Company profile - Canadian Company Capabilities
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RDH Building Engineering Ltd.
Mailing Address:
224 8th Ave WVANCOUVER, British Columbia
V5Y 1N5
Location Address:
224 8th Ave WVANCOUVER, British Columbia
V5Y 1N5
Tel.:<PHONE_NUMBER>
Fax:<PHONE_NUMBER>
Company Profile
RDH is an award winning building science consulting firm with offices across the Pacific Northwest. We specialize in building enclosure consulting, construction project management, building rehabilitation, maintenance planning, energy modelling, product development, and litigation support.
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There are 5 primary aspects to building repair, renewal and rehabilitation: Planning, Construction Documents, Field Review, Field Testing, and Post-Construction + Maintenance Planning.
Planning
During the planning phase, or design phase, RDH will work with you and your owner group to confirm and refine the specifics of the renewal or rehabilitation program. Together we consider alternate ways of addressing renewal or rehabilitation needs. Is a full or partial rehabilitation the best option? Should all membranes be renewed at the same time or is a phased approach preferable? What options exist for replacement windows? Are there energy savings alternatives that would be cost-effective to implement? We believe that owners should be fully involved in considering the benefits, risks, and costs of various approaches and phasing alternatives.
For larger projects, the planning phase is also important because it provides a real opportunity to update and enhance the appearance of the building. Many of the building enclosure projects we work on have a positive impact on property values. Significant improvements in the overall appearance and attractiveness of buildings can be achieved with relatively minor and low-cost modifications to the rehabilitation or renewals program. All necessary services, both engineering and architecture, are provided in-house by RDH.
Construction Documents
Construction documents are the drawings and specifications that are used to obtain the necessary permits and obtain bids from contractors. Once the contractors have been selected, the construction documents are used by the contractors to carry out the renewal or rehabilitation work on-site. These drawings and specifications are one of the most important parts of the whole rehabilitation or renewal process.
It has been our experience that the accuracy and completeness of the construction documents bear directly on the cost and quality of the construction work. In order to fully explain the work, avoid misunderstanding, and obtain the best possible pricing, we prepare a highly detailed construction document package, one that is much more comprehensive than is typical in the industry.
Field Review
Field review includes the work involved in visiting the building during construction to monitor progress, confirm that the work is being implemented correctly, and ensure that the contractor has a full and detailed understanding of all requirements. This is an essential part of protecting your interests and making sure that the necessary quality standards are achieved.
Field Testing
In addition to visual field review, undertaken to confirm that specified materials and components are being used and correctly installed, our field review staff also carry out a variety of tests to help to confirm that the completed project will achieve the necessary levels of performance. A range of tests, including water penetration tests, airtightness testing, and membrane and coating adherence tests, ensure that appropriate industry standards are achieved.
Post-Construction + Maintenance Planning
Inevitably, when projects near completion there’s a desire to wrap things up quickly and move on. Owners particularly, after living through the construction process, want to get on with their lives. However, we believe that a number of key tasks need to be carried out in order to properly document the project and provide owners with the necessary information to effectively maintain their buildings.
We follow-up on outstanding issues from the construction project to ensure that they are resolved, and we provide documentation of the completed project to you that will be very helpful in the ongoing upkeep of the building. Our field review staff work with other in-house specialists to develop clear and effective maintenance documentation and to ensure that all applicable warranties are in place.
Pre-Construction
Before work starts on-site, the rehabilitation project needs to be thoroughly thought-through, designed, budgeted, and made ready. Effective pre-construction planning is essential for any successful project.
Clients need concise information, the opportunity to make informed decisions, accurate estimates, and a realistic understanding of what needs to be done.
At RDH, we’ve been helping clients find ways to deal with a range of challenging construction implementation issues. We help make sure building enclosure issues are resolved with practical, durable, cost-effective solutions.
Contract Administration
Every construction project needs to be controlled, and the best control comes from appropriate administration of the construction contract. RDH uses industry-recognized processes and procedures to keep things on-track.
We tender (bid) the work to qualified contractors, review the work on-site, certify payments, dot the i’s, cross the t’s, and provide ongoing advice and support to our clients. In other words, we do all the things a professional consultant should do to properly administer a construction contract.
Project Management
When clients want an added layer of proactive support, RDH can provide Project Management services. As project managers, RDH actively manages the construction process from initial design to project completion.
In addition to typical administrative functions, RDH can arrange permits, deal with hazardous materials, liaise with WorkSafe BC or OSHA , and proactively work to keep contractors on-schedule and on-budget. As project managers, RDH provides clients with regular cost reporting, cost forecasts, scheduling updates, and an elevated level of client support.
Construction Management
On projects that are large, complex, and challenging—or simply require innovative solutions—RDH is often retained to act as construction manager. In addition to conventional administrative duties, as construction managers RDH takes firm control of all construction-related activities and provides a full-time site superintendent to actively manage the work.
This elevated level of service provides control and oversight that just isn’t possible with other approaches. Many of the largest, most high-profile building enclosure rehabilitations in the Pacific Northwest and the Lower Mainland have been managed by RDH’s construction managers. RDH has built a reputation for safely delivering innovative, cost-effective, durable solutions.
Cost-Estimating
Of fundamental concern to all clients is “What is this going to cost?” Our clients require well-founded cost estimates to make informed decisions. Since its inception, RDH has directly or indirectly managed the repair, renewal, or rehabilitation of more than 1000 buildings.Each of these buildings is different, and each one contributes to our collective experience and knowledge base.
As we complete projects, we collect related costing data; and as we plan new projects, we can refer to this in-house costing data to track trends and analyze recent bid results. This allows us to more accurately estimate the probable cost of pending work.
What is MaP?
Our MaP group works with your strata or HOA to plan and develop strategies for the long- and short-term needs for your building – everything from roof maintenance to boiler replacement. As the acronym suggests, our products are designed so that we can provide you with a comprehensive roadMaP for the management of your assets.
Our Building Asset Management Software application enables you to evaluate and track your maintenance activities and make informed decisions about how to preserve your assets and keep costs under control. The software provides you with many other helpful tools such as a building contacts list and online document storage capability.
Reserve Studies / Depreciation Reports
A reserve study (called a depreciation report in British Columbia) is a long-range financial planning tool. It’s used to identify funding requirements for costs associated with future repair, renewal, and replacement projects. The report establishes where you need to focus resources and is a good place to start developing your roadMAP.
The first step in the preparing the report is to compile an inventory of all of your building’s assets (roofs, boilers, carpets, etc.). Using the inventory as a foundation, we estimate the remaining life of each asset, forecast the replacement costs in future-year dollars, and display the financial analysis with graphs and cash flow tables.
Recognizing that a picture speaks a thousand words, we provide a photo library accompanied by related data pertaining to your assets. All of the information is accessible through our propriety online BAM software that allows you to update manage the data yourself. The software tool also empowers you to create your own funding scenarios so you can evaluate different funding levels and find a solution that works specifically for your building.
Maintenance Plans + Reviews
Maintenance plans help you keep your building assets (e.g., boilers, pumps, elevators) in good working condition so that they achieve their full-intended service life.
 Ultimately, we can help you track what work is completed vs. what is outstanding so that you are better able to produce reports and make informed decisions.
Maintenance plans move you further along in the roadMAP by helping you answer the following questions:
How do you keep track of all the drawings, shut-off valves, warranties and service agreements, certificates, and historical events required to efficiently manage your building?
How do you get all of this information in one place so that it is easy to reference?
How long will your building assets last?
What maintenance and renewals work is needed to preserve your assets?
What is the value of the maintenance and renewals work for this year and for the next 30 years?
Interim Study
Once a depreciation report (reserve study) or a maintenance plan has been completed, there can be several years between mandatory update studies. An interim study is a cost-effective way to record progress that has been made on your projects (such as a roof renewal or window replacement). This is beneficial if you would like to showcase large projects that have been completed and have the information reflected in an updated report for potential purchasers.
An interim study does not typically involve a site visit; revisions are made to our existing report based on information provided by you. The content of this study may vary between jurisdictions, please contact the office nearest you to get information relevant to your state or province.
Facility Condition Assessments (FCA)
A facility condition assessment is a multidisciplinary review of the various building systems for an owner of a portfolio of buildings (municipality, university, school, or hospital) that:
Determines the condition of the assets (such as roofs and boilers).
Records the extent of deferred maintenance (“catch-up” costs).
Forecasts future life cycle renewal of the assets (“keep-up” costs).
The purpose of the assessment is to prepare a defensible estimate of reinvestment costs so that prudent and informed decisions can be made regarding allocating funds to restore aging assets and to sustain their ongoing performance relative to established goals and standards.
The FCA provides a benchmark of the current performance of the building and prioritizes items for maintenance, repair, and/or renewal. The data is summarized in a Facility Condition Index (FCI) that provides an objective benchmark against which changes can be monitored over time.
Our team comprises specialists in the fields of building science, architecture, mechanical engineering, electrical, cost consulting, and construction management. We are very familiar with facility rehabilitation costs, renewal costs, and life cycle audits. Our experience also includes various types of specialized facilities such as swimming pools, ice rinks, community centres, fire stations, and hotels.
Building Asset Management Software
Our Building Asset Management Software (BAMS) helps clients simplify their building management. Paperless and simple. That’s BAMS.
Problem Investigation
Performance problems can vary widely in scope and severity. For example, they can include:
Thermal comfort issues (drafts, overheating)
Condensation on walls and windows
The presence of mold
Water entering the interior spaces of a building
Leaky windows or roofs
Premature deterioration of components of the building
To cost-effectively address these types of problems, it’s important to understand the root cause of problems, not just the symptoms. RDH’s advanced building science expertise is the key to focussed investigations and being able to help you undertake the right repairs.
We use a variety of investigative tools including water penetration test equipment, infrared thermography, moisture meters, and dew point testers.
Condition Assessment
We examine all aspects of a building or a building system to determine its existing condition and prognosis for future performance. This snapshot of conditions is a baseline that helps us provide you with advice regarding maintenance activities, repair and renewal recommendations, or the development of a large rehabilitation program. This broad understanding of the current condition and performance means that activities can be planned in the proper sequence, activities can be bundled to be cost-effective, alternate approaches can be identified where appropriate, and opportunities for energy efficiency can be examined with the big picture in mind.
The condition assessment process typically consists of:
Reviewing available drawings, reports, or other documentation.
Visually examining building components.
Surveying owners and occupants to identify problematic conditions.
Conducting a moisture probe survey.
Creating exploratory openings.
Using nondestructive testing such as water penetration testing.
At the conclusion of the assessment work, our observations regarding the current condition as well as our recommendations are presented to you and documented in a report that summarizes the information in an easy-to-understand manner, including supportive sketches and photographs.
Warranty Review
Our goal in undertaking warranty reviews is to help you resolve issues with the warranty provider in an equitable manner. The escalation of a dispute is in nobody’s best interest and can result in additional costs from simply managing conflict. Warranty reviews are also one of the signals that the responsibility for the long-term in-service performance of the building is being transferred fully to you as owners. RDH is ready to help you assume and plan for this stewardship role at your building.
The visual review of the building and examination of the construction documents undertaken during a warranty review is a great starting point for us in getting to know your building and its unique character. The warranty review leads quite naturally to the development of a depreciation report/reserve study and maintenance plans.
Energy Saving Opportunities
Energy efficiency for existing buildings is becoming a priority for many municipalities and more senior levels of government. It is likely that, as buildings are renovated, there will be new requirements for looking at energy efficiency. These new requirements should not be feared, as energy efficiency should be a priority for building owners and managers.
Every renewal or renovation project can be viewed as an opportunity to cost-effectively implement energy efficiency measures that save you energy and money. At RDH, we understand this changing environment; we frequently provide assistance to jurisdictions as they update their energy requirements. We use this knowledge to help building owners, managers, and operators stay ahead of the curve by:
Benchmarking: a great starting point is learning how your building or portfolio compares to other buildings.
Looking for energy saving opportunities: energy audits help you understand the systems that consume energy within your buildings and help you identify cost-effective energy savings opportunities.
Using available incentives: government- and utility-sponsored incentives can reduce capital costs and payback periods.
Tying energy into Building Asset Management Services (BAMS): the best time to implement energy saving measures is when planning for the replacement of building assets.
Benchmarking
Benchmarking is a low-cost way to compare the energy performance of your building with a database of similar buildings. This comparison identifies underperforming buildings as well as superior performance and provides a tool for tracking and comparing energy consumption from year to year.
A recent study by ENERGY STAR indicated that on average, buildings that are benchmarked annually use 2.4% less energy than those that aren’t, just because people are more aware of energy performance.
This can add up. Over 10 years, you’re looking at almost 20% energy savings from when you started!
Concept Review
Before detailed decisions are finalized, our clients benefit from a review of the building enclosure design strategies at a conceptual level. This review provides an opportunity to reflect on the basic building science behind the selection of specific assemblies and materials. Experience shows that changes made at the conceptual stage of building envelope design have far less cost impact than those made during construction. A typical Concept Review considers the following:
- Environmental loads
- Energy performance targets and compliance options
- Life cycle expectations
- Constructability, sequencing, and complexity of detailing
- Structural support
Risk Review
Not all of RDH’s clients are able to utilize the entire design and construction process to manage risk. There are, however, strategic opportunities during the design and construction process when a focused effort to assess risk and identify mitigating actions can be beneficial to a project stakeholder. RDH has practical methodologies to aid any participant at any stage of the design and construction process. While each client’s needs are unique, the building science and practical approach offered by RDH is consistent with all of our services.
Construction Document Review
We focus on the details for our clients. There are many design team members involved in the coordination and correlation of construction drawings. We are typically tasked with reviewing the details for integration of the various building enclosure assemblies. This review also includes the identification of additional details needed to convey the design intent.
Our clients also look to RDH to review specifications to confirm they are coordinated with drawings and convey appropriate performance requirements. Our goal is construction details that work, are easy to construct, meet best practice standards, and ultimately have less opportunity for unresolved conditions on-site.
Field Review
Our field review work provides clients with assurance that construction is conforming to drawings and specifications. The success of any project is dependent on a high level of quality assurance and quality control.
Our field review personnel contribute to the project team’s quality assurance success by conducting regular and thorough reviews of the building enclosure construction. RDH field review staff are experienced personnel with a track record of successful projects and an interest in working cooperatively in a team environment.
We communicate our field review work to the project team by documenting and tracking field observations in a project-specific database. Our clients appreciate that we use digital photographs to illustrate deficiencies and recommended actions whenever possible. Project team members also utilize the database because it allows outstanding action items to be tracked and reported at any time.
Testing
In addition to regular and through field review of construction, we also regularly perform various on-site tests in our quality assurance role, including:
- Water penetration testing of glazing assemblies.
- Adhesion testing.
- Membrane thickness testing.
- Whole-building and assembly air leakage testing.
- Thermographic scanning and ultrasonic testing if required to help confirm the performance of new assemblies.
RDH can analyze and provide an evaluation into the long-term behavior of any building enclosure assembly or detail for thermal and hygrothermal performance (heat, air, and moisture control).
Utilizing state-of-the-art software (WUFI Pro 5.0, HEAT 3, THERM), thermal and hygrothermal simulations are used at various stages through the life cycle of a building for different purposes. Thermal modeling software is used to analyze one-, two-, and three-dimensional heat transfer under both steady-state and transient conditions.
The majority of RDH technical staff have formal training in building science, including several staff members who hold master’s degrees with specializations in building science. This training is imperative to understanding coupled heat and moisture transfer and in successfully utilizing and interpreting the results output from analysis software.
Because of our advanced building science understanding and depth of experience in the use of various building science software packages, we are able to provide training on those packages and on utilizing the results. Several RDH staff members regularly apply this knowledge in the instruction of students at universities and colleges on the west coast.
Hygrothermal Modeling
Hygrothermal modeling is the computer-assisted simulation of heat, air, and moisture flow through building enclosure assemblies (walls, roofs, floors, below-grade). It is the process of simulating the performance of assemblies so that the future durability and risk associated with different assembly designs, materials, and climate or exposure can be evaluated and assessed. For example, the risk for condensation within an assembly can be analyzed with different insulation or vapor retarder properties, or the influence of driving rain on cladding degradation can be predicted. The hygrothermal model results include temperature, humidity, and moisture content data at materials and at interfaces throughout the assembly. With this data, the user can assess the risk of condensation, moisture entrapment, fungal growth, and even material degradation.
Thermal Modeling
Thermal modeling is essential for establishing overall thermal performance values (R-values/U-values) and condensation potential. These tools are used to:
- Evaluate the performance of proposed roof, wall, and glazed assembly designs.
- Help design more thermally efficient and durable details.
- Provide insight on forensic analysis.
- Support energy code compliance documentation (i.e., ASHRAE 90.1) or energy credits for LEED projects.
Manage Cost
Curtain wall is often one of the largest contracts on a new construction project. At RDH, we have an intimate knowledge of the design and construction features of most curtain wall systems on the market today. We have extensive experience with both North American and overseas products and supply chains. With this knowledge we can optimize the design to provide better value and improve performance, often for little or no additional cost.
Avoid Failures
Curtain wall and façade glazing systems are among the most complicated elements of a building’s enclosure, and are one of the most common post-construction claims. Early expert involvement that continues through the design and construction phases to the performance verification stages of commissioning can avoid post-construction deficiencies. Our proactive approach and extensive experience in investigating and repairing failures help us to quickly identify high risk areas and resolve issues before they become problems.
Expert Design and System Analysis
The curtain wall industry changes rapidly. New systems are constantly being brought to market, often without adequate due diligence or performance and durability testing. New products and systems require careful evaluation prior to use in the real world. Our background in curtain wall consulting on new projects, forensic investigations, and research and development of new glazing systems gives us the experience to realistically evaluate new systems. It also gives us the experience to design and implement additional test methods when required.
Optimize Energy Performance
Improved energy performance is the new frontier for glazed building enclosures. RDH has the resources to simulate, model, and optimize fenestration systems and anchorage and interface details to achieve the energy performance requirements for the most demanding design briefs.
Design Drawings and Specifications
Extensive experience with the design and testing of curtain wall systems allows us to quickly and efficiently review drawings, specifications and submittals to manage risk, optimize the system design, and ensure that performance parameters are not compromised through poor detailing.
RDH also provides complete curtainwall design drawings and specifications for architectural teams wishing to outsource this component of the design.
Product Testing and Field Review
Independent lab testing under RDH supervision confirms the “as-built” performance of fenestration systems. Job site mock-up testing ensures that trades understand and can replicate the complex interfaces between fenestration products and the assemblies in which they are installed.
During construction our experienced field personnel confirm that installed products and their interfaces to surrounding construction perform as designed, through a combination of field review and field testing.
Performance Verification and Maintenance
At the end of the project it is essential to confirm performance and hand over the glazing systems with adequate operations and maintenance guidance. RDH undertakes the performance verification testing and provides comprehensive guidance on maintenance and renewals.
About Airtightness Testing
Measuring and identifying air leakage in buildings is something that RDH staff members have been doing since our firm was founded and before “commissioning” was an industry term of art. Our staff members are some of the most experienced and knowledgeable in the industry as it relates to air barrier design and testing, including performing dozens of whole-building air leakage tests.
We are active on the Air Barrier Association of America committee on air leakage testing, and our staff provided input on the Army Corps of Engineers Whole-Building Air Leakage Testing Protocol. We are often consulted by code officials and those who write air leakage testing standards for input. We were part of the team that developed the pressure-neutralized approach for incrementally testing portions of buildings. RDH is more than just another testing agency–our staff members have performed cutting-edge research on air leakage and understand how buildings and the air barrier are put together. This is what sets us apart.
We specialize in:
- Whole-Building Air Leakage Testing
- Smoke Testing
- Thermography
Early-Stage Modeling
Our early-stage energy analysis occurs at the pre-schematic stage of design where we talk to you about:
- The overall enclosure R-value.
- Building massing and orientation.
- Basic assembly and fenestration arrangements and details.
Our services for this optimization role can be handled as a small consulting package independent of any possible role as an energy modeler or building enclosure consultant at the schematic design (SD), design development (DD), construction documents (CD), and construction stages.
Whole-Building Energy Modeling
Whole-building energy modeling during DD, CD, and construction is a natural transition from the early-stage analysis we can provide for your project. This continues to optimize the building enclosure for energy performance while considering other building performance parameters such as the mechanical and electrical systems.
Building Energy Code Compliance
As local jursidictions and municipalities increase their energy efficiency requirements, we can help provide an understanding of how to get projects to be code compliant, particularly with respect to the building enclosure.
This can include:
- ASHRAE 90.1 compliance to BCBC, City of Vancouver, or other code requirements.
- Thermal analysis, including R-value calculations for all building details.
- Assistance completing submission documentation where required by jurisdictions.
Warranty Claims Support
Latent defect, labour and material, water ingress, and structural defect are some of the construction warranties available in the industry. All warranties result in claims. The initial identification of potential claims, documentation of existing and deteriorated performance, field testing, second opinion review, causation reporting, mediation, litigation support, and construction management or claim resolution measures, represent the range of services that RDH offers as part of the firm’s comprehensive warranty claim support services.
It doesn’t matter if RDH has been retained by an owner, developer, supplier or a representative of the insurance industry: our goal is to define the problem and provide reasonable, cost-effective, and timely solutions.
Property Insurance Claims Support
Almost every significant property is protected by a comprehensive insurance policy. The building enclosure comprises well over half the replacement value of most structures, and contents rely on the building enclosure for protection against the elements. It is easy to see why enclosure consultants are of value to a property claims adjuster.
Insured perils and exclusions may seem straightforward at first, but often expert and technical review is needed to address specific issues critical to the final determination of coverage. Even after coverage is established, RDH can address extent of damage and the methods and limits of repair or assist in subrogation and cost recovery efforts.
Working closely with claims adjusters and specialist restoration contractors RDH has supported the resolution of property claims ranging from small residential matters to multimillion dollar loses.
Surety Claims Support
When contractors face solvency problems, performance bonds are often the first course of action to achieve project completion. Even when projects are completed, there can be problems whose various parties will look to performance bonds as a means of resolution.
Claims adjusters and loss control specialists rely on RDH’s project and construction management expertise as well as our technical knowledge to address a wide range of surety claims.
RDH has the ability to step into the existing construction and project management contracts to assess completion costs and complete projects. We also offer the technical expertise to resolve claims related to faulty materials, improper installations, faulty construction, or design defects.
Product R&D
We have the depth of expertise to address all aspects of the building enclosure in detail. This means understanding of the behaviour of assemblies, components, and materials as well as the construction and design issues that will impact performance. We are known for our practical construction advice, advanced building science knowledge, and specialized analysis capabilities for building materials and assemblies.
We have in-house laboratory testing facilities, a climate chamber, various building monitoring sites, and a full-scale test wall facility. Recent uses for the test wall facility include testing of window installation procedures, ICF wall systems and details, and various log wall assemblies and details.
Building Monitoring + Diagnostic Testing
Building performance monitoring consists of installing sensors and equipment to measure various indicators such as temperature, relative humidity, air quality levels, moisture levels, pressure differences, energy consumption, air flows, etc., over a period of time. These measured performance indicators allow us to better understand and solve problems within buildings, research new building products, and help make buildings perform better. We often use monitoring to diagnose problems such as intermittent leaks, condensation, moisture damage, structural movement, air quality problems, energy use, etc., and to confirm acceptable long-term performance of new building enclosure assemblies and details.
In conjunction with building monitoring, we regularly perform testing of buildings to measure:
- Airtightness and air leakage using specialized fan-door equipment, theatrical smoke, and infrared imaging.
- Water penetration using calibrated spray racks and apparatuses.
- Indoor environmental conditions using various sensors.
Although testing agencies can conduct testing, we find that our knowledge of the building enclosure systems and details allows us to better use the testing to determine the source of failures and provide quick feedback and resolution to effectively address any problems. In addition, as trial repairs are undertaken, the availability of our own test apparatuses allows us to quickly verify the effectiveness of the repairs.
Forensic Investigation
Whether the failure is condensation in walls or on windows, premature fogging of insulating glass units, the leakage of window or curtain wall assemblies, or the failure of an assembly as a roofing membrane or cladding material, RDH has the experience and knowledge to find the root of the problem. We use a variety of investigative techniques.
Our ability to communicate complex technical issues is one of our greatest strengths. This ability to communicate stems from a comprehensive understanding of the technical issues – real world design and construction experience, building science expertise, and a scientific approach to our forensic work. We understand issues at a distinctly advanced level – a result of our specialized building science training and degrees held by many of our staff – and this allows us to be creative with solutions.
Figuring out the problem is certainly important, but it’s only the first step. Our ability to articulate a fundamental understanding of what went wrong and what to do about it through clear reports, excellent support graphics, and presentations is the key to helping you understand the issues and what should be done to address performance problems – this is what sets us apart.
Market profile
Alliances:
- Sales/Marketing
Industry sector market interests:
- Construction
- Environment
- Manufacturing
- Service Industry
Geographic markets:
Export experience:
- New Zealand
- United States
- Washington
Sector information
Key / Major clients:
We've worked with major international clients around the world.Third-Party Information Liability Disclaimer
Some of the information on this Web page has been provided by external sources. The Government of Canada is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability or currency of the information supplied by external sources. Users wishing to rely upon this information should consult directly with the source of the information. Content provided by external sources is not subject to official languages, privacy and accessibility requirements.
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Contact information
Description
Company description
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Product / Service / Licensing
There are 5 primary aspects to building repair, renewal and rehabilitation: Planning, Construction Documents, Field Review, Field Testing, and Post-Construction + Maintenance Planning.
Planning
During the planning phase, or design phase, RDH will work with you and your owner group to confirm and refine the specifics of the renewal or rehabilitation program. Together we consider alternate ways of addressing renewal or rehabilitation needs. Is a full or partial rehabilitation the best option? Should all membranes be renewed at the same time or is a phased approach preferable? What options exist for replacement windows? Are there energy savings alternatives that would be cost-effective to implement? We believe that owners should be fully involved in considering the benefits, risks, and costs of various approaches and phasing alternatives.
For larger projects, the planning phase is also important because it provides a real opportunity to update and enhance the appearance of the building. Many of the building enclosure projects we work on have a positive impact on property values. Significant improvements in the overall appearance and attractiveness of buildings can be achieved with relatively minor and low-cost modifications to the rehabilitation or renewals program. All necessary services, both engineering and architecture, are provided in-house by RDH.
Construction Documents
Construction documents are the drawings and specifications that are used to obtain the necessary permits and obtain bids from contractors. Once the contractors have been selected, the construction documents are used by the contractors to carry out the renewal or rehabilitation work on-site. These drawings and specifications are one of the most important parts of the whole rehabilitation or renewal process.
It has been our experience that the accuracy and completeness of the construction documents bear directly on the cost and quality of the construction work. In order to fully explain the work, avoid misunderstanding, and obtain the best possible pricing, we prepare a highly detailed construction document package, one that is much more comprehensive than is typical in the industry.
Field Review
Field review includes the work involved in visiting the building during construction to monitor progress, confirm that the work is being implemented correctly, and ensure that the contractor has a full and detailed understanding of all requirements. This is an essential part of protecting your interests and making sure that the necessary quality standards are achieved.
Field Testing
In addition to visual field review, undertaken to confirm that specified materials and components are being used and correctly installed, our field review staff also carry out a variety of tests to help to confirm that the completed project will achieve the necessary levels of performance. A range of tests, including water penetration tests, airtightness testing, and membrane and coating adherence tests, ensure that appropriate industry standards are achieved.
Post-Construction + Maintenance Planning
Inevitably, when projects near completion there’s a desire to wrap things up quickly and move on. Owners particularly, after living through the construction process, want to get on with their lives. However, we believe that a number of key tasks need to be carried out in order to properly document the project and provide owners with the necessary information to effectively maintain their buildings.
We follow-up on outstanding issues from the construction project to ensure that they are resolved, and we provide documentation of the completed project to you that will be very helpful in the ongoing upkeep of the building. Our field review staff work with other in-house specialists to develop clear and effective maintenance documentation and to ensure that all applicable warranties are in place.
Pre-Construction
Before work starts on-site, the rehabilitation project needs to be thoroughly thought-through, designed, budgeted, and made ready. Effective pre-construction planning is essential for any successful project.
Clients need concise information, the opportunity to make informed decisions, accurate estimates, and a realistic understanding of what needs to be done.
At RDH, we’ve been helping clients find ways to deal with a range of challenging construction implementation issues. We help make sure building enclosure issues are resolved with practical, durable, cost-effective solutions.
Contract Administration
Every construction project needs to be controlled, and the best control comes from appropriate administration of the construction contract. RDH uses industry-recognized processes and procedures to keep things on-track.
We tender (bid) the work to qualified contractors, review the work on-site, certify payments, dot the i’s, cross the t’s, and provide ongoing advice and support to our clients. In other words, we do all the things a professional consultant should do to properly administer a construction contract.
Project Management
When clients want an added layer of proactive support, RDH can provide Project Management services. As project managers, RDH actively manages the construction process from initial design to project completion.
In addition to typical administrative functions, RDH can arrange permits, deal with hazardous materials, liaise with WorkSafe BC or OSHA , and proactively work to keep contractors on-schedule and on-budget. As project managers, RDH provides clients with regular cost reporting, cost forecasts, scheduling updates, and an elevated level of client support.
Construction Management
On projects that are large, complex, and challenging—or simply require innovative solutions—RDH is often retained to act as construction manager. In addition to conventional administrative duties, as construction managers RDH takes firm control of all construction-related activities and provides a full-time site superintendent to actively manage the work.
This elevated level of service provides control and oversight that just isn’t possible with other approaches. Many of the largest, most high-profile building enclosure rehabilitations in the Pacific Northwest and the Lower Mainland have been managed by RDH’s construction managers. RDH has built a reputation for safely delivering innovative, cost-effective, durable solutions.
Cost-Estimating
Of fundamental concern to all clients is “What is this going to cost?” Our clients require well-founded cost estimates to make informed decisions. Since its inception, RDH has directly or indirectly managed the repair, renewal, or rehabilitation of more than 1000 buildings.Each of these buildings is different, and each one contributes to our collective experience and knowledge base.
As we complete projects, we collect related costing data; and as we plan new projects, we can refer to this in-house costing data to track trends and analyze recent bid results. This allows us to more accurately estimate the probable cost of pending work.
What is MaP?
Our MaP group works with your strata or HOA to plan and develop strategies for the long- and short-term needs for your building – everything from roof maintenance to boiler replacement. As the acronym suggests, our products are designed so that we can provide you with a comprehensive roadMaP for the management of your assets.
Our Building Asset Management Software application enables you to evaluate and track your maintenance activities and make informed decisions about how to preserve your assets and keep costs under control. The software provides you with many other helpful tools such as a building contacts list and online document storage capability.
Reserve Studies / Depreciation Reports
A reserve study (called a depreciation report in British Columbia) is a long-range financial planning tool. It’s used to identify funding requirements for costs associated with future repair, renewal, and replacement projects. The report establishes where you need to focus resources and is a good place to start developing your roadMAP.
The first step in the preparing the report is to compile an inventory of all of your building’s assets (roofs, boilers, carpets, etc.). Using the inventory as a foundation, we estimate the remaining life of each asset, forecast the replacement costs in future-year dollars, and display the financial analysis with graphs and cash flow tables.
Recognizing that a picture speaks a thousand words, we provide a photo library accompanied by related data pertaining to your assets. All of the information is accessible through our propriety online BAM software that allows you to update manage the data yourself. The software tool also empowers you to create your own funding scenarios so you can evaluate different funding levels and find a solution that works specifically for your building.
Maintenance Plans + Reviews
Maintenance plans help you keep your building assets (e.g., boilers, pumps, elevators) in good working condition so that they achieve their full-intended service life.
 Ultimately, we can help you track what work is completed vs. what is outstanding so that you are better able to produce reports and make informed decisions.
Maintenance plans move you further along in the roadMAP by helping you answer the following questions:
How do you keep track of all the drawings, shut-off valves, warranties and service agreements, certificates, and historical events required to efficiently manage your building?
How do you get all of this information in one place so that it is easy to reference?
How long will your building assets last?
What maintenance and renewals work is needed to preserve your assets?
What is the value of the maintenance and renewals work for this year and for the next 30 years?
Interim Study
Once a depreciation report (reserve study) or a maintenance plan has been completed, there can be several years between mandatory update studies. An interim study is a cost-effective way to record progress that has been made on your projects (such as a roof renewal or window replacement). This is beneficial if you would like to showcase large projects that have been completed and have the information reflected in an updated report for potential purchasers.
An interim study does not typically involve a site visit; revisions are made to our existing report based on information provided by you. The content of this study may vary between jurisdictions, please contact the office nearest you to get information relevant to your state or province.
Facility Condition Assessments (FCA)
A facility condition assessment is a multidisciplinary review of the various building systems for an owner of a portfolio of buildings (municipality, university, school, or hospital) that:
Determines the condition of the assets (such as roofs and boilers).
Records the extent of deferred maintenance (“catch-up” costs).
Forecasts future life cycle renewal of the assets (“keep-up” costs).
The purpose of the assessment is to prepare a defensible estimate of reinvestment costs so that prudent and informed decisions can be made regarding allocating funds to restore aging assets and to sustain their ongoing performance relative to established goals and standards.
The FCA provides a benchmark of the current performance of the building and prioritizes items for maintenance, repair, and/or renewal. The data is summarized in a Facility Condition Index (FCI) that provides an objective benchmark against which changes can be monitored over time.
Our team comprises specialists in the fields of building science, architecture, mechanical engineering, electrical, cost consulting, and construction management. We are very familiar with facility rehabilitation costs, renewal costs, and life cycle audits. Our experience also includes various types of specialized facilities such as swimming pools, ice rinks, community centres, fire stations, and hotels.
Building Asset Management Software
Our Building Asset Management Software (BAMS) helps clients simplify their building management. Paperless and simple. That’s BAMS.
Problem Investigation
Performance problems can vary widely in scope and severity. For example, they can include:
Thermal comfort issues (drafts, overheating)
Condensation on walls and windows
The presence of mold
Water entering the interior spaces of a building
Leaky windows or roofs
Premature deterioration of components of the building
To cost-effectively address these types of problems, it’s important to understand the root cause of problems, not just the symptoms. RDH’s advanced building science expertise is the key to focussed investigations and being able to help you undertake the right repairs.
We use a variety of investigative tools including water penetration test equipment, infrared thermography, moisture meters, and dew point testers.
Condition Assessment
We examine all aspects of a building or a building system to determine its existing condition and prognosis for future performance. This snapshot of conditions is a baseline that helps us provide you with advice regarding maintenance activities, repair and renewal recommendations, or the development of a large rehabilitation program. This broad understanding of the current condition and performance means that activities can be planned in the proper sequence, activities can be bundled to be cost-effective, alternate approaches can be identified where appropriate, and opportunities for energy efficiency can be examined with the big picture in mind.
The condition assessment process typically consists of:
Reviewing available drawings, reports, or other documentation.
Visually examining building components.
Surveying owners and occupants to identify problematic conditions.
Conducting a moisture probe survey.
Creating exploratory openings.
Using nondestructive testing such as water penetration testing.
At the conclusion of the assessment work, our observations regarding the current condition as well as our recommendations are presented to you and documented in a report that summarizes the information in an easy-to-understand manner, including supportive sketches and photographs.
Warranty Review
Our goal in undertaking warranty reviews is to help you resolve issues with the warranty provider in an equitable manner. The escalation of a dispute is in nobody’s best interest and can result in additional costs from simply managing conflict. Warranty reviews are also one of the signals that the responsibility for the long-term in-service performance of the building is being transferred fully to you as owners. RDH is ready to help you assume and plan for this stewardship role at your building.
The visual review of the building and examination of the construction documents undertaken during a warranty review is a great starting point for us in getting to know your building and its unique character. The warranty review leads quite naturally to the development of a depreciation report/reserve study and maintenance plans.
Energy Saving Opportunities
Energy efficiency for existing buildings is becoming a priority for many municipalities and more senior levels of government. It is likely that, as buildings are renovated, there will be new requirements for looking at energy efficiency. These new requirements should not be feared, as energy efficiency should be a priority for building owners and managers.
Every renewal or renovation project can be viewed as an opportunity to cost-effectively implement energy efficiency measures that save you energy and money. At RDH, we understand this changing environment; we frequently provide assistance to jurisdictions as they update their energy requirements. We use this knowledge to help building owners, managers, and operators stay ahead of the curve by:
Benchmarking: a great starting point is learning how your building or portfolio compares to other buildings.
Looking for energy saving opportunities: energy audits help you understand the systems that consume energy within your buildings and help you identify cost-effective energy savings opportunities.
Using available incentives: government- and utility-sponsored incentives can reduce capital costs and payback periods.
Tying energy into Building Asset Management Services (BAMS): the best time to implement energy saving measures is when planning for the replacement of building assets.
Benchmarking
Benchmarking is a low-cost way to compare the energy performance of your building with a database of similar buildings. This comparison identifies underperforming buildings as well as superior performance and provides a tool for tracking and comparing energy consumption from year to year.
A recent study by ENERGY STAR indicated that on average, buildings that are benchmarked annually use 2.4% less energy than those that aren’t, just because people are more aware of energy performance.
This can add up. Over 10 years, you’re looking at almost 20% energy savings from when you started!
Concept Review
Before detailed decisions are finalized, our clients benefit from a review of the building enclosure design strategies at a conceptual level. This review provides an opportunity to reflect on the basic building science behind the selection of specific assemblies and materials. Experience shows that changes made at the conceptual stage of building envelope design have far less cost impact than those made during construction. A typical Concept Review considers the following:
- Environmental loads
- Energy performance targets and compliance options
- Life cycle expectations
- Constructability, sequencing, and complexity of detailing
- Structural support
Risk Review
Not all of RDH’s clients are able to utilize the entire design and construction process to manage risk. There are, however, strategic opportunities during the design and construction process when a focused effort to assess risk and identify mitigating actions can be beneficial to a project stakeholder. RDH has practical methodologies to aid any participant at any stage of the design and construction process. While each client’s needs are unique, the building science and practical approach offered by RDH is consistent with all of our services.
Construction Document Review
We focus on the details for our clients. There are many design team members involved in the coordination and correlation of construction drawings. We are typically tasked with reviewing the details for integration of the various building enclosure assemblies. This review also includes the identification of additional details needed to convey the design intent.
Our clients also look to RDH to review specifications to confirm they are coordinated with drawings and convey appropriate performance requirements. Our goal is construction details that work, are easy to construct, meet best practice standards, and ultimately have less opportunity for unresolved conditions on-site.
Field Review
Our field review work provides clients with assurance that construction is conforming to drawings and specifications. The success of any project is dependent on a high level of quality assurance and quality control.
Our field review personnel contribute to the project team’s quality assurance success by conducting regular and thorough reviews of the building enclosure construction. RDH field review staff are experienced personnel with a track record of successful projects and an interest in working cooperatively in a team environment.
We communicate our field review work to the project team by documenting and tracking field observations in a project-specific database. Our clients appreciate that we use digital photographs to illustrate deficiencies and recommended actions whenever possible. Project team members also utilize the database because it allows outstanding action items to be tracked and reported at any time.
Testing
In addition to regular and through field review of construction, we also regularly perform various on-site tests in our quality assurance role, including:
- Water penetration testing of glazing assemblies.
- Adhesion testing.
- Membrane thickness testing.
- Whole-building and assembly air leakage testing.
- Thermographic scanning and ultrasonic testing if required to help confirm the performance of new assemblies.
RDH can analyze and provide an evaluation into the long-term behavior of any building enclosure assembly or detail for thermal and hygrothermal performance (heat, air, and moisture control).
Utilizing state-of-the-art software (WUFI Pro 5.0, HEAT 3, THERM), thermal and hygrothermal simulations are used at various stages through the life cycle of a building for different purposes. Thermal modeling software is used to analyze one-, two-, and three-dimensional heat transfer under both steady-state and transient conditions.
The majority of RDH technical staff have formal training in building science, including several staff members who hold master’s degrees with specializations in building science. This training is imperative to understanding coupled heat and moisture transfer and in successfully utilizing and interpreting the results output from analysis software.
Because of our advanced building science understanding and depth of experience in the use of various building science software packages, we are able to provide training on those packages and on utilizing the results. Several RDH staff members regularly apply this knowledge in the instruction of students at universities and colleges on the west coast.
Hygrothermal Modeling
Hygrothermal modeling is the computer-assisted simulation of heat, air, and moisture flow through building enclosure assemblies (walls, roofs, floors, below-grade). It is the process of simulating the performance of assemblies so that the future durability and risk associated with different assembly designs, materials, and climate or exposure can be evaluated and assessed. For example, the risk for condensation within an assembly can be analyzed with different insulation or vapor retarder properties, or the influence of driving rain on cladding degradation can be predicted. The hygrothermal model results include temperature, humidity, and moisture content data at materials and at interfaces throughout the assembly. With this data, the user can assess the risk of condensation, moisture entrapment, fungal growth, and even material degradation.
Thermal Modeling
Thermal modeling is essential for establishing overall thermal performance values (R-values/U-values) and condensation potential. These tools are used to:
- Evaluate the performance of proposed roof, wall, and glazed assembly designs.
- Help design more thermally efficient and durable details.
- Provide insight on forensic analysis.
- Support energy code compliance documentation (i.e., ASHRAE 90.1) or energy credits for LEED projects.
Manage Cost
Curtain wall is often one of the largest contracts on a new construction project. At RDH, we have an intimate knowledge of the design and construction features of most curtain wall systems on the market today. We have extensive experience with both North American and overseas products and supply chains. With this knowledge we can optimize the design to provide better value and improve performance, often for little or no additional cost.
Avoid Failures
Curtain wall and façade glazing systems are among the most complicated elements of a building’s enclosure, and are one of the most common post-construction claims. Early expert involvement that continues through the design and construction phases to the performance verification stages of commissioning can avoid post-construction deficiencies. Our proactive approach and extensive experience in investigating and repairing failures help us to quickly identify high risk areas and resolve issues before they become problems.
Expert Design and System Analysis
The curtain wall industry changes rapidly. New systems are constantly being brought to market, often without adequate due diligence or performance and durability testing. New products and systems require careful evaluation prior to use in the real world. Our background in curtain wall consulting on new projects, forensic investigations, and research and development of new glazing systems gives us the experience to realistically evaluate new systems. It also gives us the experience to design and implement additional test methods when required.
Optimize Energy Performance
Improved energy performance is the new frontier for glazed building enclosures. RDH has the resources to simulate, model, and optimize fenestration systems and anchorage and interface details to achieve the energy performance requirements for the most demanding design briefs.
Design Drawings and Specifications
Extensive experience with the design and testing of curtain wall systems allows us to quickly and efficiently review drawings, specifications and submittals to manage risk, optimize the system design, and ensure that performance parameters are not compromised through poor detailing.
RDH also provides complete curtainwall design drawings and specifications for architectural teams wishing to outsource this component of the design.
Product Testing and Field Review
Independent lab testing under RDH supervision confirms the “as-built” performance of fenestration systems. Job site mock-up testing ensures that trades understand and can replicate the complex interfaces between fenestration products and the assemblies in which they are installed.
During construction our experienced field personnel confirm that installed products and their interfaces to surrounding construction perform as designed, through a combination of field review and field testing.
Performance Verification and Maintenance
At the end of the project it is essential to confirm performance and hand over the glazing systems with adequate operations and maintenance guidance. RDH undertakes the performance verification testing and provides comprehensive guidance on maintenance and renewals.
About Airtightness Testing
Measuring and identifying air leakage in buildings is something that RDH staff members have been doing since our firm was founded and before “commissioning” was an industry term of art. Our staff members are some of the most experienced and knowledgeable in the industry as it relates to air barrier design and testing, including performing dozens of whole-building air leakage tests.
We are active on the Air Barrier Association of America committee on air leakage testing, and our staff provided input on the Army Corps of Engineers Whole-Building Air Leakage Testing Protocol. We are often consulted by code officials and those who write air leakage testing standards for input. We were part of the team that developed the pressure-neutralized approach for incrementally testing portions of buildings. RDH is more than just another testing agency–our staff members have performed cutting-edge research on air leakage and understand how buildings and the air barrier are put together. This is what sets us apart.
We specialize in:
- Whole-Building Air Leakage Testing
- Smoke Testing
- Thermography
Early-Stage Modeling
Our early-stage energy analysis occurs at the pre-schematic stage of design where we talk to you about:
- The overall enclosure R-value.
- Building massing and orientation.
- Basic assembly and fenestration arrangements and details.
Our services for this optimization role can be handled as a small consulting package independent of any possible role as an energy modeler or building enclosure consultant at the schematic design (SD), design development (DD), construction documents (CD), and construction stages.
Whole-Building Energy Modeling
Whole-building energy modeling during DD, CD, and construction is a natural transition from the early-stage analysis we can provide for your project. This continues to optimize the building enclosure for energy performance while considering other building performance parameters such as the mechanical and electrical systems.
Building Energy Code Compliance
As local jursidictions and municipalities increase their energy efficiency requirements, we can help provide an understanding of how to get projects to be code compliant, particularly with respect to the building enclosure.
This can include:
- ASHRAE 90.1 compliance to BCBC, City of Vancouver, or other code requirements.
- Thermal analysis, including R-value calculations for all building details.
- Assistance completing submission documentation where required by jurisdictions.
Warranty Claims Support
Latent defect, labour and material, water ingress, and structural defect are some of the construction warranties available in the industry. All warranties result in claims. The initial identification of potential claims, documentation of existing and deteriorated performance, field testing, second opinion review, causation reporting, mediation, litigation support, and construction management or claim resolution measures, represent the range of services that RDH offers as part of the firm’s comprehensive warranty claim support services.
It doesn’t matter if RDH has been retained by an owner, developer, supplier or a representative of the insurance industry: our goal is to define the problem and provide reasonable, cost-effective, and timely solutions.
Property Insurance Claims Support
Almost every significant property is protected by a comprehensive insurance policy. The building enclosure comprises well over half the replacement value of most structures, and contents rely on the building enclosure for protection against the elements. It is easy to see why enclosure consultants are of value to a property claims adjuster.
Insured perils and exclusions may seem straightforward at first, but often expert and technical review is needed to address specific issues critical to the final determination of coverage. Even after coverage is established, RDH can address extent of damage and the methods and limits of repair or assist in subrogation and cost recovery efforts.
Working closely with claims adjusters and specialist restoration contractors RDH has supported the resolution of property claims ranging from small residential matters to multimillion dollar loses.
Surety Claims Support
When contractors face solvency problems, performance bonds are often the first course of action to achieve project completion. Even when projects are completed, there can be problems whose various parties will look to performance bonds as a means of resolution.
Claims adjusters and loss control specialists rely on RDH’s project and construction management expertise as well as our technical knowledge to address a wide range of surety claims.
RDH has the ability to step into the existing construction and project management contracts to assess completion costs and complete projects. We also offer the technical expertise to resolve claims related to faulty materials, improper installations, faulty construction, or design defects.
Product R&D
We have the depth of expertise to address all aspects of the building enclosure in detail. This means understanding of the behaviour of assemblies, components, and materials as well as the construction and design issues that will impact performance. We are known for our practical construction advice, advanced building science knowledge, and specialized analysis capabilities for building materials and assemblies.
We have in-house laboratory testing facilities, a climate chamber, various building monitoring sites, and a full-scale test wall facility. Recent uses for the test wall facility include testing of window installation procedures, ICF wall systems and details, and various log wall assemblies and details.
Building Monitoring + Diagnostic Testing
Building performance monitoring consists of installing sensors and equipment to measure various indicators such as temperature, relative humidity, air quality levels, moisture levels, pressure differences, energy consumption, air flows, etc., over a period of time. These measured performance indicators allow us to better understand and solve problems within buildings, research new building products, and help make buildings perform better. We often use monitoring to diagnose problems such as intermittent leaks, condensation, moisture damage, structural movement, air quality problems, energy use, etc., and to confirm acceptable long-term performance of new building enclosure assemblies and details.
In conjunction with building monitoring, we regularly perform testing of buildings to measure:
- Airtightness and air leakage using specialized fan-door equipment, theatrical smoke, and infrared imaging.
- Water penetration using calibrated spray racks and apparatuses.
- Indoor environmental conditions using various sensors.
Although testing agencies can conduct testing, we find that our knowledge of the building enclosure systems and details allows us to better use the testing to determine the source of failures and provide quick feedback and resolution to effectively address any problems. In addition, as trial repairs are undertaken, the availability of our own test apparatuses allows us to quickly verify the effectiveness of the repairs.
Forensic Investigation
Whether the failure is condensation in walls or on windows, premature fogging of insulating glass units, the leakage of window or curtain wall assemblies, or the failure of an assembly as a roofing membrane or cladding material, RDH has the experience and knowledge to find the root of the problem. We use a variety of investigative techniques.
Our ability to communicate complex technical issues is one of our greatest strengths. This ability to communicate stems from a comprehensive understanding of the technical issues – real world design and construction experience, building science expertise, and a scientific approach to our forensic work. We understand issues at a distinctly advanced level – a result of our specialized building science training and degrees held by many of our staff – and this allows us to be creative with solutions.
Figuring out the problem is certainly important, but it’s only the first step. Our ability to articulate a fundamental understanding of what went wrong and what to do about it through clear reports, excellent support graphics, and presentations is the key to helping you understand the issues and what should be done to address performance problems – this is what sets us apart.
Market
Market profile
Alliances:
- Sales/Marketing
Industry sector market interests:
- Construction
- Environment
- Manufacturing
- Service Industry
Geographic markets:
Export experience:
- New Zealand
- United States
- Washington


Tim O’Reilly tweeting:
Seems to me that Kickstarter is the most important tech company since Facebook. Maybe more important in the long run.
I’d say Kickstarter, a service which completely turns the table on product development, artistic endeavours, innovation and brings new meaning to the whole concept of supply and demand, is definitely more important than Facebook, a service which facilitates friends chatting and sharing photos.
What is important about Facebook? What’s it brought us that didn’t exist before or wouldn’t have existed otherwise? Nothing but Zynga that I can think of.


| Jump to DART Documentation Main Index |
Provides a subroutine to calculate the dew point temperature from model
temperature, specific humidity, and pressure.
Revision 2801 implements a more robust method
(based on Bolton's Approximation) for calculating dew point.
This has been further revised to avoid a numerical instability that could lead
to failed forward operators for dewpoints almost exactly 0 C.
types_mod utilities_mod location_mod (most likely threed_sphere) assim_model_mod obs_kind_mod
| use obs_def_dew_point_mod, only : | get_expected_dew_point |
A note about documentation style. Optional arguments are enclosed in brackets [like this].
real(r8), intent(in) :: state_vector type(location_type), intent(in) :: location integer, intent(in) :: key real(r8), intent(out) :: td integer, intent(out) :: istatus
Calculates the dew point temperature (Kelvin).
| state_vector | A one dimensional representation of the model state vector |
| location | Location for this obs |
| key | Controls whether upper levels (key = 1) or 2-meter (key = 2) is required. |
| td | The returned dew point temperature value |
| istatus | Returned integer describing problems with applying forward operator |
| Routine | Message | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| get_expected_dew_point | 'key has to be 1 (upper levels) or 2 (2-meter), got ',key | The input value of key is not allowed. |
none at this time
none at this time
DART software - Copyright UCAR. This open source software is provided by UCAR, "as is", without charge, subject to all terms of use at http://www.image.ucar.edu/DAReS/DART/DART_download


SEED (Sharing and Enabling Environmental Data) is a plaform built for storing, sharing and visualising environmental information. It empowers the community to search for and analyse large amounts of data when making critical decisions about the environment.
People were asked to provide feedback on the prototype and draw out what was expected from the map search interface. Having a mid fidelity wireframe helped gathered everyone's thoughts more clearly helped us better align expectations.
Trying out different ways give users more flexibility to search and filter.
Breaking down different states of interaction.
Pitching the team some ideas how we could make search much easier with preview option.
Most people would have familar with the concept of searching for a nearby location. (eg. Using Google Maps to search for nearby amenities, points of interest, or using Uber to find the nearest ride etc.) This also means, finding nearest x,y coordinates in relation to the user’s x,y coordnate.
When it comes to more complex geospatial features, finding the nearest patch of land may not be as simple finding x,y coordinates only. There are several considerations such as the centroid and geometry of the layer or layer itersection rules that may skew query results.
There are various out of the box solutions that enable spatial search by map extent (left figure) and in principle, fulfills the criteria of spatial search in the brief. However, this requires the spatial layers to be visible on the map. With more than 200 geospatial layers in our repository, this feature becomes very cumbersome to use, let alone helping people make sense of the data they are seeing. It impacts overall usability due to:
1. Visual information overload
2. Incomplete representation of spatial information (documents such as legislative information are not physically present on the map but still pertinent to the search critieria)
3. Poor loading performance on the browser
While spatial information are highly visual, but in reality we know search can be fast and optimal if it does not need require data to be rendered graphically. Here’s an example solution to match spatial extent to spatial layers without having to render them extensively on the browser.
1. Divide New South Wales into 200+ base sections based on Local Government Area (LGA). Other options: this can be done using uniform grids or finer grain boundaries such as SA2 or Suburbs.
2. Iterate through all layers in the database. For each LGA that the layer intersects with, assign that intersecting LGA as an attribute. Return json that shows each spatial layer and their corresponding LGA attributes.
3. When user performs a search by spatial extent, the system only needs to know which LGA intersects with the search extent. Return a list of those LGAs.
4. Using the returned list in step 3, iterate through the json in step 2 and find spatial layers that have matching LGAs with that list.
5. The results can be rendered as a text list on the interface without having to render the spatial results all at once.
The returned list could still be extensive. Here, we introduced a preview functionality to help users visually confirm the results before proceeding to load the spatial layer. This reduces the amount of time they have to wait while the browser is rendering layer. This also allows user to quickly interrogate the results and correct their inputs iteratively. This improves discoverabiltiy and has significantly higher impact on data education and enablement.


Ratios are amazing and used a lot in engineering, especially conversions. They are basically fractions, but they are a little different, because they describe a relationship between the numerator (top ) and the denominator (bottom ) such as π /180
Let's say you are woodworking with a partner. You are from the U.S and he European. Thus you both have two different measuring sticks;Your's is in feet. His is in meters. You will both need to know how to convert between the two measurements. How is this done?
Step 1. Realize that you will have to convert feet to yards and then yards to meters. Sounds hard but it's very simple. There are 3feet in 1yard and 1 yard in 0.9144meters
When making the fraction put what you want to get rid of in the bottom
EXAMPLE:
3yard/1foot
The foot is in the bottom so we can cancel out the ft units
36ft * 3yard/1foot = 108yards
108yards* 0.9144meters/1yard = 118.10988yards
Mathematics and the trig functions such as sin( ) and cos() take in an angle that is in radians not degrees, but with a simple conversions you can still use degrees.
CONVERT to degrees to Radians:
36° * πradians/180° = 0.62831853071radians
The degrees cancel out and we are left with only radian units
it is two ratios equal to each other such as 1 tent / 5people = x tent / 20people You want to solve for x or in other words how many tents would you need for 20 people. Simple as that.
Imagine you are camping. You realize you need 1 tent for every 5 people (1/5 ).  However, on your next trip you will have 20 people ( x / 5 )!
You cross multiply then solve for x.
Write them as fractions
1/5 = x / 20Cross Multiply
1* 20 = 20
5*x = 5x
5x = 20
Isolate x
divide 5 by x and divide 20 by 5
x = 4. We need 4 tents
Tent Original
Tents Needed
x
Person Original
Persons Coming


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If you've read a bit about unit testing, test-driven development, or other kinds of developer testing, you've probably come across a phrase like this:
Test behaviour, not implementation.It's often taken to mean something like behaviour-driven development (BDD), and that's certainly one interpretation. I've no problem with that. My own Pluralsight course Outside-In Test-Driven Development shows a similar technique.
It'd be a logical fallacy, however, to thereby conclude that you can only apply that ideal in the large, but not in the small. That it's only possible to do it with coarse-grained tests at the boundary of the system, but not with unit testing.
It may be harder to do at the unit level, since when writing unit tests, you're closer to the implementation, so to speak. Writing the test before the implementation may, however, help
The code shown here is part of the sample code base that accompanies my book Code That Fits in Your Head.
Here's a test (using xUnit.net 2.4.1) I wrote before the implementation:
[Theory] [InlineData("Home")] [InlineData("Calendar")] [InlineData("Reservations")] public void WithControllerHandlesSuffix(string name) { var sut = new UrlBuilder(); var actual = sut.WithController(name + "Controller"); var expected = sut.WithController(name); Assert.Equal(expected, actual); }
It tests an ASP.NET Core URL Builder; particular how it deals with the Controller
suffix issue I ran into last year.
Do you notice something odd about this test?
It describes an equality relation between two individual projections of an initial UrlBuilder
object (sut).
First of all, with a Mutable Fluent Builder the test would produce a false negative because aliasing would make the assertion a tautological assertion. Using an Immutable Fluent Builder, however, elegantly dodges that bullet: expected
and actual
are two separate objects.
Yet, it's possible to compare them. How?
I think that most people would have written the above test like this:
[Theory] [InlineData("Home")] [InlineData("Calendar")] [InlineData("Reservations")] public void WithControllerHandlesSuffix(string name) { var sut = new UrlBuilder(); var actual = sut.WithController(name + "Controller"); var expected = sut.WithController(name); Assert.Equal(expected.Controller, actual.Controller); }
Instead of comparing two whole objects, this variation compares the Controller
property values from two objects. In order for this to compile, you have to expose an implementation detail: that the class has a class field (here exposed as an automatic property) that keeps track of the Controller name.
I think that most object-oriented programmers' default habit is to write assertions that compare properties or class fields because in both C# and Java, objects by default only have reference equality. This leads to primitive obsession, this time in the context of test assertions.
Structural equality, on the other hand, makes it much easier to write concise and meaningful assertions. Just compare expected
with actual
.
The UrlBuilder
class has structural equality by overriding Equals
and GetHashCode
:
public override bool Equals(object? obj) { return obj is UrlBuilder builder && action == builder.action && controller == builder.controller && EqualityComparer<object?>.Default.Equals(values, builder.values); } public override int GetHashCode() { return HashCode.Combine(action, controller, values); }
That's why the above Assert.Equal
statement works.
You may think that it's an odd choice to give a Fluent Builder structural equality, but why not? Since it's immutable, it's perfectly safe, and it makes things like testing much easier.
I rarely see people do this. Even programmers experienced with functional programming often seem to categorise structural equality as something associated exclusively with algebraic data types (ADTs). The UrlBuilder
class, on the other hand, doesn't look like an ADT. After all, its public API exposes only behaviour, but no data:
public sealed class UrlBuilder { public UrlBuilder() public UrlBuilder WithAction(string newAction) public UrlBuilder WithController(string newController) public UrlBuilder WithValues(object newValues) public Uri BuildAbsolute(IUrlHelper url) public override bool Equals(object? obj) public override int GetHashCode() }
On the other hand, my threshold for when I give an immutable class structural equality is monotonically decreasing. Structural equality just makes things easier. The above test is just one example. Structural equality enables you to test behaviour instead of implementation details. In this example, the behaviour can be expressed as an equality relation between two different inputs.
While it may seem odd or surprising to give a Fluent Builder structural equality, it's really isomorphic to a simple record type equipped with a few endomorphisms. (After all, we already know that the Builder pattern is isomorphic to the endomorphism monoid.) Let's make this explicit with F#.
Start by declaring a record type with a private
definition:
type UrlBuilder = private { Action : string option; Controller : string option; Values : obj option }
While its definition is private
, it's still an algebraic data type. Records in F# automatically have structural equality, and so does this one.
Since it's private
, client code can't use the normal language constructs to create instances. Instead, the module that defines the type must supply an API that client code can use:
let emptyUrlBuilder = { Action = None; Controller = None; Values = None } let withAction action ub = { ub with Action = Some action } let withController (controller : string) ub = let index = controller.LastIndexOf ("controller", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) let newController = if 0 <= index then controller.Remove(index) else controller { ub with Controller = Some newController } let withValues values ub = { ub with Values = Some values }
Without further ceremony you can port the initial test to F# as well:
[<Theory>] [<InlineData("Home")>] [<InlineData("Calendar")>] [<InlineData("Reservations")>] let ``withController handles suffix`` name = let sut = emptyUrlBuilder let actual = sut |> withController (name + "Controller") let expected = sut |> withController name expected =! actual
In addition to xUnit.net this test also uses Unquote 6.0.0.
Even though UrlBuilder
has no externally visible data, it automatically has structural equality. Functional programming is, indeed, more test-friendly than object-oriented programming.
This F# implementation is equivalent to the C# UrlBuilder class.
You can safely give immutable objects structural equality. Besides other advantages, it makes it easier to write tests. With structural equality, you can express a relationship between the expected and actual outcome using high-level language.
These days, I don't really care if the type in question is a 'proper' algebraic data type. If it's immutable, I don't have to think much about it before giving it structural equality.
Comments
That is mostly true but not compeltely so. Consider the type
type MyRecord = { MyField: int -> bool }
If you try to compare two instances with F#'s
=
operator, then you will get this compilier error.Adding the
StructuralEquality
attribute results in this compiler error.I learned all this the hard way. I had added some F# functions to some of my models in my MVU architecture. Later when I tried to test my root model for structual equality, I ran into this issue. Taking the suggestion in the compiler error, I fixed the problem by adding the
StructuralEquality
attribute (as well as theNoComparison
attribute) to my root model and refactored the code to fix the resulting compiler errors.During this time, I also realized that F#'s structual equality delegates to
object.Equals(object)
for types that extendobject
, which of course defaults to reference equality. For example, the following code compiles.[<StructuralEquality>] [<NoComparison>] type MyRecord = { MyField: IDisposable }
Tyson, thank you for writing. Yes, you're right. Language is imprecise. F# records automatically have structural equality, when possible.


Events expected:
Is a mesh with such id in the collection?
(any)
boolean
:
true if present in collection, false if not
Show the mesh that has such id
(any)
Hide the mesh that has such id
(any)
TODO NOT WORKING FOR NOW
(any)
Add a pin to the collection. This pin can have an image or be a circle, or a star
(Object)
3D coordinates such as {x: Number, y: Number, z: Number}
(Object
= {}
)
the option object
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
options.id string
|
the unique ID of this pin within the collection. (default: auto generated) |
options.makeVisible boolean
|
whether to make this pin visible or not by default (default: true) |
options.color String
|
hex string color of the pin (default: '#ffffff') |
options.size Number
|
size (diameter of a circle) of the pin (default: 1000) |
options.textureUrl string
|
URL of an image (png or jpg) to load on the pin (default: null) |
options.shape String
|
shape of the pin. Can be 'circle' or 'star'. Not compatible with options.textureUrl (default: circle) |
options.sides Number
|
only with options.shape is 'star'. Number of branches in the star (default: 16) |
options.spikiness Number
|
only with options.shape to 'star'. In range [0, 1] , very spiky when 0, very not spiky when 1. (default: 0.3) |
options.onDoubleClick Function
|
Callback function called when the pin is double-clicked. Will be called with the args: (pinID: String, pinPosition: {x: Number, y: Number, z: Number}, dblclickMouseEvent: Object) |
options.onMouseMove Function
|
Callback function called when the pin is hovered. Will be called with the args: (pinID: String, pinPosition: {x: Number, y: Number, z: Number}, dblclickMouseEvent: Object) |
options.onLeave Function
|
Callback function called when the pointer leaves the pin. Will be called with the args: (pinID: String, dblclickMouseEvent: Object) |
Add a callback to a specific pin


Anti-money laundering: SEB says most suspicious clients from Estonia operations
by BNNSwedish investigative journalists, who are looking into suspicions of money laundering, have submitted to the pan-Baltic banking group SEB a list with 194 people, the company has announced.
Swedish parent company SEB wrote in a press release on Tuesday, November 19, that it has received a list of 194 corporate names from Sveriges Television’s program Uppdrag granskning.
A majority of the names on the list are historical customer relations from Estonia. In 2006, SEB Estonia received criticism and recommendations from the Estonian financial supervisory authority for its handling of non-resident customers, SEB wrote. At the same time, SEB received information from an external whistle-blower. Both of these events resulted in that SEB Estonia strengthened its routines, reported a number of clients to the finance police and terminated several customer relations, the company explained.
Read also: SEB share price heavily affected by suspected money laundering in Baltics
The banking parent company commented that «the names on the list from Sveriges Television have previously been handled and approximately 95 percent of the customer relations are terminated».


| 1 | Download your favorite ethereum based wallet |
|---|---|
| 2 | Store your wallet's private keys for security in a asafe place |
| 3 | Calculate the amount of ethereum based on the amount of willcoin you would like using the calculator above |
| 4 | The ICO smart contract will automatically send Willcoins to your address |


Eggs, the quintessential part to any breakfast. Servable in numberous ways eggs are truly a versatile component to this important meal. Eggs can be fried right out of the shell, both sunny-side up and overeasy, scrambled and served in a pile or in a delicious omelette. They can be boiled, hard or soff, or served poached. The balance of tastes between the yolk and the white of the egg make it a truly tasty treat. Eggs, also do not take much time to cook. In a heated pan eggs take less than 5 minutes to cook fully. Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg
Theres also different sizes and varieties of eggs for even more variety. Smaller eggs, larger eggs, or eggs sometimes with double yolks! This is truly a world of wonderment in this yolky wonderland. However, the true strength of eggs comes with how their flavors combine with the other parts of breakfast. When an egg is fried and has a runny yolk, this can easily mix with the toast and hashbrowns served with the rest of the breakfast


1. Click on "New Entry" on the home page
2. Select the feeling you would like to tag your entry
3. Select the topic tag that you are thinking
4. The timer will start once you enter text in the text box
5. You can pause the timer with the 'play' and 'pause buttons'
~ Your entry can be saved manually at any time, and a alert will notify you if you are navigating away without saving.
~ Navigating away from the entry page while the timer pager will pause the timer.
1. Click on "" on the home page
2. Select the view
3. IDK this is filler until I can see the rest of the website
1. Click on "" on the home page
2. Select the view
3. Select the post you would like to edit
4. IDK this is filler until I can see the rest of the website
1. Click on "" on the home page
2. Select the view
3. Select the post you would like to delete
4. IDK this is filler until I can see the rest of the website, hopefully we will have a delete icon.


Energetic university student with upcoming Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Detail-oriented and motivated to stay on task, meet aggressive timelines and accomplish goals. Strong analytical and organizational skills within the Computer Science industry.
Maintained and troubleshot multiple computers and tablets. Provided techincal assistance for the staff, and implemented techincal tutorials for the staff.
GPA: 3.20/4.0


About Me
Hi, I am Harrison Howard (aka
Forbidden Duck
or
Duck
).
As of June 2021, I am 19 years old.
I have been coding since I was 13 years old.
The first language I learnt was C# and I made Pong with Unity.
After that I found a new love for coding as I could create anything I wanted.
I spent 2 years learning and creating with Unity until I discovered Discord.
In 2017 I discovered that I could create Discord Bots using JavaScript.
JavaScript is my favourite language to date. My first and only Discord Bot
is Forbidden. Originally it was a multi-purpose bot which means it could
do close to anything. In 2020 I decided to switch Forbidden to a more
focused theme Statistics and it was named Forbidden Statistics.
The bot was later shutdown in Feburary 2021 so I could work on other projects.
I learnt so much from creating a Discord Bot and I went off creating
side-projects with JavaScript. I wanted to expand my knowledge of
JavaScript so I checked out Codecademy. Codecademy showed me sides of
JavaScript I had not previously known about and it opened my eyes to new
possibilities. This is when I was introduced to ReactJS and AngularJS.
I have learnt a lot of the years and now I am looking for entry level jobs
for Full-stack Website Development that involve JavaScript development with
ReactJS or AngularJS (not limited to, I am interested in learning new
technologies should they arise).
Forbidden Statistics
Forbidden is a General Statistics Discord Bot.
It provides statistics on Discord and games.
Some of the games included are League of Legends,
Overwatch, Call of Duty and Counter Strike: Global
Offensive (CSGO).
Forbidden was shutdown in Feburary 2021. This decision
was because I wanted to move onto other projects to
expand my knowledge
Open-sourced code
Fitbit Projects
In December of 2020 I was gifted a Fitbit Versa 2.
I then went on to learn how the Fitbit SDK worked
and proceeded to apply my knowledge on creating
clockfaces and apps.
A collection of my creations can be found below.
Every free clockface/app can be found on my Github.
Fitbit Developer
My Github
Side Projects
My Github is populated with plenty of repositories. It doesn't
just include my personal/side projects you will find my
Diploma of Software Development and Codecademy projects too.
More notable repositories are
eris.js-commando
&
forbidden-node-logger
My Github


Welcome to Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform!
This is a simple example of a WebSocket implementation.
Connect or disconnect using websocket :
Type your name below, then click the `Say Hello` button :
Current WebSocket Connection Status:
Closed


Status statistics
Transactions
+1.37%
1352
Sales
563
Orders
720
Revenue
5900
Sales Analytics
27632
78%
CPU
55%
Memory
123,65
Income statistics
Monthly Increase
67842
Overall sales
Gross Sales
492
0.5%
Purchases
87k
0.8%
Tax Return
882
-04%
overview
Phoebe Kennedy
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>Birth date
Birth city
16 Sep 2019
Netherlands
Sales statistics
Total Expenses
8742
Total Budget
47,840
Total Balance
$7,243
| ID | Project name | Customer | Deadline | Payouts | Traffic | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #D1 | Consectetur adipisicing elit | Beulah Cummings | 03 Jan 2019 | $ 5235 | 1.3K |
|
| #D2 | Correlation natural resources silo | Mitchel Dunford | 09 Oct 2019 | $ 3233 | 5.4K |
|
| #D3 | social capital compassion social | Pei Canaday | 18 Jun 2019 | $ 4311 | 2.1K |
|
| #D4 | empower communities thought | Gaynell Sharpton | 23 Mar 2019 | $ 7743 | 2.7K |
|
| #D5 | Targeted effective; mobilize | Audrie Midyett | 22 Aug 2019 | $ 2455 | 1.2K |
|


## Architecture Vision
### and Development Practices
#### (take 4)
### Bakers Team Goals
- Support reliability in Our Daily Bread's software infrastructure
- Equip developers with tools and systems to achieve their teams' goals
- Train teams to take ownership of their own application architecture
- Build automated processes wherever possible to free up more time for development
## Non Functional Requirements (NFRs)
### NFRs
We have updated the NFRs to be more generic, i.e., not specific to a certain platform.
This will help us keep the NFRs the same no matter where our technology goes.
NFRs are in [Confluence](https://ourdailybread.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/OPHP/pages/71893012/Non-Functional+Requirements)
### NFRs in Practice
NFRs are not necessarily acceptance criteria, because they are used to describe non-functional attributes of all our systems.
However, if it is useful to ensure we are accomplishing NFRs, any NFR may be added to either acceptance criteria of a user story, or as part of the team's Definition of Done.
### Back To Testing
- We have done a great job of starting to implement automated testing in our processes
- Now we are going to start tracking metrics on testing.
- The Bakers team will be evaluating code coverage tools for each of our platforms.
### Back To Testing
- We would also like to begin doing UI tests on mobile apps
- The manual QA before an app release is an arduous process
- The technology used for this is yet to be determined.
### Security
- Security is important for any organization
- We need to ensure that we are protecting the ministry, as well as customer data
- While we do our best to implement best security practices, we can always do better
- One of the Bakers team objectives will be to get training in security, and implement any need changes.
### Architectural Goals Summary
- NFRs will be less platform-specific
- We will begin tracking code coverage on our applications
- We will receive training and implement best security standards
*If there are any specific ways that we can help achieve these, please send us a message, or create a ticket in our backlog.*


If you are the owner of this web site you have not uploaded (or incorrectly uploaded) your web site. For information on uploading your web site using FTP client software or web design software,
click here for FTP Upload Information
.


AGYADTECH is about striving to achieve a reputation as leaders in our area of expertise complementing the company ethos of Leaders in People Comfort. Put simply, we wish to be known as a group of people that are persistent and determined to be reliable and do good work .


Four Stages of Development
I ask questions!

Viable Solutions
Bringing
Valuable Assets For Your Brand
Awareness of your
Business Values
Using The Right Tools to Improve
Your Online Presence!