Areas of Expertise
        Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC)
        Plumbing
        Fire Protection
        Controls and Building Automation
        Process Piping
        Smoke Control

   Design Philosophy
The Carmichael Group was established to assist clients in achieving better operation of their building systems. Our objective in designing systems is to provide the client with systems that operate efficiently, reliably, and trouble-free.

Our philosophy is that the mechanical systems in a building should perform to the expectations of the client. An important part of the design process is communicating with the client to ensure that expectations are realistic and consistent with the available budget. We can then develop designs that meet these requirements while simultaneously addressing the ongoing maintenance and operation of the facility. Finally, it is critical that we verify that the installed systems comply with both the design intent and the construction documents.

   Schematic Designs
Decisions made during the schematic design phase of a project establish about 90% of the cost and 90% of the user satisfaction. We use the schematic design phase to identify options, evaluate alternatives, and understand the client's needs. The outcome is a "design intent" document that communicates to the entire team how the mechanical systems are intended to work and identifies the limitations. During this phase, we incorporate energy efficiency, reliability, and maintainability into the design.

   Design Development
Design development is about figuring out how the design intent will be accomplished. Detailed calculations are performed. Equipment is selected. Pipes and ducts are sized. Locations and routing are established. More alternatives are evaluated. During this phase, the mechanical systems must be integrated with the architecture. This requires that we clearly communicate with the other members of the design team.

   Construction Documents
The construction documents must clearly communicate the design intent to the contractors. To this end, we emphasize the use of details and schematics on our drawings. We utilize AutoCAD for drafting and MASTERSPEC for preparing project specifications.

Coordination is a major element of producing the construction documents for a project. The facilities management background of our team members provides a strong understanding of multiple disciplines and results in improved coordination. We also focus on ensuring suitable access to the equipment for maintenance, repair and eventual replacement.

   Construction Administration
The Carmichael Group places a high value on the construction administration phase of a project. The same people who are involved in the design will review the submittals, resolve construction issues, and visit the construction site. During our final site review, we carefully evaluate whether the systems actually do operate as they were specified to operate.

   Commissioning
The purpose of commissioning is to ensure that the systems operate as they were intended to operate. For every project that we design, commissioning is a requirement. Part of the process is specified in the construction documents and performed by the contractors. The remainder is performed by us and includes the final site review and review of record documents and test reports. If a more formal commissioning process is required, The Carmichael Group has the hands-on experience to act as the commissioning agent.