There is a dizzying array of technologies available to improving a building’s energy efficiency. For building owners, taking the best advantage of those many techniques and tools is key to lowering their operating expenses and improving profitability —but there is also the challenge of achieving this in an aesthetically pleasing manner.
That is why Ariel Aufgang has launched the new Building Systems Advisory Unit (BSAU) within his Suffern-based firm Aufgang Architects LLC. The BSAU is tasked with helping building owners ensure that they are taking advantage of every energy cost savings and making the investments that will maximize the profitability of both retrofitted structures and new construction.
“Utility costs are a very significant component when it comes to a monthly budget of running a building,” Aufgang explained. “Most people who run buildings are aware of that, and it also comes into play when building a new structure.”
Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems are the first elements that Aufgang’s team takes into consideration when examining a building or blueprints. These are among the most expensive elements to install, the source of most recurring costs and can be difficult to replace, yet they are not always a top priority.
“We found that there’s a big gap in the attention placed in the design of those systems,” Aufgang said. “Not that design engineers aren’t doing a good job, it’s that there’s not a proportionate amount of time and resources dedicated to the design of those systems if you compare it to the expenses of the building overall. That’s where we think we can be a bridge: allowing architects and planners to partner with actual engineers.”
According to Aufgang, it is common for experts in energy efficiency and engineering to not have a complete picture of how these spheres interact and overlap. To avoid this problem, Aufgang assigned BSAU leadership to Samuel J. LaMontanaro, a mechanical engineer with more than 20 years of hands-on experience designing highly sustainable systems for the multifamily structures. LaMontanaro’s team is experienced in designing industrial buildings, shopping malls and apartment buildings all across the region.
Aufgang stressed that the issues with a design may not be apparent to somebody who is only focused on one aspect of the building.
“We’ve reviewed buildings other people have designed where they have a standpipe that runs up the staircase in the building and it’s bigger than it needs to be,” Aufgang said of the sort of situation the BSAU is designed to catch. “It seems like not a big deal when the architect is drafting it. But when you own that building, that could be tens of thousands of dollars if you have two staircases and each one has a stand pipe with much more water in it than you really need.
“We think an extra set of eyes on that sort of thing really matters, and design engineers really aren’t paid enough in today’s industry, in today’s sort of environment to be able to dig in on one project for that much time,” he added.
