December 2018
Building Science for a Better Environment

Wish ing you and yours a happy holiday season from all of us here at MaGrann Associates! Tha nks to all of our partners and clients for another successful year of working together to make buildings better !

Rich Selverian, President & CEO
MaGrann Associates
Upcoming Events
January 17
Washington, DC

January 23
Somerset, NJ

March 5-6
State College, PA

* MaGrann will be there!
MaGrann Associates Community News
The PA 2018/2015 Building Codes are Coming – Are you Ready?
How much will the new building codes cost? What new requirements should you be aware of?

Get all your questions answered before starting your first 2018/2015 Code project.

We are offering  free trainings  at your location to help your team get ready for the new codes - these are big changes and they are coming fast - get ready Philadelphia!

Free Trainings:

  • CODES 101: Overview of key concepts and changes about the new PA (2015) and Philadelphia (2018) Building Codes.
  • COMPLIANCE PATHWAYS: Focused session on how to choose the right permitting compliance pathway for the new codes. 
  • DESIGNING FOR CODE: Nuts and bolts of designing building systems that maximize value and performance while complying with code.
Maryland's New Mixed-Use Apartments in Arts District
Landex Development, LLC in partnership with the Prince George’s County Redevelopment Authority has developed a mixed-use complex of 231 residential apartments, about 10,000 square-feet of retail space and 312 parking spaces near Washington, DC. The area which will be called "Artists Row" is located in the center of the Gateway Arts district and the development was designed to be synergetic with that environment. The two buildings, called Studio 3807 and Artisan at 4100, are designed to LEED Gold standards. MaGrann Associates was the LEED Consultant for the project.

Industry Trends

The Wet Summer of 2018 - Lessons Learned for the Future
By Doug McCleery, MaGrann Associates
December 14, 2018
Let’s face it. This year was wet. Rainfall was up to 50% higher than average in the mid-Atlantic region this year. September and October, typically a time for us to start drying out our newly constructed buildings, remained wet. Hot temperatures, high humidity and lots of rain create difficult construction conditions. The challenges of muddy construction sites, wet construction materials, getting under cover to keep the rain out, drying out walls before enclosing them with drywall - all while still meeting construction schedules - is a challenge for even the most prepared builders. 

We may want to forget what happened this year, but we can use this experience to be prepared for dealing with similar conditions in the future.

50th Anniversary of the Passage of the Fair Housing Act
On April 11, 1968—seven days after the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—President Lyndon Johnson signed into law Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, commonly known as the Fair Housing Act. The legislation was co-sponsored by then-Senators Edward Brooke and Walter Mondale and advanced an ambitious and progressive vision: to eliminate housing discrimination and residential segregation in this country. As envisioned, the Fair Housing Act is an important tool for achieving both justice and equity. In signing the bill, President Johnson proclaimed: “At long last, fair housing for all is now a part of the American way of life. We have come some of the way—not near all of it."

The year 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Fair Housing Act, as well as the 30th anniversary of the creation of the National Fair Housing Alliance . As the nation’s leading fair housing advocacy organization, NFHA was uniquely positioned to plan and lead the 50th Anniversary activities. Far more than a celebration, the year-long commemoration moved us closer to being a nation where fair housing and opportunity are the norm in all communities.

Learn more about the yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary here and view a video com memorating the history of the Fair Housing Act below.
Company News
Smart Thermostats in Multifamily
MaGrann Associates recently completed the installation phase of an ambitious pilot for Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) in New Jersey designed to investigate the energy savings potential, as well as the resident and building manager experience, associated with smart thermostats in lower income multifamily buildings. Together with our installation partner, GreenLife Energy Services and connectivity partner, STRATIS IoT, thermostat retrofits were completed in almost 950 units in 16 low and mid-rise multifamily projects. The pilot is now entering its process and impact evaluation phase led by APPRISE Inc. of Princeton, NJ.  “We have already learned so much from the recruitment, installation and education elements of this initiative,” said Ben Adams, MaGrann’s program design lead.  “The diversity of building types, thermostat technologies and connectivity solutions has yielded a wealth of insights into the deployment of this emerging technology for multifamily building owners and residents.” 

“PSE&G and MaGrann Associates have a long history of working together to help make multifamily buildings more energy efficient, comfortable and convenient for residents,” said PSE&G program manager Rachael Fredericks.  “With the help of MaGrann’s implementation strategy and technical expertise, our multifamily smart thermostat pilot program has been very successful and we are looking forward to starting the next phase of the project in 2019.”
Employee Recognition
Congratulations to our Ohio Program Manager Rebecca Mellino on her recent appointment to chair a sustainability committee for the City of Columbus!

Rebecca will be serving on the Sustainable Columbus Committee for External Stakeholders to help guide t he City of Columbus in their new Sustainable Columbus initiative. Through this initiative, the city aims to embed sustainable practices into its own operations as well as support the community in its efforts to become more sustainable. She will be representing the non-profit organization, “Green Columbus” of which she is currently board president. 

Green Columbus organizes monthly Green Drinks networking events that highlight green activities throughout the City ranging from food waste and community gardening to urban forestry. "We partner with many community stakeholders who work in these fields and I look forward to representing our interests in the new External Stakeholders group."

Congratulations and good luck Rebecca!
New Employees
Darren Young joins MaGrann as the new Client Relations Manager for the DC Region. Darren is originally from Toronto, Canada and has been living in the U.S. for five years. He has experience in Sales Management in the Health and Technology sectors as well as Real Estate Development and Property Management. Darren enjoys spending time with his three children, watching movies, exercising and playing sports.
"I'm really excited to parlay my experiences in Real Estate Development and property management to help grow MaGrann in the DC market."
Jeff Manns is MaGrann's newest Technical Consultant. He received his undergraduate degree in Energy Engineering from Penn State in 2012. After working in the non-profit world for 6 years, Jeff is making his way back into the building science industry. Jeff says he's a diehard Nittany Lion who spends way too much time following college football. He loves the city of Philadelphia where he and his wife Alex live, hip-hop dancing, and serving with his local church in Fishtown.
“I look forward to learning a lot about building science in my time at MaGrann and I’m excited to contribute to a team of like-minded individuals!”
Certified LEED for
Homes to Date: 9,158
Certified ENERGY STAR
Homes to Date: 50,299
MaGrann Associates | 1-888-MAGRA NN | [email protected] | www.magrann.com