each option. We will provide the owner and architect with the following information in order to make the correct system choice:

1. HVAC, Plumbing and Fire Protection system options
2. Indoor Air Quality Assessment
3. Structural Impacts and Trade-Offs
4. General Construction Considerations
5. Mechanical floor space Requirements
6. Installation Cost ($/s.f.)
7. Annual Operating Expense ($/s.f.)
8. Annual Maintenance Expense ($/s.f.)

We are uniquely able to respond to these categories in that we have expertise in each area. Each of these items are described in additional detail below.

Quality Control

McKinstry Company has spent thirty years earning a reputation of taking pride in not only the final construction product, but also the design and pre-construction services offered early in the project. Our engineering group has been an intimate player working aggressively on every design/build project to assure high quality installations with good value to the owner. We are confident that the owner and architect team will find us to be sincere in our desire to exceed their expectations as they relate to the mechanical system design and construction.

Document Control

Our Senior Engineer, assigned to the project works closely with the architect to coordinate milestone printing dates for the documents. In this way there is continuity of drawing dates and revisions up through and including the issuance of 100% complete construction drawings. Before these drawings are issued as final, they will be reviewed and approved by the owner, architect and jurisdictional agency. Furthermore, during construction all clarifications and revisions are forwarded to the architect for review prior to distribution. At completion of design, the CAD record drawings and disks will be issued to the architect and the owner. At the project's conclusion, updated CAD as-built and disks drawings are provided for architect and owner use.

Construction Administration

The McKinstry Engineering group maintains a successful working relationship with McKinstry Co. by being a strong part of the quality control effort. Our engineering group reviews and stamps all submittals and shop drawings prior to them being forwarded to the architect for review. While we have an intimate knowledge of the construction effort through contact with the McKinstry construction manager, we perform independent field inspections providing a copy of our report to the architect.

As for quality control during construction, our engineering staff report through their general manager to the company president. This procedure assures independent reporting of construction deficiencies.