Survey day in Richmond, VA. Existing church building adding some classrooms. Let us know if you need help with MEP engineering drawings!

Unpopular opinion: exposed ductwork isn’t that bad. Don’t burn the HVAC budget trying to hide ductwork and equipment if that money could be spent on features that actually protect the building: dehumidification, equipment staging, etc A pretty ceiling is nice. A building that stays comfortable, dry, and mold-free is better.

You can take hundreds of pictures on a site visit, until you get back to the office and realize you didn't take a picture of that one area you need to look at. Here is @PermitZIPhvac on a recent PermitZIP site survey with our 360 camera. Helps us capture every angle. Need help with MEP engineering for your next project? Let us know how we can help!

Ever wondered what an electrical single line diagram looks like in real life? Check out this example from a recent PermitZIP project in Norfolk, Virginia. We have a tap box where the electric utility (Dominion Energy) will terminate their conductors. From there, the conductors land on two main breaker meter stacks, that provide power and metering for the multifamily apartment units. Awesome coordinated work like this is only possible with a great team backing the MEP engineering design! Owner: Tim Foley Architect: GARC LLC General Contractor: Ringenberg Construction, LLC MEP Engineer: PermitZIP

Some site photos from a PermitZIP project in Newport News, VA for a multifamily renovation. 🏗️ It’s always great when some demolition has already been completed and we get a chance to see the inner workings of the building systems. So much of what we do is hidden behind walls and above ceilings. That’s why we love partnering with trade contractors early in the design process: getting their input, collaborating on the best path forward, and creating designs that are safe, code-compliant, and cost-effective. Looking for help on your next MEP engineering project? Let us know how we can help! 👷‍♂️

Our team on site for a recent survey in Short Pump, VA. This is a tenant improvement project: a former restaurant converting to a retail store. Life is a lot easier when everything at a building is clearly labeled, like this RTU was for this project. Need help with MEP engineering drawings for your next project? Give us a shout!

Recent survey for an upcoming PermitZIP project. Existing electrical meter stack for a multifamily project. Most important things to check is the main breaker size and the size of the breaker feeding each unit. Need help with MEP engineering for your project? Let us know how we can help!

Grabbing lunch at one of our completed projects, Wood & Iron! Great food (and an even better MEP system). It's always great to see the projects we design on paper come to life. #PermitZIP #MEPengineering

Retail shells without planned fresh air = future façade damage. Every tenant needs outside air. If you don’t design intake locations at shell stage, someone will cut them in later. And it will look like this. Ventilation is not optional. Planning is. #ShellAndCore #CommercialVentilation #MEPDesign #MixedUseDevelopment #ConstructionIndustry #CommercialRealEstate

Most oversized gas systems aren’t caused by bad calculations. They’re caused by bad assumptions. Existing gas service at 6–8 inches WC is common. But restaurants' stack load fast: cooking, HVAC, and hot water. Stay low-pressure, and pipe sizes explode. Switch to 2 PSI, and routing suddenly works. This isn’t about “always use high pressure.” It’s about deciding pressure intentionally. Gas pressure should be a design decision, not an inherited condition. #GasSystemDesign #MEPEngineering #CommercialConstruction #RestaurantDesign #ConstructionIndustry #Engineering