Residential buildings in New York City must meet a series of building codes before they can be legally occupied. Complying with all applicable codes may seem like a complex task, but it ensures the safety of all occupants while ensuring that the building's systems achieve superior performance. Furthermore, the task can be greatly simplified by hiring the services of a professional or engineering company. In general, engineering services are required in the following cases:
- All new construction and major renovations
- Small renovations with technical complexity
- Troubleshooting Performance in Existing Buildings
- Technological updates for building systems
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New construction and major renovations follow a New York City Department of Buildings approval and inspection process, and no building may begin operations without meeting applicable codes. However, problems that arise in existing buildings can result in code violations that are not immediately detected, negatively affecting building systems and creating risks for occupants.
In residential buildings, engineering services are very important when carrying out any work or solving problems involving the following systems:
- Lighting installations
- Space heating and cooling
- Ventilation, especially in areas such as boiler rooms
- Water heating
- Renewable Energy Systems
These systems present a certain degree of technical complexity and generally pose risks to untrained personnel. A “do-it-yourself” approach is not recommended unless you have the necessary professional skills; otherwise, you could damage your property, expose yourself and other occupants, and could even face legal consequences.
1) Residential lighting installations
Older lighting installations generally require more attention due to the types of bulbs and fixtures they use. For example, fluorescent fixtures with magnetic ballasts are prone to buzzing and flickering as they age, and tube failures become more frequent. Modern installations with LED luminaires are much simpler to maintain: LED technology offers a long service life and the lamps are generally more resistant than their incandescent and fluorescent equivalents.
If your home lighting system is experiencing any of the following issues, it's time to get a professional assessment from an engineer or consulting firm:
- Frequent lamp failures, especially if they happen with specific fixtures.
- Switches or dimmers that do not work even if new bulbs are installed.
- Buzzing, clicking or any abnormal noise coming from lighting fixtures.
- Flickering lamps.
- Any sparks or arcs indicate an electrical fault, which requires immediate attention.
Even if your lighting system doesn't have these issues, you can still get an assessment to find energy-saving opportunities and improve lighting performance. A consultant can suggest measures such as upgrading to LED lighting or implementing dimmers to optimize energy consumption. Some of the latest LED product lines for the residential market come with smartphone apps that integrate with your wireless network; allowing lamps to be changed, dimmed or programmed remotely.
suitable for the application. For example, residential indoor lighting should ideally use warm colors to create a relaxing ambience; however, neutral white tones are preferred in areas such as kitchens and studios, where tasks that require concentration and visibility are performed.
Unfortunately, lamps are often updated without paying attention to their color production, and rooms can end up with bright white lighting more suited to office environments. Cold lighting tones in homes can lead to poor sleep quality and mood issues, just as hot lighting can be detrimental to productivity in corporate or industrial environments. Electrical engineers, architects and interior designers can help you determine whether your lighting is appropriate for residential environments.
2) Space heating and cooling
Most space heating and cooling systems use electricity or fuels, two energy sources that pose risks if the installation is not properly maintained. Heating and cooling problems can typically be attributed to poor maintenance, improper unit sizing, or a combination of both factors. There is a common misconception that oversized heating and cooling systems perform better, but this gives rise to several problems:
- Oversized cooling equipment reduces the temperature quickly, but the short cycle length makes it impossible to effectively remove moisture from the air. Additionally, an oversized AC system often has a larger fan than necessary, resulting in a humid, drafty environment. If an air-conditioned space looks like a refrigerator, the system is probably oversized.
- With oversized heating equipment, indoor air can become excessively dry and drafts can also be a problem. If you use a furnace, it will cycle on and off frequently, wasting energy and wearing out components.
Inappropriate temperatures, extreme humidity and drafts cause discomfort and potentially health problems for humans. If these conditions are present, they are signs that the HVAC installation needs an evaluation. Excessive humidity can also lead to mold growth, which degrades indoor air quality and can cause allergic reactions and other health problems.
In the case of heating appliances that operate on combustion, it is essential that the combustion gases are exhausted properly. Carbon monoxide requires special attention because it is colorless and odorless, but it can be lethal to humans in high enough concentrations. If there is a small combustion gas leak, the installation must be serviced urgently.
You can also contact an engineering firm or consultant if you want to reduce the energy consumption of your heating and cooling equipment. Below are some measures that can be suggested:
- Upgrading to higher efficiency air conditioners, which sometimes involves changing the system type. For example, mini-split and VRF systems are significantly more efficient than packaged window and terminal air conditioners.
- Changing the type of fuel, in the case of boilers and furnaces. In New York State, there are cases where fuel oil is more profitable than gas.
- If you have a resistance heater, upgrading to a heat pump typically yields energy savings of over 60%. Heat pumps often allow reversible operation, allowing them to also replace inefficient air conditioning equipment.
The ideal HVAC installation is one that uses the most efficient technology available, but is appropriately sized. Hiring engineering services is the best way to obtain a system with these characteristics.
3) Ventilation
Ventilation plays an important role in residential buildings, especially in places where unpleasant odors or harmful gases are released: kitchens, bathrooms and boilers are some examples. Building codes require indoor air to be continually renewed with fresh air, and places like kitchens and bathrooms require dedicated extraction equipment that leads directly to the outside.
Ideally, ventilation systems should constantly renew indoor air, but without causing drafts and noise. When these conditions are present, the ventilation system probably needs attention. If the temperature is not properly controlled, air currents can increase the cooling or heating effect, causing not only discomfort, but also skin irritation and respiratory illnesses. Ventilation systems work in coordination with space heating and cooling systems and, in many HVAC configurations, are merged into a single system; You may get better results from an engineering assessment if the entire HVAC installation is inspected.
Proper balance between injection and extraction is also very important. The fresh air injection rate should be slightly higher than the extraction rate, maintaining a positive internal pressure that keeps air pollutants out.
4) Water heating
Like space heating systems, water heaters typically run on electricity or fossil fuel and should only be handled by qualified personnel. The following are problems that indicate your water heating system needs attention:
- Inadequate water temperatures: too high, too low or constantly changing.
- If water from an electric heater causes a minor shock, stop using the system immediately and have it inspected.
- The same can be said if you use a gas or oil heater and smell combustion gases; they can be lethal in enclosed spaces.
You should also contact an engineer or consulting firm if you want to evaluate alternative water heating options. The most common options are the following:
- Storage heater: Heats water and stores it in a tank, as its name suggests.
- Tankless or Instantaneous Heater: Completely heats water as it flows without storing it.
- Heat pump: A type of storage heater that achieves superior efficiency when operating with a reverse refrigeration cycle.
- Solar collector: Uses sunlight for free heating and stores hot water in a tank.
For each type of heater, there are generally several energy sources available, except in the case of solar collectors. If you discuss your budget and hot water drinking habits with an engineer, they can help you determine the water heater and power source combination that works best for you.
5) Renewable Energy Systems
Unlike the building systems discussed previously, renewable energy systems are optional. However, one should not ignore the possibilities they offer in residential environments:
- Energy savings: This is the most common reason to deploy renewable energy. Residential consumers in New York pay more than 18 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity, so the renewable energy system can be cost-effective.
- Environmental management: With renewable generation, you are reducing your carbon footprint in addition to your energy bills.
- Incentives: Specific incentives vary by location and system type, but may include cash rebates, tax exemptions, tax credits, or even annual performance payments. Incentives can come from the federal government, state government, or local utility companies.
In general, New York has favorable state conditions for renewable energy sources: in 2015, the New York Public Service Commission declared that 50% of all energy consumed in the state would have to come from renewable sources by 2030. Generating consumer ownership counts towards this goal. , which is why green incentives are plentiful in New York. All of the following technologies are eligible:
- Photovoltaic solar systems
- Wind strength
- Biomass and anaerobic digestion
- fuel cells
- Small-scale hydropower
- Tidal energy
As an example, consider the case of solar photovoltaic systems, which are generally the most affordable renewable energy source for residential buildings: they are exempt from sales and property taxes, earn you federal and state tax credits, and you can even get rebates! New York state isn't among the sunniest, but the combination of high electricity prices and incentives makes solar energy a great investment.
Keep in mind that renewable energy systems are environmentally friendly, but still involve electricity and possibly combustion, and should be handled with the same care as other building systems. Before implementing any type of renewable energy system, carry out an assessment of your property to find out which technology is most suitable; for example, you won't generate much energy with solar panels if a tall building casts a shadow on your roof all day. Also, keep in mind that renewable energy systems are subject to building codes, just like any other equipment that runs on electricity or combustion.
