3QC Enlightened Buildings

Our Services Overview

Bringing a building project from conception to completion is a complex and complicated process requiring a team effort focused on quality and collaboration. 3QC is a team of design and construction technical experts who understand that challenges are best resolved by the entire team through a collaborative and thoughtful approach. Our services focus on our client’s requirements through quality processes that support the entire project team. We take a solutions based approach to our projects and identify the client’s requirements early so that we can help the whole team along the quality process. We know that the success of any project is based on the entire team’s ability to work together to meet the client’s goals. No matter which quality service we are providing to your project you can be confident that we will strive to make the entire team successful.

Sustainability

Sustainability or Green Building can be considered the moral conscience of architecture. Good design not only consists of what is included in a project, but also what is not. Our specialty is navigating our clients, designers and building teams through the green building process with a seamless and integrated methodology that is both efficient and collaborative. We are sustainability specialists with a practitioner’s knowledge of how the design and construction process affects the environments we live and move about in — from indoor air quality to our neighborhoods and to the earth itself. As green “navigators” we represent our client’s interests and environmental vision without bias since we neither design the facility nor profit from the construction contract. Our approach to every Green Building project is organized, efficient, and goal oriented. We are members of the USGBC^® and are familiar with the certification process for both new construction and existing buildings.

Commissioning

Commissioning is a quality assurance process intended to ensure that the owner receives a completed project that functions according to the expected intent. Today’s high performance building standards require expert planning and coordination to achieve this success. Indoor air quality, energy efficiency, system functional integrity and sustainability goals require a systematic implementation process. Our Commissioning process is an organized, systematic approach that delivers continuous improvement throughout the life of the project and ensures that the owner receives a completed project that functions according to the original intent. Although our process is based upon the industry standard developed by ASHRAE, we use our tremendous experience and technical expertise to meet the project specific quality requirements. Whether it’s new building commissioning, existing building re-commissioning or the retro-commissioning of old building systems, we know how to tune the building systems for optimum performance.

Energy conservation is driving exciting changes to the “typical” MEP systems now in construction. We’re experts with commissioning these new systems for optimum performance including under-floor air distribution systems, geothermal wells, solar, chilled beams and natural ventilation.

Energy Audits & Monitoring

3QC is a company of building experts. We understand how buildings are designed, constructed and operated. This knowledge gives us a great advantage in understanding a building’s energy usage and how to implement energy conservation measures that work for the operations staff and occupants. Studies by the USGBC^® indicate that existing buildings use a majority of the energy produced in the United States. The older the facility, the more energy we can save our clients. Using a simple energy auditing process and the implementation of low cost energy conservation measures we can typically save our clients 15% – 20% off their energy bills.

Additionally we help our clients measure and monitor their utility usage to ensure that they continue to meet their energy goals. We understand how to keep the energy bill down and identify when major building equipment fail to operate correctly.

Design-Build Criteria

For more than 20 years our Principals have focused on project delivery as a quality control process, rather than a means to an end. Our experience comes from managing multiple projects utilizing alternative delivery methods, such as Design-Build, CM-at-Risk, CM-Multi Prime and LEAN construction to name a just a few. Of course no delivery method by itself will guarantee a perfect project: it’s the implementation that provides the elements for success. Our Principals have a successful track record providing expert analysis and project delivery support to public and private clients across the United States. We have specific expertise in developing Design-Build project criteria and the requirements that represent our client’s intent. Our technical construction experience, along with our ability to implement effective quality control measures, empowers the project team to deliver the client’s expected results.

Labor Compliance Auditing

3QC understands the labor code and its various nuances at both the state and federal level. Labor laws and code requirements, funding issues, and the nature of the contracting community all combine to make experience in construction critical to managing a successful Labor Compliance Program. Additionally, you need a consultant with experience communicating and working with the state and public agencies.

Through our experience, 3QC’s process has been tested, proven and is exemplified by our ability to successfully implement and monitor labor compliance program services for large building programs. Our experience includes programs that encompass multiple funding sources, multiple project sites, numerous individual projects, simultaneous construction schedules and large numbers of contractors working at these project sites. We recognize that your goal is ultimately a quality goal— to complete your building program on schedule and within budget. Our process supports your contractors and your subcontractors, minimizing their efforts in the area of labor compliance so they can do what they do best…build your project.

Litigation Support

3QC has a team of industry experts to assist you with identification of construction process failures and the causation of major construction deficiencies. We understand how buildings are designed, constructed and operated and we know how to effectively communicate the construction quality process success or failure. We can provide recommendations for repair and remediation, manage the repair process in a timely and cost effective manner and finally, if necessary, even assist in the damage recovery process. Our team has extensive experience in construction management, inspection, forensic analysis and expert testimony. Our approach generally includes testing and evaluation, repair recommendations and construction estimates, repair oversight and inspection, and claim support.

Forensic/Defect Analysis

When providing forensic analysis or construction defect analysis, our objective is to discover the extent of the problem, document the damage, identify the system failure and then develop a cost effective repair. 3QC provides a systematic quality approach to analyze the failed structure or system. Initially we gather and review the relevant data and documentation available for the project and system in question. We investigate and test the system to determine the origin and the extent of the problem, thoroughly documenting the issue with test results, pictures and narratives. We analyze this documentation to assist with the preparation of repair project quality requirements. During the Bidding Support Phase we ensure that bid packages are complete and thorough, and contractors understand the scope of work required. Finally, in the Construction Support Phase, we ensure that the work is performed in conformance to the contract documents and quality requirements.

Thermography

Thermographic study is a process that supports the inspection and commissioning of both new and existing facilities as well as post construction forensic analysis of building defects. Using a Flir Systems infrared camera, 3QC’s certified technical staff perform non-destructive testing of major building systems to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of those systems. Building structures and building envelopes can be evaluated to avoid heat sinks and maintain energy efficiency. Mechanical and electrical equipment can be tested without major system disruption to enhance maintenance and catastrophic failure prevention. Thermographic applications not only include building envelope testing during the construction phase and HVAC systems testing during the project commissioning phase, but also include moisture penetration and heat loss detection in existing buildings. Additionally, thermography works well for numerous building diagnostics including predictive maintenance of equipment, roofing moisture penetration, electrical system deficiency detection and building insulation failure.