Blogs/News

Looking to the Future, Building on the Past

Posted on: September 14, 2017

On September 5, 2017, Fairmont Heights High School opened the doors of a brand-new building to usher in the 2017-2018 school year. With LEED gold certification, meticulously planned space, and expansive new facilities, this new high school will serve the students and the community for years to come. The new school replaces the original Fairmont Heights building opened in 1950, the first high school in the county to provide education for African Americans using public funds.

Allen & Shariff provided mechanical and electrical design for the project. Under the leadership of general contractor Grunley Construction Co. Inc., Allen & Shariff worked with architect Grimm & Parker, civil engineer Adtek, and structural engineer Restl. With the need to coordinate successfully with several parties, Allen & Shariff applied a disciplined approach to their part of the design, conducting multiple onsite team meetings to sync with partners and overcome obstacles collaboratively. Read the full post →

Don’t Oversize, Right-Size! How Right-Sizing HVAC Cuts Costs and Saves Energy

Posted on: September 12, 2017

Our Virtual Lunch & Learn blog series explores a specific topic adapted from our most popular Allen & Shariff Lunch and Learn courses.

Rule-of-thumb calculations that have been standard in the building industry are being reevaluated due to significantly oversized HVAC systems. Designed to serve loads well above anything a building will actually experience, these systems are inefficient and costly over time.

The way to avoid ineffective estimates is to use integrated, whole-building design to identify and model a facility’s real needs for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning—right-sizing, not oversizing. That means moving away from rule-of-thumb sizing based solely on square footage, and instead matching the systems to actual loads to minimize start-up and operating costs. Read the full post →

Eat, Drink, and Age Gracefully: Modern Maturity Center’s Expansion Helps Bring Meals to Thousands of Dover Seniors

Posted on: August 11, 2017

Imagine you live in a different state from aging loved ones. Do you worry about their ability to maintain their independence as they get older? Or that it will become harder to do everyday things like shop for groceries or visit friends?  If you have an aging parent or relative in the greater Dover, DE […]

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Books for the Beach: The Allen & Shariff Staff Recommended Summer Reading List

Posted on: July 27, 2017

At Allen & Shariff, we work hard. We also know how important it is to recharge. If you’re heading to the beach or to a much-needed vacation this summer, there’s no better time to relax and read a good book. So we asked our staff across all our locations for their top recommendations on what […]

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Keeping it Real with James Hunt

Posted on: July 21, 2017

The Keeping it Real series is your chance to hear from Allen & Shariff staff on life, lessons, and leadership, straight from the trenches. Sometimes literally. Name: James Hunt, Senior Mechanical Designer Office: Columbia, MD Years at Allen & Shariff: 1 year, 8 months   What’s the one skill that you would say is essential to being […]

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The Best in Cancer Care, Closer to Home

Posted on: July 14, 2017

Anyone facing a cancer diagnosis hopes for the best care and the most comfortable treatment possible. For residents outside a major city where many treatment centers are located, this often means making repeated long trips from home to more metropolitan areas – adding more weight to an already heavy burden. Thankfully, because of the advances […]

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Keeping It Real with Diane Bookwalter

Posted on: June 20, 2017

The Keeping it Real series is your chance to hear from Allen & Shariff staff on life, lessons, and leadership, straight from the trenches. Sometimes literally. Name: Diane Bookwalter, PE – Electrical Department Head Office: Pittsburgh, PA Years at Allen & Shariff: 2.5 years   As Head of Electrical, where do you invest your energies […]

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Virtual Lunch and Learn: 3 Considerations Before You Say Yes to Geothermal HVAC

Posted on: June 16, 2017

Our Virtual Lunch & Learn blog series explores a specific topic adapted from our most popular Allen & Shariff Lunch and Learn courses. You know the benefits of geothermal heating and cooling – it’s clean, renewable, and sustainable, and offers significant cost savings over time. If you’re considering a geothermal HVAC solution, here are three […]

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