Blog

BERDO 2.0 is a landmark ordinance set to drive decarbonization in Boston's building sector by  establishing mandatory carbon emission standards and requiring yearly energy and emissions data reports. To avoid costly fines, building owners need to prepare for the reporting requirements starting this year and consider strategies to meet upcoming emissions limits. Bala’s team of integrated sustainability, energy, and commissioning engineers understand the implications of BERDO 2.0 for building… Read More

Prefabrication and modular construction are growing trends for project design and construction. The benefits of these methods include faster project and construction schedules, increased quality, and less impact on the construction site. Newer drivers increasing the trend towards prefabrication and modular construction are skilled labor shortages, supply chain delays, and increased use of building information modeling (BIM). Bala collaborated with Boston Properties and Turner Construction to… Read More

Bala Consulting Engineers is pleased to announce the promotion of Kimberly Burkert to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Kim began as Bala’s Controller and throughout her 20+ years grew to become Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, a member of the Senior Leadership Committee, a partner in the firm, and a member of Bala’s Board of Directors. Kim’s unique perspective and keen insights have advanced Bala’s project management capabilities and guided our overall growth strategies. Kim succeeds… Read More

Late in 2019, Philadelphia’s City Council passed Bill #190600, creating the new Building Energy Performance Program (BEPP). This program was developed to help achieve the city’s ambitious climate goal to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. According to the city’s Office of Sustainability, “once implemented, [the program] will cut carbon pollution in the City of Philadelphia by nearly 200,000 metric tons. This is the climate pollution equivalent of taking 40,000 automobiles off our roads… Read More

The pace of design and construction for mission critical facilities has accelerated exponentially in recent years. The speed required to bring these facilities to market is critical for clients, and construction teams are under increasingly more pressure to deliver. Clients expect reliable, redundant and efficient facilities from the design and construction firms executing these complicated and rigorous projects. In order to deliver these large-scale projects with confidence, many construction… Read More

Bala has made it a priority to support the architectural team in achieving this mix of the past and present. So far with the first two buildings, Bala has worked through several design challenges while creating an interactive space for the tenants and pedestrians alike. At the East end of the mill lies Building A, a 96,000 sq. ft three story laboratory and office space developed in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University.  This building contains a two story open high bay space for… Read More

Many developers are considering converting underutilized commercial office space into laboratories, especially since the Life Science industry has proven capable of withstanding the COVID-19 pandemic. The industry has been booming for some time now, and COVID-19 has prompted it to flourish in unprecedented ways. Large universities and healthcare institutions have a heightened demand for Life Science facilities to be located on or near their campuses, and developers are eager to deliver. Between… Read More

The Butterfly Effect refers to the phenomenon where a small localized change in a complex system can have very large effects elsewhere. Nowhere is this more evident than in operating a data center; the steady hum of commerce can cascade into a cacophony of panic within moments. But first, let’s take a step back and see how it happens, and more importantly, how to help prevent it.   The lights are extinguished in a remote, undisclosed, unmarked, fenced-in, security patrolled, grey building… Read More

Depending on the type of HVAC system in your building, below are some HVAC measures to implement for the short term and long term to reduce the potential spread of contaminants. Read More