Project Management

Technology Consultant Versus MEPT: Which is the Better Value?

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Many sizable MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) firms offer technology consulting as part of an “MEPT” (MEP+Technology) practice. Within a combined scope of services from an MEPT firm, the cost for technology consulting appears lower than from a technology consultant like TEECOM. MEPTs will often claim a client is getting the same service at a lower price … Read more

Best Practices for Value Engineering AV

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There comes a time in almost every architectural project when budgets have to be re-evaluated. The process of budget alignment, known as value engineering, tends to hit “optional” items first, a category that frequently includes audiovisual (AV) technology. So how can an architect or owner make smart decisions about how to reduce the cost of AV … Read more

Door Hardware: Solving the Architect’s Biggest Headache

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When it comes to building design, doors are among the most problematic coordination items. I think most architects would agree with that statement. But to the uninitiated, it can sound ridiculous. They’re just doors, right? In fact, in modern buildings, a door can be a technology platform, and a sort of architectural project in miniature, involving … Read more

Should Technology Infrastructure Be Part of Your Base Building Design?

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When commercial building developers assemble a core and shell design team, it typically includes the consultants they feel are necessary to complete the base building design. What makes up the base building scope? Usually, it’s defined as the site infrastructure (roads, paths, pavement, drainage, landscape), building foundation and structure, building envelope, finished circulation and common areas … Read more

When to Engage a Technology Consultant on a Project

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Designing a building, either from the ground up or as a major renovation project, is an ambitious and complex undertaking. Technology infrastructure (also known as “low-voltage”) is just one element of these complex projects, but it’s an element that’s not often on the owner’s or design team’s mind at the forefront.

That needs to change. Network performance affects every aspect of business today, and telecommunications cabling and network systems must increasingly be considered part of the base building design scope to ensure the system works on day one and can grow and evolve over the life of the building.

In this piece, we talk with TEECOM Principal, Executive Vice President Larry Anderson about when to engage a technology consultant, including the pitfalls of waiting too long and how bringing on a consultant at the right phase can actually save the project money.

6 Tips for Better Communication between Architects and Engineers

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Architects and engineers are highly trained individuals who work in specialized fields. This allows them to do their work well, but it also means that to anyone not trained in their field, they sometimes seem to be speaking gibberish. No one likes gibberish. So when Eric Ibsen, Chief Design Officer, and Amie Zemlicka, Project Lead, both … Read more

A Tech Infrastructure Tour of San Francisco’s Salesforce Tower

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As we all know, there’s an engineering talent shortage right now. In reaction to this, TEECOM has been raising awareness about low-voltage engineering as a career path through outreach to college students and our summer internship program, TEECOMuniversity. Recently, one of our former interns from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, introduced us to the Cal … Read more

A Better AV Punch List: Collaborative Acceptance Testing

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Acceptance testing is a critical part of every audiovisual project. During audiovisual acceptance testing, the AV consultant examines and tests a project’s nearly completed audiovisual systems to ensure that they perform as intended and are installed professionally. Systems that work well but have visible flaws aren’t accepted, and neither are systems that have operational problems, even if they look good.

TEECOM Research Saves Hospital Client $184,800 in Hardware Costs

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Sometimes the most challenging aspect of technology design can be getting devices to play together nicely. Case in point: patients checking in to a recently built healthcare facility are provided with an iPad for the duration of their hospital stay. This iPad is pre-loaded with a customized patient schedule, prescribed educational materials (i.e. a smoking cessation … Read more

How a Unified Communications Solution Saved One Hospital $2 Million

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Stanford Health Care has always incorporated the latest technologies into their healthcare facilities and practices. For the new Stanford Adult Hospital, an IP speaker system was proposed as the next cutting-edge unified communications solution for public address systems. Stanford Health Care engaged TEECOM to review the design for constructibility and cost, and we determined that this IP-based … Read more