Brian spends his evenings outnumbered three to one in games of freeze tag with his kids, which may be good practice for workdays spent keeping several projects moving at once. The son of an architect, he chose mechanical engineering as his path into building design, and some of his most challenging work involves renovations where new systems must fit alongside existing equipment, structure, and electrical capacity. His current project is a multibuilding Virginia State Police campus, where one of the spaces he is designing for is a pool that search-and-rescue teams will use for water training.
What attracted you to this profession?
I've always been interested in building design. My dad was an architect and an inspiration to me. Coupling this with a mechanical engineer/match/science degree & main skill set made sense.
What three words would you use to describe your job?
Calculate, coordinate, check
What are the most important personality traits to have in your profession?
Discipline. Since we are managing multiple projects, it's important to create some framework for ourselves to stay organized and on track as we work through the various jobs at their own paces.
What’s a typical week in your job like?
Generally, I like to have one job that I focus on that week (I try to spend over half my time on it, if possible). I use the next chunk of time to keep up with submittals, RFIs, meetings, and making some progress on smaller jobs or those with less pressing deadlines.
How does your work benefit from our firm’s interdisciplinary approach to design?
Having experienced architects, engineers of various disciplines, and construction administration all in the same building is an amazing resource for learning and problem-solving.
What’s an especially challenging project type to design mechanical systems for?
Renovations that require us to retain some existing systems and equipment while replacing and upgrading others are especially challenging. These projects tend to be harder than full-scale renovations. It is a bit of a juggling act to define the right scope and improve the building without breaking the bank.
Physical coordination is also a challenge. We have to fit new work into the existing above-ceiling space and plan major roof and wall penetrations around the existing structure.
Electrical coordination is similar. When we replace equipment, we need to be mindful of the limits and capacity of the existing electrical system, especially if we are upgrading or changing system types.
What’s the coolest thing you’re working on right now?
Virginia State Police. The project includes multiple buildings on the same campus, with all sorts of spaces and uses, including a training tank/pool where search-and-rescue teams can practice saving lives.
What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
Playing with the kids. Our go-to game lately is freeze tag – three of them versus me.
What music are you listening to right now?
Radiohead, The Strokes, Beck, The Smile
What’s your favorite film?
Donnie Darko
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
Nintendo 64 (Christmas of '96)
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