Mechanical design review, submittal review, and value engineering for commercial, multifamily, institutional, and light-industrial projects — from the engineer of record perspective, with field-test verification at the end.
HVAC design consulting is the process of reviewing, refining, and verifying the mechanical system design for a new construction or major retrofit project. It includes mechanical equipment selection, duct and pipe sizing, load calculations, control strategy, and the integration of the mechanical system with the architectural and structural design. A good mechanical design reduces first cost, reduces operating cost, and produces a building that performs to the design intent at the field-test stage.
HECS delivers HVAC design consulting as a third-party service to general contractors, owners, and developers. We work alongside the engineer of record — not in place of them — to review the design, identify cost-saving alternatives, and confirm that the system as designed will perform at the field-test stage. We flag missing diffusers, undersized ducts, mis-set controls, and equipment mismatches before they become change orders in the field.
HECS design consulting is paired with field-test verification at the end: the same NCI-certified technicians who review the design run the final TAB, blower door, refrigerant charge, and other field tests that confirm the building performs to design. The result is a closed loop from design review to certified report, with the same team accountable for both.
HECS delivers three design consulting scopes depending on the project phase, the level of design work required, and whether the engagement includes field-test verification at the end.
Pre-construction
Review of the mechanical design, submittal review, and value engineering — identifying cost-saving alternatives, equipment substitutions, and design improvements before construction commits. Paired with field-test verification at final.
Best for: Pre-construction, design-bid-build
Construction phase
Review of the mechanical contractor’s submittals: equipment selection, duct and pipe sizing, control strategy, and integration with the engineer of record’s design. Flags mismatches and substitutions before fabrication.
Best for: Construction phase, GC and owner support
Design-build delivery
Design support on design-build projects — load calculations, equipment selection, schematic design, and the field-test verification that closes out the design-build performance guarantee.
Best for: Design-build delivery, negotiated projects
From the kickoff meeting to the final field-test verification, here is what HECS delivers on a design consulting engagement.
HECS meets with the engineer of record, the GC, and the owner to walk the design intent. We review the architectural plans, the mechanical equipment schedule, the load calculations, and the control strategy. We identify the design issues that would otherwise become field-test failures and recommend corrections in the design phase.
HECS reviews the mechanical contractor’s submittals: equipment selection, duct and pipe sizing, control valves, and the integration of the mechanical system with the architectural and structural design. We flag mismatches, substitutions, and value-engineering alternatives.
During construction, HECS supports the design team with RFI responses, equipment substitution review, and field-issue resolution. We attend coordination meetings and provide design clarifications as the mechanical rough-in progresses.
At the end, HECS runs the field tests that close the design loop: TAB, blower door, duct leakage, refrigerant charge, and combustion analysis. The certified report confirms the building performs to design, and any deviations are documented and resolved with the engineer of record.
Every HECS design consulting engagement includes the following reviews and verifications, formatted to the engineer of record and the project specifications.
Review of the heating and cooling load calculations per ACCA Manual J, ASHRAE Fundamentals, or the engineer of record’s methodology. Flags oversized and undersized equipment before procurement.
Review of the mechanical equipment submittals: efficiency, capacity, sound ratings, and integration with the design. Flags substitutions that would compromise performance or code compliance.
Review of the duct and pipe sizing calculations: friction rate, velocity, CFM at design, and pressure drop. Flags undersized runs that would create static pressure or flow problems in operation.
Review of the control strategy: damper modulation, valve authority, sensor placement, BAS integration, and the interaction between the controls and the field-test verification. Flags mis-sequenced controls that would fail the TAB.
Review of the design against the IECC, the IMC, and the program of record (ENERGY STAR, NGBS, LEED). Flags compliance gaps before they become certification failures.
At final, HECS runs the certified field tests: TAB, blower door, duct leakage, refrigerant charge, combustion analysis. The certified report confirms the building performs to design and is accepted by the engineer of record and the certification program of record.
A third-party design review catches the design issues that would otherwise become field-test failures, change orders, and operating-cost surprises — at a fraction of the cost of fixing them in the field.
Most TAB and field-test failures trace back to design issues that could have been caught in the design phase: missing diffusers, undersized ducts, mis-set controls, equipment mismatches. HECS design review catches these issues before they become change orders.
HECS pairs the value engineering with field-test verification at the end. The cost-saving alternatives recommended in design are confirmed at the field test — the owner gets the savings AND the certified performance.
HECS is independent of the engineer of record. We are not the designer — we are the third-party reviewer. Our review is unbiased, our recommendations are based on field-test performance, and our certified report is accepted by the engineer, the GC, and the certification program of record.
Field-measured performance that matches the engineer’s design intent — verified, documented, and accepted by the certification program of record.
A well-designed mechanical system uses 15–30% less energy than a poorly-designed one. HECS design consulting identifies the operating-cost drivers in the design and recommends alternatives that reduce first cost and operating cost together.
A certified third-party design review and field-test verification transfers design risk from the engineer of record and the GC to a neutral third party. It is the deliverable that closes out the design, satisfies the lender, and releases retainage.
HECS is an NCI-certified testing and balancing firm. We work with general contractors, mechanical contractors, property developers, and certification programs across the region — delivering field measurements, certified reports, and the documentation owners and inspectors actually need.
Every HECS field technician holds current NCI certification. We use calibrated instruments, follow NCI-formatted reporting, and produce the documentation that commissioning authorities, code inspectors, and certification programs accept on the first review.
HECS serves commercial, multifamily, institutional, and light-industrial projects across Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and Missouri. We staff jobs of every size — from a single building balance to a 12-building multifamily rollout — with the same team and the same reporting standard.
Blower door, duct leakage, refrigerant charge, combustion analysis, decibel, infrared, TAB, and 45L documentation — HECS delivers all of them. One contract, one schedule, one set of reports that line up with each other and with the certification program of record.
HECS HVAC design consulting is the right fit for:
Tell us about the project — program, scope, schedule — and we will respond with a written proposal inside two business days.
HVAC design consulting is the process of reviewing, refining, and verifying the mechanical system design for a new construction or major retrofit project. It includes mechanical equipment selection, duct and pipe sizing, load calculations, control strategy, and the integration of the mechanical system with the architectural and structural design.
No. HECS works alongside the engineer of record — not in place of them. We are the third-party reviewer who flags design issues, recommends value-engineering alternatives, and confirms the building performs to design at the field-test stage.
Ideally in the schematic design or design-development phase, before the design is committed. The earlier HECS reviews the design, the more value we can add — and the fewer change orders result in the field.
Yes. HECS supports design-build projects with load calculations, equipment selection, schematic design, and the field-test verification that closes out the design-build performance guarantee. We work as a member of the design-build team.
Value engineering is the process of identifying cost-saving alternatives in the design that do not compromise performance. HECS value engineering looks at equipment substitutions, duct routing, control strategy, and integration alternatives — with the field-test verification that confirms the savings at the end.
Yes. HECS runs heating and cooling load calculations per ACCA Manual J, ASHRAE Fundamentals, or the engineer of record’s methodology. We use the load calculations to verify equipment selection, duct sizing, and the control strategy.
ASHRAE 90.1, ASHRAE 62.1 (ventilation), ASHRAE 111 (TAB), the International Mechanical Code (IMC), the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), ACCA Manual J / S / D / T, NFPA 54 / 58 (combustion), and the program of record (ENERGY STAR, NGBS, LEED, EarthCraft).
The field-test verification is the set of certified field tests (TAB, blower door, duct leakage, refrigerant charge, combustion analysis) that HECS runs at the end of construction to confirm the building performs to design. The certified report is the deliverable that closes out the design engagement.
Design consulting is structured as a series of milestones: kickoff, schematic design review, design-development review, submittal review, construction support, and final field-test verification. Most engagements run 6–12 months from kickoff to final report.
Call (859) 983-7382 or email hecs@hecsusa.com with the project name, address, square footage, scope, and the program of record. HECS responds with a written proposal inside two business days.
NCI-certified TAB that verifies design airflow and water flow at every terminal. Calibrated instruments, certified report.
Whole-building and duct leakage to RESNET, ENERGY STAR Multifamily, NGBS, and code. Blower door + duct tester.
Field verification, sampling, and documentation for ENERGY STAR MFNC. HECS is an ENERGY STAR MFNC verification partner.
Tell us about the project — program, scope, schedule — and we will respond with a written proposal inside two business days.
Free consultation, fast turnaround, and audit-ready reports. Same-day callback during business hours.
Pick a time that works for you. We'll confirm within an hour during business hours. Free consultation, no obligation.