Building Systems Articles

The transmission of infectious airborne diseases such as influenza, the common cold, and COVID-19 can be accelerated or mitigated by a building’s HVAC equipment and systems. In this webinar video, Mechanical Engineer and Building Systems Expert, Rene Basulto discusses HVAC system performance, specifically as it relates to air quality and efforts to control the transmission of infectious diseases.

The topic will be framed within the context of forensic investigations, focusing on maintenance, calibration, and air balance; all issues that are commonly addressed in our casework.

What is the standard of care for minimizing the risk of disease transmission through building HVAC systems? Prior to 2020 this was an esoteric question largely reserved for academics, but it has since been sprung upon the masses with increasing relevancy for business owners, facility operators, and workers alike.

In this article, mechanical engineer Rene Basulto will address this question from the perspective of a forensic investigator. He will discuss some of the aspects of building HVAC systems that can help to minimize the spread of airborne pathogens. He will also address broader building systems factors that may be relevant to investigating pathogen exposures.

The engineers at Robson Forensic frequently investigate matters where property has been damaged by water, gas, or another substance leaking from a failed plumbing system. These leaks often originate from a pipe, a pipe fitting, a tank, or an appliance. Identifying the cause of the incident requires the consideration of the type of system (water, gas, sewerage, etc.), the type of piping, and any external conditions that may have contributed.

In this article, Mechanical Engineer and Building Systems expert Stanley Jaworski explores common failure modes in commercial and residential plumbing systems.

Equipment to manage fumigation, CO2 enrichment, high intensity lighting, large volume humidity control, and oil extraction are commonplace in industrial facilities and are becoming increasingly common in burgeoning marijuana grow and processing facilities.


The legalization of marijuana in Washington, Colorado, and other states has created a market for the growth of marijuana that has seen its share of fires, explosions, code violations and other mishaps as amateur growers and entrepreneurs attempt to transition into large commercial facilities operators.


This article covers some of the equipment and processes that are present in marijuana grow and processing facilities and discusses the potential consequences that can arise if they are not managed in a professional manner.

Lead has been regarded as a toxic substance since the time of the Romans. It is ubiquitous in our environment, and its toxic properties have been written about for centuries. Exposure to lead is known to produce a spectrum of injury, particularly in children, yet society continues to struggle with its negative impacts on human health.

In this article, Environmental Expert, Michael Klein, P.E. provides an overview of why lead has become ubiquitous in modern society. Within the context of municipal water systems, he discusses the steps that are being taken to safeguard human health from toxic lead exposures.

This article provides a detailed introduction on the topic of fuel oil leaks. Our mechanical engineers provide an explanation of the common reasons these leaks occur and information on relevant installation, maintenance, and delivery practices.

The experts at Robson Forensic are frequently retained to investigate incidents where fuel oil is spilled, systems leak, or tanks rupture. Mechanical engineers specializing in building systems are commonly tasked with determining the cause of a failure, while our environmental experts are regularly retained to evaluate the environmental and health impacts. Robson Forensic can provide a complete investigation of your case, scaled to the size and scope of the loss.

When pipes freeze and burst releasing water, the mechanical engineers at Robson Forensic are frequently retained to determine the cause of the failure. This article provides a starting point for frozen and burst pipe investigations.

When fire sprinkler systems activate and/or release water we are frequently retained to determine if the systems worked as intended. In the course of these investigations there are common questions that need to be addressed involving system design, maintenance and inspection. This article provides a starting point for fire sprinkler system investigations.

In this article, mechanical engineer Rene Basulto discusses the recent outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease in New York City, the suspected role that mechanical building systems play in the outbreak of the disease, and the changing standards that are designed to control the growth of the Legionella bacteria.

In this article, Rene Basulto, P.E. provides an engineer’s introduction to Legionnaires Disease. He discusses the way that Legionella bacteria propagates in water systems and how developing industry standards intend to control the spread of the bacteria.