Building systems can look settled on a drawing and still leave the owner with a problem in use. An IT closet needs more cooling than planned. A conference room has the equipment but cannot support the meeting. Turnover drawings do not match what was built.
These articles examine the decisions behind power, HVAC, data, AV, life safety, and other building systems—from early coordination through operation and handover.
The technology worked exactly as designed. The employees still couldn’t start the meeting. The executive walked into the conference room early for the call. This
The tipping point isn’t more projects. It’s when every new priority begins changing the assumptions behind projects already in the plan. Organizations don’t wake up
How operational truth quietly fragments before anyone thinks to check. At turnover, most owners and facility managers believe the drawings reflect what was actually built.
Signage rarely creates problems.Poor integration does. And when integration is deferred, the consequences rarely stay small. In disciplined capital programs, signage is not a finishing
Infrastructure Must Be Engineered Before Installation Begins — Or the Building Won’t Support Its Systems Most technology failures don’t happen because equipment was installed incorrectly.
A Small Stain With a Big Story Behind It First published 2011 | Rebuilt (and upgraded) for 2026 This was the very first article I
Facilities does not have to turn every expenditure into a saving. It does need to show leadership what the organization receives in return. Originally published
I originally wrote a blog article here back in 2011 on conduit sizing for Ethernet Cat6 cables. And to this day, it still remains the
A series of articles addressing various products and technologies available to complement the changing office landscape due to COVID-19 safety.
A series of articles addressing various products and technologies available to complement the changing office landscape due to COVID-19 safety.
Twenty years after the invention of USB charging cables for just about every electronic device, systems furniture manufacturers have finally caught up and just started
Did you know that in NYC and many smaller municipalities like Garden City, LI, power strips are illegal in commercial offices? You are not permitted
One area of design I find consistently overlooked is the small IT closet. In the last month, I’ve seen a few 5,000 sq ft pre-built
With well insulated offices, beams and concrete floors, buildings and skyscrapers can be an Iron Dome where weak or absent cell phone coverage is common. With more employees
The calendar is only one input. Equipment condition, operating environment and the consequence of failure should determine the maintenance strategy. Originally published October 2012. Updated
