Mr. Rivas, P.E. Joins Our Team of Experts in Miami

We are pleased to announce that Alejandro Rivas, PE, MS, HFDP, LEED AP BD+C has joined the U.S. Forensic team in Miami, Florida. Mr. Rivas obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and his Master’s degree in Reliability of Industrial Systems from the University Simon Bolivar in Caracas, Venezuela.   He earned a second Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma.   He is a registered professional engineer in Florida.

Engineering Experience

Mr. Rivas has extensive experience in HVAC systems and plumbing design.  He is a Healthcare Facility Design Professional (HFDP) and LEED AP BD+C (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Advanced Professional in Building Design and Construction) professional.  Mr. Rivas is experienced in the Healthcare, Laboratories, Clean Rooms, Higher Education, and Commercial and Residential markets MEP engineering design.  He is a recipient of the 2017 American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Technical Paper Award.

PUBLICATIONS

• Rivas Prieto, A., Thomas, W., Song, L., Wang, G. 2017. In-Situ Fan Curve Calibration for Virtual Airflow Sensor Implementation in VAV Systems. ASHRAE Transactions – ASHRAE Winter Conference (Vol. 123, pp. 215-229). ASHRAE Inc
• Rivas Prieto, A. Uncertainty Analysis for In-Situ Fan Curve Calibration in Variable Air Volume Systems. M.S. Thesis, School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
• Rivas Prieto, A., Elizondo, J., Song, L., Wang, G. 2016. Uncertainty Studies of Airflow Measurements in Non-Ideal Conditions in Variable Air Volume Air Handling Units. Conference Proceedings – ASHRAE Annual Conference, St. Louis, MO
• Kiamehr, K., Rivas Prieto, A., Thomas, W., Gang, W., Song, L. 2016. Evaluation of Fault Detection and Diagnosis Methods for Air and Water Distribution Systems Using Virtual Flow Meters. Conference Proceedings – ASHRAE Annual Conference, St. Louis, MO
• Shahahmadi, S., Rivas Prieto, A., Song, L., Wang, G. 2017. Energy Savings Potential in a Medical Facility through Custom Minimum Airflow Resets. AEI 2017: Resilience of the Integrated Building – ASCE Conference (pp. 419-431), Oklahoma City, OK

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

• Rivas Prieto, A. “Uncertainty Studies of Airflow Measurements in Non-Ideal Conditions in Variable Air Volume Air Handling Units”: presented at the ASHRAE Annual Conference, Conference Paper Session 11, St. Louis, MO. June 27^th, 2016
• Rivas Prieto, A. “In-Situ Fan Curve Calibration for Virtual Airflow Sensor Implementation in VAV Systems”: presented at the ASHRAE Winter Conference, ASHRAE Transactions Poster Session, Las Vegas, NV. January 30^th, 2017

Forensic Engineering

U.S. Forensic’s mechanical engineers conduct failure analysis of mechanical systems, equipment, and components including:

• Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems to determine if a failure or loss was the result of
  • a manufacturing defect
  • improper design or installation
  • improper service or repair
  • lack of maintenance, or
  • operator error.
• HVAC systems to determine if loss or damage is due to
  • a lightning strike/surge
  • improper design/sizing/installation
  • poor ventilation
  • mechanical failure
• Heavy Equipment & Elevator Evaluations
• Product Liability Evaluations
• Automotive Evaluations