T.Y. Lin International’s Rochester office recently received a $1.9 million contract with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to help advance the state’s energy goals. TYLI, along with other industry partners, will help design professionals and code enforcement officials throughout the state increase the percentage of buildings that comply with energy code requirements.

1. Reprinted with permission of the Rochester Business Journal.
VOLUME 31, NUMBER 11 WWW.RBJDAILY.COM JUNE 12, 2015
T.Y. Lin wins $1.9 million state contract
Engineering firm offers
free help on complying
with new energy codes
By ANDREA DECKERT
T.Y. Lin International’s Rochester office
recently received a $1.9 million contract
with New York State Energy Research and
Development Authority to help advance
the state’s energy goals.
TYLI, along with other industry part-
ners, will help design professionals and
code enforcement officials throughout the
state increase the percentage of buildings
that comply with energy code require-
ments.
They are meeting this goal by perform-
ing an energy analysis of building designs,
either at the design phase or as part of the
regulatory approval process; making pre-
sentations on the topic; and offering ways
to obtain energy efficient buildings and
systems.
James Burton, associate vice president
and manager of compliance services at TY-
LI, is leading the project along with Scott
Copp, senior project manager. The firm’s
long-term work in the energy sector was
a driving factor in winning the contract,
Burton said.
The contract gives architects and engi-
neers a local resource and service that en-
sures their clients can benefit from reduced
fuel consumption, learn the complexities
of the new energy codes and reduce green-
house gas emissions.
Under the grant, TYLI provides the ser-
vices at no cost to the client.
Advancing energy services has never
been more relevant, Burton said. New
energy code regulations went into effect
across New York for all commercial build-
ings on Jan. 1. It is anticipated this year’s
regulations and the energy code for resi-
dential buildings will change again in the
first quarter of 2016.
Among the changes in the current energy
regulations are:
n The requirement of skylights and day
lighting for certain buildings over 10,000
square feet;
n Enhanced requirements for energy re-
covery ventilation systems; and
n Mandates that design professionals
use one of three high-efficiency design op-
tions: higher-efficiency heating, ventilation
and air-conditioning systems; higher-effi-
ciency lighting systems; or on-site renew-
able energy.
It is important to make sure the code is
followed because violations can hold up
an entire project, Burton added.
Founded in 1954, T.Y. Lin International
is an infrastructure engineering firm for the
global infrastructure market. It employs
more than 2,500 people in offices through-
out the Americas and Asia. Its headquar-
ters are in San Francisco. It has around 85
upstate workers, with offices in Rochester,
Buffalo and Albany.
The local operation was homegrown firm
FRA Engineering P.C., which started in
1992. It became part of TYLI in Novem-
ber 2007.
TYLI ranked eighth on the most recent
Rochester Business Journal list of engi-
neering firms, with 19 licensed engineers.
TYLI started the energy code program
with NYSERDA in 2010 and is at the be-
ginning of its second round of funding.
Since then, the firm has completed more
than 170 plan reviews and answered up-
wards of 100 questions submitted to an en-
ergy code hotline. It also has provided field
inspection assistance for dozens of local
projects and hands-on training for 40 code
officials and design professionals during
a session in Ontario County, Burton said.
Floyd Kofahl, town of Farmington code
enforcement officer, has worked with the
TYLI team on the energy code regulations
for single-family homes and commercial
buildings.
TYLI not only gave the town a list of
what was in compliance with the energy
code, but also gave tips on what town rep-
resentatives needed to look for when re-
viewing projects, Kofahl said.
The work saved the town and developers
time on jobs by pointing out what needs
to be done at the beginning stages of a
project, rather than having to go back and
fix things.
“It’s extremely user friendly and so de-
tailed, it goes above and beyond initial
reviews,” Kofahl said of the materials and
processes TYLI provided.
adeckert@rbj.net / 585-546-8303