Company News from RWB

RWB is an MEP consulting engineering firm based in Dallas, Texas. On this page, you’ll find the latest updates on company news, ranging from special events or corporate announcements.

The firm has been in operation for over thirty years and employs more than 50 designers, engineers, and support staff. Learn more about our leadership and firm history.

RWB consulting engineers specialize in K-12 schools, higher education projects, aviation facilities, municipal structures, and office buildings.

RWB is proud to welcome two new interns this Spring as part of our firm internship program.

During their time here at RWB, they will gain hands-on experience with MEP Engineering Design. They will help with the design process and documentation of current projects by working in AutoCAD and Revit and visiting project jobsites.

Amanda Swart

Amanda Swart

School: University of North Texas
Year in School: Senior
Major: Mechanical and Energy Engineering

What inspired you to go after your major?
Initially, I graduated with a major in Wildlife Conservation and Science. After briefly working in the field, I wanted more of a challenge (and a career change!) and went back to school for Mechanical Engineering. I found that I really enjoyed tackling problems and solving them. Working towards an engineering degree also made it easier to tackle my own personal projects.

Any outside hobbies you wish to share?
Gardening, aquarium keeping, koi pond keeping, reading, and woodworking



Joe GarciaJoe Garcia

School: University of Texas at Arlington
Year in School: Junior
Major: Electrical Engineering

What inspired you to go after your major?

From a young age, my passion for electricity has been a driving force in my life. The way it flows, sparks, and powers the world around me has always fascinated me, and I knew that pursuing a career in this field was my calling. My family have been a major factor in my pursue of college. Their unwavering love and support have given me the courage and determination to pursue higher education and achieve my goals.

Any outside hobbies you wish to share?

Fishing, playing sports, cooking, hiking and camping

RWB team joined Cadence McShane Construction, Perkins & Will, and Richardson ISD for the groundbreaking of our newest project, Lake Highlands Middle School on Tuesday, September 6, 2022.

The middle school will be located next to Lake Highlands Junior High at 10301 Walnut Hill Lane, Dallas, and is the first school construction for the district since 2014. The new Lake Highlands Middle School will feature a 249,000-square-foot, 3-story middle school that includes an ICC-500 rated community tornado shelter.  The project is a replacement for the existing Lake Highlands Junior High School that was originally built in the 1960s.

Lake Highlands Middle School Groundbreaking

The facility will utilize a 4-pipe chilled and heating water system for the majority of the 3-story portion of the school and Roof-Top AC units for the majority of the athletic and other specialty areas.  The facility will have a STEM lab centrally located on the first level of the facility which will include a mechanical room with full height windows to allow students to see the mechanical system serving the first floor of the facility and thus allow instructors to discuss these systems in their curriculum.

The project is a multi-year phased project that was made possible by the ability to design and build the facility in a largely unused portion of the field next to the school, which allows the new facility to be built while keeping the existing facility in use until the new facility is complete. The school is expected to open in August 2024 and will house up to 1,500 students in grades 6-8.

The Architect of Record is Perkins & Will and the General Contractor is Cadence McShane.

RWB is proud to welcome six new interns this summer as part of our 2022 firm internship program.

During their time here at RWB, they will gain hands-on experience with MEP Engineering Design. They will help with the design process and documentation of current projects by working in AutoCAD and Revit and visiting project jobsites.

Allyson Lux

Allyson Lux

School: University of Alabama
Year in School: Graduated with BSME May 2022, now pursuing an MBA (May 2023)
Major: Mechanical Engineering

Allyson chose mechanical engineering because she had always enjoyed math and wanted a field that gave me many career options. Also, there are few women in mechanical engineering (about 10% total) and she wanted to change that. Hobbies include tennis, hiking, staying busy, and going to Alabama athletics games (football, basketball, baseball).



Braden SanterBraden Santer

School: University of Texas at Dallas
Year in School: Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering

Braden chose to pursue engineering because it combined his passions for science, technology, and design. He is looking forward to gaining practical engineering experience and connecting with the engineers at RWB. Braden’s hobbies include gaming as well as modifying and racing cars.



Jacob TschetterJacob Tschetter

School: Texas A&M University
Year in School: Junior
Major: Architectural Engineering – MEP track

Jacob has always enjoyed learning about buildings and solving problems. He is excited to be learning from the associates while here at RWB.

Jacob is involved in Scouts, enjoys playing music and is a member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band.



Nicolas LawrenceNicolas Lawrence

School: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Year in School: Incoming Freshman
Major: Chemical Engineering

Nicolas was inspired to pursue chemical engineering by his high school Environmental Science teacher, who helped him realize how important chemical sciences are to modern society. He find myself fascinated by the complex web of chemical interactions between human industries, the environment, and our very bodies. Through chemistry, everything is united as one crazy complicated system.

Nicolas says, “Working at RWB has helped me realize that it is one hundred percent within my power to interact with this system, something that the engineers I work with get to do every day through their own expertise with MEP.”

Nicole SvetlovNicole Svetlov

School: University of Texas, Austin
Year in School: Junior
Major: Architectural Engineering

Nicole is an incoming transfer student, and a part of the class of 2024, at the University of Texas at Austin where she will be studying Architectural Engineering.

Going into university, Nicole aspired to become a Civil Engineer. That changed after she found out about ArchE. Working in two research labs, doing research on thermal comfort, and energy efficiency made her realize that a career in MEP would give her more intellectual fulfillment.  Placing in 1st place at the Utilities Challenge Competition at her school, cemented this feeling for her.

Additionally, Nicole believes that a healthy work-life balance is necessary to be successful and happy. Therefore, she highly values the time that she can spend reading, home decorating, and shopping.

Peter PhamPeter Pham

School: University of Missouri, Kansas City
Year in School: Senior
Major: Electrical & Computer Engineering

Inspired by his family, financial stability, construction design, electrical design and loves solving problems.

Hobbies include reading, chess, gym, fishing, and shopping.

RWB Consulting Engineers has once again been recognized by the Dallas Chapter of ASHRAE and ASHRAE Region VIII for excellence in building design.

In early January, the Dallas Chapter of ASHRAE awarded RWB Consulting Engineers the Building Technology Award. A few months later in April 2022, the projects clinched the regional competition.

Our design of Vanguard High School earned the Building Technology Award in New Construction – Educational Facilities, and our work on the Frisco Athletic Center earned the Building Technology Award in Existing Buildings – Institutional Facilities.

The ASHRAE Technology Awards recognizes prestigious buildings with innovative HVAC designs. Criteria for the award include:

  • Energy Efficiency
  • Indoor Air Quality
  • Innovation
  • Operation & Maintenance
  • Cost-Effectiveness
  • Environmental Impact

The IIDA Texas Oklahoma Chapter Design Excellence Awards recognize the highest quality and achievement in interior design, and honor the creativity and innovation of the best of Texas and Oklahoma designers. The Collin College Wylie Campus was named the winner of the Design Excellence Award for Education Research (Design). We’re thrilled to see our colleagues at Page recognized for their hard work on this innovative design with this honor. RWB Consulting Engineers served as the MEP Engineering consultant on this higher education project.

This design project included three separate occupied buildings and a standalone central utility plant across 350,000 square feet. The project was designed and coordinated in Revit MEP. Keep reading about our MEP design on the Collin College Wylie Campus.

We treat every higher education project with the same level of accuracy, detail, and attention required to win awards. If you would like to speak with one of our principals about your next campus project, please contact us.

RWB is thrilled to welcome four new interns this summer as part of our firm internship program.

During their time here at RWB, they will gain hands-on experience with MEP Engineering Design. They will help with the design process and documentation of current projects by working in AutoCAD and Revit and visiting project jobsites.

Anna Claire Saffell

School: Auburn University
Year in School: Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering

Anna began researching the role that engineering plays in the built world after taking an AP Art class with an Architecture concentration. She decided to purse mechanical engineering for the combination of visceral and behavioral design. This summer, Anna looks forward to gaining mentorship and hands-on experience, while expanding her skills in AutoCAD and Revit. She hopes to pursue a career in either MEP, Structural,  Architectural engineering, or product design.

At school, Anna is involved in Tau Beta Pi Honor Society, Chi Omega Sorority and Onward Campus Ministries.

 

 

Piper Roman

School: Texas A&M University
Year in School: Junior
Major: Architectural Engineering

Aside from her love of math and physics, Piper was inspired by her grandfather to pursue an engineering degree, as he was an engineer himself. She learned about RWB when attending a presentation on campus given by RWB Principal, Ken Fulk. Piper hopes to gain experience by collaborating and working with computer-aided design.

In her free time, Piper enjoys drawing and playing piano.

 

 

Weston Taylor

School: Oklahoma State University
Year in School: Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering

Weston chose an engineering pathway based on his love for science, math and problem solving. He says, “put those together and you get engineering”. He is excited to gain valuable experience and apply it to the work he will complete at RWB this summer. Weston’s career path includes earning an EIT, working his way up to P.E. and Project Management.

Weston’s hobbies including watching new shows and hanging out with friends. He also enjoys boxing, biking, hiking and rock climbing.

 

 

Tyler Ferrari

School: University of Texas at Austin
Year in School: Junior
Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering

Tyler admires creators and inventors which inspired his decision to pursue engineering as a career. During an Independent Study course, Tyler was mentored by RWB Principal, Mike Adcock who encouraged him to apply to RWB’s internship program. Tyler looks forward to gaining knowledge and experience within the professional world of engineering as well as creating bonds with coworkers during his time here at RWB.

Next semester, Tyler will be a Teaching Assistant for one of his Electrical Engineering classes. He is also an officer within his Fraternity, Phi Kappa Tau.

In early January, the Dallas Chapter of ASHRAE recognized RWB Consulting Engineers for notable HVAC design of two projects: Richardson’s Lake Highlands Freshman Center, now called Building H, and Arlington ISD’s Agricultural Science Center. Both projects earned the chapter’s Technology Award in the Existing Building and New Construction – Educational Facilities category.

The ASHRAE Technology Awards recognizes prestigious buildings with innovative HVAC designs. Criteria for the award include:

  • Energy Efficiency
  • Indoor Air Quality
  • Innovation
  • Operation & Maintenance
  • Cost-Effectiveness
  • Environmental Impact

RWB is proud to achieve two new Technology Awards for educational projects. RWB previously won the 2020 ASHRAE Technology Award at the Regional level for Denton ISD’s Ray Braswell High School for New Construction – Educational Facility.

The Winning Projects: Details

Lake Highlands Freshman Center

LHHS FC ExteriorThe Lake Highlands Freshman Center (Building H) now provides a comfortable learning environment for students who attend class in the building. Built-in 1997, the building served as a freshman-only campus for Richardson ISD students in the area. With the original equipment nearing failure, the building required a major HVAC upgrade. When voters approved the 2016 bond for improvements, RWB examined and addressed multiple performance issues by re-zoning the building from an east/west to a north/south configuration. Updated equipment was installed and scheduled accordingly for space utilization.

Some of the performance issues include:

  • Lack of diversity in zones
  • Lack of heating, or inadequately sized heating in the building, especially at the perimeter
  • Poor air distribution and complicated air delivery design in the gymnasium
  • VAV Air Terminal Units that were completely inaccessible for maintenance
  • Complicated air distribution systems with poor energy performance using VAV Terminal Units on constant volume Roof-Top AC Equipment

Based on the evaluations of load calculations, RWB improved performance while downsizing the MEP equipment in this building.

Arlington ISD Agricultural Science Center

Arlington ISD Ag Science CenterArlington ISD’s new 28,000 SF expansion of the district’s Agricultural Science Center is uniquely designed as an indoor/outdoor facility. As part of the expansion, classrooms, administration areas, animal pens, open-air barns, and a metal shop were added.

The building opened in 2019 to students and faculty offering the opportunity to experience hands-on learning as it relates to agricultural education.

The Arlington ISD Agricultural Science Center is a net-zero energy building, producing more energy than it consumes, which is tracked by the Energy Management System (EMS) tied to all the mechanical components.

Some energy-efficient items that were included in the design are:

  • A photovoltaic (PV) array
  • Wind turbine
  • Rainwater storage collection tanks

The PV array and wind turbine help with energy production while the rainwater storage collection tanks help with irrigation and other internal barn uses.

ASHRAE Dallas Technology Award

In December each year, The Dallas Chapter of ASHRAE accepts nominations for their Technology Award competition. The program recognizes multiple MEP engineering firms in different categories ranging from Commercial to Institutional and Residential facility types.

As the winner of the Chapter award, both projects will move to the Regional competition for a chance to compete at the Societal competition.

Nathan Hart, P.E. leads the mechanical team on the Lake Highlands High School Freshman Center HVAC Upgrades Project.

Joseph Proctor, P.E. leads the team on the Net-Zero energy design of the Arlington ISD Agricultural Science Center.

RWB provides leadership to several industry groups; one such group is the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Today, we are sharing two exciting announcements about the involvement of our team members:

Ken Fulk

Ken Fulk

Ken has been elected to ASHRAE’s Board of Directors. He will serve in the Director At Large role from 2020-2023. ASHRAE’s Board of Directors oversees all of ASHRAE’s policies and procedures. The Board of Directors is the deciding group for all of ASHRAE activities, including topics of membership, technology, standards, publishing, finances, associate groups, and more. Ken is no stranger to the Board, as he served previously from 2008-2011 as the Director and Regional Chair representing Region VIII. Ken has a long legacy of leadership in ASHRAE. He has served on a wide variety of committees, such as Society Rules, Nominating, Government Affairs, Finance, Planning, Building Energy Quotient, and Handbook. He is also a past President of the Dallas Chapter.

 

 

 

Nathan Hart

Nathan Hart

Congratulations to RWB Principal Nathan Hart who has been recognized with the ASHRAE Distinguished Service Award. In his 20+ years as a member, Nathan has given his time to serve the Society and its members. He most recently served as Chair of the Society’s Chapter Technology Transfer Committee, and he is a past President of the Dallas Chapter. We are proud of Nathan’s accomplishments and we are thrilled to see him recognized for his decades of service to this important industry group. Congratulations, Nathan!

At RWB, we are proud of our well-established internship program. Over the course of a semester, engineering interns have the opportunity to learn about MEP engineering. Interns get hands-on experience with design and documentation, as well as accompanying our engineers for job site visits. We are excited to have three interns with us this summer:

Allyson Lux Allyson Lux

School: University of Alabama

Year in School: Junior

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Allyson chose the path of a degree in mechanical engineering because she is seeking a career that combines technical and creative skills, while focusing on innovation and improving lives. She is looking forward to spending the summer at RWB learning from our team of skilled engineers. She learned about MEP engineering from a friend’s father, who works in the plumbing side of the industry.

At school, Allyson is involved in many activities including the Society of Women Engineers, Delta Gamma sorority, Tau Beta Pi Honor Society, the Alabama club tennis team. She’d like to leave us with this: “Roll Tide!”

 

Graham RobertsonGraham Robertson

School: University of Texas at Arlington

Year in School: Senior

Major: Architectural Engineering

Graham decided to pursue an engineering degree after reading books by architect Christopher Alexander. Graham said, “his work and philosophy inspired me to pursue a degree that would enable me to further the vision of “a living world” through innovations in design and construction.” In the future, Graham hopes to work on construction projects that help people in economically blighted neighborhoods.

In his free time, Graham sings baritone for the UT Arlington choir, enjoys making music, riding bikes, and chatting with strangers.

 

Taylor TrowerTaylor Trower

School: University of Texas at Arlington

Year in School: Junior

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Taylor  always loved to tinker and take things apart to see how they work. She said, “I took an engineering class my junior year of high school I knew that’s what I wanted to do.” On-campus, Taylor works with a undergraduate research team on dynamics. This summer she is hoping to gain real-world work experience in the engineering industry.

Outside of work and school, Taylor loves to bike alongside the Trinity. She loves to cook and garden, and she is always ready to take on a DIY project!

Project Moves on to Regional Competition

This week, the Dallas Chapter of ASHRAE recognized RWB Consulting Engineers for exceptional HVAC design. Denton ISD’s Ray Braswell High School earned the chapter’s Technology Award for New Educational Facilities.

The ASHRAE Technology Awards recognize outstanding achievement in mechanical system design and operation. While other programs such as LEED recognize buildings for minimizing energy usage, the Technology Award celebrates designs with a holistic approach.

Winners of the technology award demonstrate competency and success in applying effective strategies for:

  • Energy management
  • Indoor air quality
  • Thermal comfort
  • Operational cost effectiveness
  • Innovation
  • Operation and maintenance
  • Environmental impact

RWB Consulting Engineers is well-known for their experience in successful K-12 MEP design, with Braswell High School being particularly exemplary.

Leaders of the Dallas Chapter presented the award on Wednesday, February 12th. As seen on the photo below, several members of the RWB leadership team were on-hand to accept the award.

RWB Consulting Engineers wins ASHRAE Dallas Technology Award

Contact us for K-12 MEP Engineering Services

THE WINNING PROJECT: RAY BRASWELL HIGH SCHOOL

In Little Elm, Texas, this new facility for over 2,600 students in 9-12th grade opened in August 2016.

The HVAC design for Braswell High School features a geothermal system with over 1,100 wells serving 239 heat pumps. With so many wells, our team broke the geothermal system up into smaller well fields that serve different areas of the building. Ground source heat pumps were piped in parallel for redundancy. And three-way valves installed at the extremity of each lunch ensure proper water flow and temperature during operation.

Our team used an innovative humidity control system in high-latent areas like the auditorium, gymnasium, and cafeteria. Using a unique hot gas reheat system, the air in these spaces can be dehumidified without having to reject any heat to the associated well field. In addition, energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) were used in tandem with carbon dioxide sensors to provide the precise amount of fresh air to spaces. Both design strategies contribute to improved occupant comfort and reduced energy consumption.

This isn’t the first time that the design team for Braswell High School has been recognized. In 2017, the Texas Association of School Administrators and Texas Association of School Board’s Exhibit of School Architecture awarded architecture firm VLK with the Design and Value award.

 

ASHRAE DALLAS TECHNOLOGY AWARD

The Dallas Chapter of ASHRAE accepts nominations each year for their Technology Award competition. They can recognize multiple MEP engineering firms in 19 different categories as shown in the bulleted list below below.

As the winner of the Chapter award, this project will move to the Regional competition. RWB faces competition from other ASHRAE Chapters in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mexico. The regional judging committee will announce the winner of the region competition during the Chapter Regional Conference in April 2020.

ASHRAE Dallas Technology Award Winner 2019-2020

Read more