Services

Even mechanical rooms should have straight, neat, layouts.

Mechanical Engineering

HVAC systems are crucial for maintaining climate control in any building or home, necessitating precise engineering matched to actual conditions. Sugarpine Engineering is proficient with an array of systems including traditional furnaces and air conditioners to air source heat pumps, geothermal, server cooling, air handlers, VAVs, hybrid systems, ductless splits, humidity control, and packaged systems.

Our designs frequently incorporate heat recovery and passive thermal distribution to capture wasted heat and optimize performance. Energy code compliance.

Ski Resort and other on-mountain systems including for food service, ski-run cooling, ice rinks, and more.

Plumbing Engineering

Plumbing encompasses not only traditional hot and cold domestic water systems but also advanced hydronic solutions such as snowmelt and radiant floor heating. Sugarpine Engineering has extensive experience with all things related to extreme snow and hydronics: heated sidewalks, heated roadways, radiant flooring, heated eaves and gutters; all essential for managing record snowfalls and harsh winters.

Our expertise also includes the more typical systems: chilled water, hot water, filtration, steam, geothermal, wells, and pressure controls. Coordinated experience ensures comprehensive and efficient solutions.

Ski Resort and other on-mountain systems including water distribution, fueling systems, water tanks, pumphouses, and more.

Extensive piping to move wine from extraction vats into barrels.
Conduits, straight and clean.

Electrical Engineering

The electrical system is the unseen backbone of any building, integrating components such as utility power, solar PV, batteries, hydro/wind power, and generators. At Sugarpine Engineering, we understand these complex systems, ensuring seamless interconnection and reliable performance.

Our expertise covers power distribution, delivery Voltage, equipment physical coordination, lighting, controls, communications, and AV/data systems, all designed to meet high standards of efficiency and safety. Comprehensive design, or assistance with lighting design, controls, photometrics, energy code compliance.

Ski Resort and other on-mountain systems including power and generators for Gondolas, Chair Lifts, and other heavy equipment.

Sugarpine Engineering offers various levels of coordination and options for design and delivery of all engineering services.

These fall generally into 5 categories, with overlaps and customization available:

  • Guiding Documents and Performance Specs for design-builders to bid. With or without drawings.
  • Support for modular and pre-fabricated construction; directly with the factory, or production of modular-compatible designs.
  • Traditional Method 2D Drawings for Permitting and Construction
  • Basic 3D Coordination with 2D Drawings for Permitting and Construction
  • Complete Building 3D Coordination & Drawings
Learn More

Commissioning

Sugarpine is thorough to help ensure systems and components are designed, installed, tested, and operated according to the Owner’s Project Requirements, and meet the Design Intent. We provide LEED, CalGreen, or any other tailored level of review.

  • Develop a commissioning plan outlining scope, roles, and procedures.
  • Develop Functional Test Procedures (FTPs) for contractors and us.
  • Oversee or Conduct functional tests on systems; HVAC, electrical, plumbing, data, lighting controls, solar, geothermal, batteries, generators.
  • Verification: Ensure systems meet design specifications and performance criteria.
  • Documentation: Compile reports, manuals, and as-built drawings.
  • Train facility staff on system operation and maintenance.
  • Finalize testing, address deficiencies, and transition the building to the owner.
  • 12-month follow-up to document warranty issues.

Sophisticated 3D Modeling

All of Sugarpine Engineering’s design services can be upgraded to include sophisticated 3D modeling for unique structures. This enhances design accuracy, collaboration, and project efficiency to support construction and fabrication. May reduce change orders. May reduce contractor’s cost of coordination, resulting in lower bids.

  • Modeling: Develop 3D models of architectural, structural, and MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) systems.
  • Coordination: Collaborate among architects, engineers, and contractors to resolve clashes and optimize design before construction.
  • Work with LASER scanning results to verify existing conditions coordination.
  • Documentation: Generate accurate drawings, schedules, and specifications from the model.
  • Annotation and Documentation: Add dimensions or penetration plans for clarity and accuracy of structural coordination.
  • Review and Updates: Collaborate with other trades to refine models/drawings with field changes, as-built record documents.

Lighting Design & Review

Lighting design is complex and involves aesthetics, function, and code compliance. We ensure proper light levels and energy compliance from the beginning. SPE offers design, review, or consulting to help guide designs by others. Tailored to your project’s specific team and needs.

  • Sugarpine can peer review layouts and fixtures by Interior Designers, provide photometrics, add others’ designs to our electrical plans, design lighting with fixtures selected by others, or fully design it.
  • Determine light levels (lux/foot-candles) based on codes, standards (e.g., IESNA), and occupant needs.
  • Choose commercial fixtures for performance, energy efficiency, durability, code compliance, and aesthetics.
  • Layout plans with placement for optimal illumination, avoiding glare or shadows,
  • Egress lighting and pathway illuminance.
  • Controls Integration and design. Dimmers, sensors, daylighting.
  • Energy Compliance: Ensure design meets CA T24, IECC, and/or other sustainability goals.
  • Plans, specifications, and schedules for installation and permitting.

Data System Design

Designing commercial building networking/data systems involves planning, layouts, owner alignment, and specifications of materials for reliable communication. Sugarpine provides detailed guiding documents and performance specifications.

  • Needs Assessment: Identify user requirements, bandwidth needs, and applications (e.g., VoIP, video conferencing).
  • Design network topology (e.g., wired, wireless) for scalability and performance.
  • Specify structured cabling (e.g., Cat6, fiber optic) for data and voice, ensuring compliance with standards (e.g., TIA-568).
  • Plan locations for switches, routers, WiFi access points, and patch panels, optimizing coverage and accessibility.
  • Full MEP Design of power backup (e.g., UPS) and cooling for network closets, including server-specific ventilation systems.
  • Consideration of infrastructure variation for redundancy, firewalls, VLANs, and access controls for network security.

Expert Witness

Sugarpine Engineering staff take pride in our honesty, integrity, and experience. We are capable of supporting your legitimate claims with PE expert witness investigations, professional reports, deposition, and trial testimony.

  • Case review.
  • Field reviews, documentation, photography.
  • Technical engineering analysis, calculations, supporting documentation.
  • Code studies and code compliance determination.
  • Mediation support.
  • Deposition participation.
  • Testimony, if it comes to that.

Fire Suppression & Fire Alarm

Fire suppression and fire alarm systems are often required for permitting commercial buildings, but are not covered under MEP services. We offer fire suppression and fire alarm performance specifications, supplementing MEP design, to ensure that permitting goes as smoothly as possible.

  • Occupancy and hazard class to determine system requirement and type.
  • Coordination with Civil Engineer for utility permitting of Laterals.
  • Estimate pipe sizing.
  • Plan placement of piping, sprinklers.
  • Coordinate fire alarms and building systems.
  • Ensure design meets local fire codes, standards, and considers insurance requirements.
  • Guiding Documents for contractor bids consistent with the design intent, routing, and aesthetics.

Energy Program Consulting

Sugarpine works with several highly-qualified energy and water efficiency program designers, to provide Utilities, Governments, and NGOs with:

  • Energy Program Planning and Management
  • Evaluation, Measurement, and Verification (EM&V).
  • Energy Auditing, Data Collection, and Implementation.
  • Market Studies, Technology Evaluations, and related services.

EV Charging and Fleet Electrification

Sugarpine designs and has experience with EVSE, EV Charging infrastructure, utility permitting, AHJ permitting, and metering requirements.

  • EV Fleet Program Development.
  • EVSE Planning and Project Management.
  • Evaluation, Measurement, and Verification (EM&V) for available capacity.
  • EVSE Design, Permitting, Construction Support. Code requirements.
  • Utility, NEC, and NESC consideration.
  • Consideration of snow removal, bollard protection, durability, parking surfaces, ADA & access requirements, drainage, and clearances; the whole project.
  • Our employees drive EVs and have a deep understanding of real-life advantages, constraints, usage patterns, and issues (real or imagined) affecting EVs.

Safe Buildings, Military, Security, Survivability, Access Control, Durability

The Sugarpine Team understands critical infrastructure. We’re proud to have consulted and designed facilities for various branches of the Armed Services, FAA, police, fire, first responders, and similar mission-critical operations.

This includes off-grid, HAM radio, data vaults, military bases, force protection, wildfire smoke control, pathogen control, clean rooms, and safe-room home security.

Modular Fabrication

The Sugarpine Team has worked on over a dozen modularized projects across multiple modular factories.

We understand the process and importance of modular coordination, factory fabrication, interconnection of modules, and how it all goes together.

Ask us about working directly for the factory, or designing to have modular factories bid on the project.

Healthy Buildings, Happy Life

The Sugarpine Team has worked on many advanced technologies for buildings and residences. We understand and implement systems for:

  • VOC filtration, detection.
  • VOC-free building products.
  • Radon mitigation.
  • UV sterilization.
  • EMF management, radiation shielding.
  • HEPA filtration. Single-pass smoke control.
  • Carbon filtration, odor control.
  • Air additives, Oxygen, scent systems.
  • Lab fume hood capture.
  • Smoke stacks, exhaust airstream control.
  • Restaurant odor & grease capture.