Capabilities
Inventory/Condition Surveys
Smart upgrades start with accurate equipment assessments.
RSA offers extensive experience performing building inventory, condition assessments, and system surveys for mechanical, electrical, and specialty systems across Alaska. These efforts are often the foundation for capital planning, deferred maintenance programs, and regulatory compliance in challenging environments.
Typical scope of work includes:
Facility-wide inventory of mechanical, electrical, lighting, fire protection, and telecommunications systems
Verification of existing conditions where as-builts are incomplete or outdated
System age, capacity, condition, and remaining useful life evaluations
Identification of code deficiencies, safety concerns, and operational risks
Load monitoring, power quality measurements, and capacity analysis
Photographic documentation and standardized reporting formats
Prioritization of repairs, renewals, and capital upgrades
Notable experience includes:
Multi-year inventory, inspection, and testing contracts for the National Park Service, covering facilities across more than a dozen park units statewide. These projects included field verification of fire protection and electrical systems, development of structured inventories, and reporting to agency-provided databases and forms.
District-wide facility assessments for Alaska school districts and municipal owners, supporting long-term capital improvement planning and bond funding.
Condition surveys for remote healthcare, utility, and public safety facilities where access windows are limited and system reliability is critical.
Renovation-focused surveys to support demolition planning, phasing, and continuity of operations in occupied buildings.
Why this matters
RSA’s inventory and condition surveys are grounded in real operating conditions. Our engineers use field measurement tools, firsthand observation, and code knowledge to deliver data owners can trust. The result is actionable information that supports budgeting, prioritization, and informed decision-making, even in Alaska’s most remote and unforgiving locations.
Planning and Feasibility Studies
RSA Engineering brings decades of experience delivering master planning and feasibility studies that support thoughtful decision-making for facilities in Alaska’s most challenging environments. Our engineering team provides comprehensive mechanical and electrical assessments that inform the early planning phases of capital improvement projects, renovations, and new construction.
Our approach emphasizes energy efficiency, life cycle cost analysis, and maintainability. Whether working for school districts, healthcare providers, municipalities, or housing authorities, RSA helps clients understand the scope, systems, and infrastructure required to support their future goals. We routinely provide building condition surveys, utility evaluations, system capacity reviews, and phased upgrade recommendations.
With nearly half our projects located in rural and arctic Alaska, we understand the unique logistical, climatic, and operational challenges of remote facilities. Our team uses advanced diagnostic tools and field experience to gather accurate existing conditions data, evaluate deficiencies, and identify practical, cost-effective solutions. These insights support realistic budgeting, scheduling, and long-range capital planning.
RSA’s master planning work has supported a range of sectors including healthcare, education, housing, municipal facilities, and marine infrastructure. Our success lies in our ability to blend technical expertise with thoughtful planning, always focused on providing sustainable, site-specific, and community-aligned outcomes.
MEP Design Development
RSA Engineering specializes in the integrated design of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems tailored for performance, reliability, and long-term maintainability—particularly in Alaska’s diverse and demanding environments. Our team brings deep technical expertise to every phase of design development, translating client goals and architectural concepts into efficient, code-compliant, and constructible MEP systems.
During design development, RSA focuses on refining system layouts, evaluating alternatives, and selecting appropriate equipment to meet project needs, site constraints, and budget objectives. We leverage our extensive experience in arctic and remote construction to ensure designs are responsive to fuel costs, logistics, and operational limitations. Our engineers work closely with the architect, cost estimator, and owner to deliver well-coordinated solutions that minimize lifecycle costs while maximizing performance.
RSA’s MEP design services include HVAC, plumbing, fire protection, lighting, power distribution, controls, and special systems such as telecommunications, access control, and security. Our design process is informed by field experience and advanced modeling tools, and supported by in-house testing equipment to validate existing conditions when applicable.
With a portfolio that spans schools, hospitals, airports, housing, and marine facilities—many in rural and arctic locations—RSA is known for delivering MEP systems that are durable, energy-efficient, and user-friendly. Our team’s collaborative approach and hands-on leadership ensure that every design aligns with the owner’s operational needs and the project’s unique environmental context.
Construction Administration
From pre-bid to project closeout, RSA supports construction success at every stage.
RSA provides construction contract administration services customized to your project’s scope and preferred level of involvement. We can serve as your full-time representative from start to finish or offer hourly support when you need targeted expertise.
For clients needing full-service representation, RSA manages every critical detail, including:
- Advertising the project
- Distribution of plans
- Preparation of addenda
- Pre-construction coordination meetings with owner, contractor, and utility providers
- Review of contractor schedules and sequencing for constructability and system shutdowns
- Responses to Requests for Information (RFIs)
- Review of product substitutions and value engineering proposals
- Site observations focused on system installation, coordination, and accessibility
- Assistance with phasing plans and continuity-of-operations requirements for occupied facilities
- Evaluation of cost and schedule impacts associated with changes
- Tracking and verification of corrective work and deficiencies
- Witnessing system startups, testing, and balancing activities
- Verification of punch list completion
We ensure your project is well-coordinated and well-documented to keep construction on track and aligned with your goals.
Commissioning
Complex buildings need coordinated systems. We make sure they work.
Commissioning is where design intent meets reality. As building systems become more integrated and technology-driven, proper commissioning is critical to achieving reliable, efficient performance. RSA approaches commissioning as a technical and financial safeguard; verifying that systems operate correctly, control strategies are functional, and performance aligns with owner expectations before problems reach occupancy.
Our commissioning professionals work from design through construction and into occupancy, evaluating systems at both the component and system-level. We validate installation quality, execute functional performance testing, and identify deficiencies before they become operational problems. More importantly, we work directly with contractors, designers, and owners to resolve issues efficiently and document outcomes clearly.
RSA commissions mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Mechanical systems we commission include hydronic heating, ventilation, air conditioning, energy recovery, heat pump, heat recovery and building automation systems. Electrical systems we commission include lighting controls, standby, and emergency power systems. Plumbing systems we commission include water distribution systems, booster pumps, lift stations and freeze protection systems. We have extensive experience with high-efficiency boilers, heat recovery systems, and complex control sequences in both new construction and occupied renovations.
The result is reduced callbacks, improved occupant comfort, longer equipment life, and predictable energy performance. Commissioning is not starting equipment. It is verifying that the building will perform today and years from now.
Site Investigation Capabilities
Smart engineering begins with a deep understanding of your facility.
RSA provides thorough mechanical and electrical site investigation services to support design, retrofits, system upgrades, and performance improvements. Our team conducts comprehensive facility surveys using proven methods and up-to-date tools to deliver accurate assessments of existing systems. From equipment inventory and condition surveys to fault current studies, arc flash analysis, and power quality assessments, our investigations are conducted by experienced engineers who understand Alaska’s unique building challenges.
Beyond surveys, we offer a full range of services to guide informed decision-making, including building commissioning, building energy analysis, and construction inspections.
Whether a facility needs as-built documentation or code compliance verification, RSA delivers clear, actionable insights that support safe, efficient, and cost-effective solutions. Our site investigation capabilities are designed to uncover the full picture so owners and design teams can move forward with the right framework.
Building Sustainable Systems for Alaska’s Future
At RSA, we design sustainable mechanical and electrical systems that reduce energy use, and lower costs, built to perform in Alaska’s harshest environments. Reach out today to learn more.