KOHLER & LEWIS
Mechanical Engineers
27 Mechanic Street
Keene, NH 03431
(603) 352-4841 (Voice)
(603) 352-1456 (Fax)
Email
Kohler & Lewis is a mechanical engineering firm, serving architects, construction managers, and building owners throughout northern and western New England. We are located in southwestern New Hampshire. Since 1982, we have designed mechanical systems for more than five million square feet of commercial and institutional buildings, including more than one hundred schools.
Kohler & Lewis was one of the first engineering firms to use energy recovery units to reclaim waste heat from ventilation air in schools, offices and other buildings. Kohler & Lewis recently received (with Marc Rosenbaum) the ASHRAE Region 1, Institution Buildings - New Technology Award (1999-2000) and the National Second Place ASHRAE 2000 Technology Award for New Institutional Buildings. The awards were for the design of the energy efficient mechanical system for the Vermont Law Classroom Building in South Royalton, VT. The National award recognizes "outstanding design innovation and successful implementation".
The goal of our firm is to provide high quality, efficient engineering design. We accomplish this with educated and experienced people, modern engineering tools, and a well-developed design process.
Joeseph Kohler holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts and is a registered professional engineer in New Hampshire. Joe specializes in the design of hydronic hot water heating systems.
Daniel Lewis received an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts and is a registered professional engineer in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Vermont. Dan specializes in the design of air systems for heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and exhaust.
Prior to establishing Kohler & Lewis, Joe Kohler and Dan Lewis worked together at Total Environmental Action, where they were in the forefront of research for passive solar design and energy conservation in buildings. They performed research and computer simulations for Brookhaven National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Together, they have published more than 30 articles and have established important design criteria for south facing glass and thermal mass ratios for passively heated building.
Roy Swain holds a M.S. in Systems Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and has been a registered professional mechanical engineer since 1981. Roy specializes in the design of plumbing systems and building control systems. In the past, he has designed commercial HVAC, energy conservation, and solar heating systems. As a Senior Engineer with EnergyLine Corporation, he co-managed the development of the McQuay MicroTech line of microprocessor-based equipment controllers. At Virginia Tech, he studied human factors engineering including various types of building and equipment automation systems.
Mame Bisaccio, who has a B.A. from St. Lawrence University and an A.S. in drafting design from Keene State College, does Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) and manages a database of mechanical construction cost information.
Sue Kennedy, who has a B.A. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, manages our office and handles the billing and accounting.
We are connected to the internet via a high speed 5 Mbps DSL connection. Each employee's workstation is connected to a 1 Gbps network. We use AutoCad 2000 software and a Hewlett Packard DesignJet 600 Inkjet plotter. AIA "Masterspec" format is utilized for project specifications, which are continually being revised and improved. Carrier E20-II software is used for heating and cooling load calculations and operating cost analysis. Our reference materials include the various national, state, and local codes; comprehensive design handbooks in various disciplines; and a large collection of mechanical equipment catalogs.
Our design process includes careful documentation, engineering, drafting, and coordination. Communications and activities are logged in a computer database for easy retrieval. Drawings and specifications are carefully reviewed by at least two people. Submittals are thoroughly and promptly reviewed. We understand the importance of coordination with the architect and other consultants as well as site visits and project meetings.