M. Dennis Knight, P.E.
(Accepting In-Person & Virtual Presentation Requests)
\r\nPrincipal
Whole Building Systems, LLC
921 Pitt Street
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
United States
(843) 437-3647
Region: IV
Honorarium: None
dknight@wholebuildingsystems.com
Knight

M. Dennis Knight joined ASHRAE in 1979 and has ben working in the building design, construction and operations industry since 1974. He provides engineering, design and construction related services within the building industry. Mr. Knight has served as a Director at Large on the ASHRAE Board of Directors and holds the membership grade of ASHRAE Fellow. Active at the local, state and national levels with various agencies and professional societies, he works to help develop sustainable, integrated building design guidelines and standards. Nationally, as a member of ASHRAE, Mr. Knight is a member and former chair of Standards Committee SPC 224 - \"The Application of Building Information Modeling\", is the former Chair of Technical Committee (TC) 7.1 “Integrated Building Design,” and served as chair of the ASHRAE Building Performance Analysis Specialty Conference for six years. He currently serves on the ASHRAE Finance Committee, Standards Committee, the International Standards Task Force, and the Epidemic Task Force.

Mr. Knight founded Whole Buildings Systems, LLC, in 2010 after having been a principla at a local architectural firm for 6 years and owning an MEP engineering firm and an HVAC Design/Build construction company for 27 years.. Whole Building Systems’ is a high performance buildings consultancy that focuses on commissioning, building performance simulation, energy management, BIM applications, operations and maintenance management and planning.

Mr. Knight holds an assortment of professional registrations and accreditations. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Wisconsin and holds dual registration in South Carolina as a Mechanical Engineer and a Fire Protection Engineer. He is a LEED Accredited Professional, a Construction Specification Institute (CSI) certified Constructional Specification Specialist, a American Commissioning Group (ACG) certified Commissioning Authority and Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified as both a Building Energy Analyst and a Building Envelope Professional.

Topic
Building Information Modeling for the Mechanical Disciplines

This presentation focuses on the value and uses of BIM to Owners, Architects, Engineers, and the community.  It provides a consistent definition of BIM and provides the Mechanical Engineer with the information needed to begin the process of adopting and using BIM as an integrated design tool to optimize mechanical systems design, improve collaboration, minimize coordination errors and deliver better work products and results.  It also provides Mechanical Engineers with the information they need have included in a BIM before they receive it so that they may take advantage of its value without having to spend unproductive time cleaning up corrupt or incomplete files and filling in missing information.

Conducting a Commissioning Kickoff Meeting
GBCI Approved |1 CE Hour| 0920017332
The session walks attendees through the process of conducting a project Commissioning kickoff meeting. It covers the roles and responsibilities of the key stakeholders in the commissioning process, including the Owner, Design Team, Construction Team, Commissioning Authority, TAB Agent and Facility Operators in the successful design, construction, turn over and operation of a building. The session covers the essential commissioning activities required during the pre-design, design, construction, startup, testing and operations phases of a project.
ASHRAE Building Energy Quotient (bEQ)

ASHRAE has a new Building Energy Quotient (bEQ) Energy Labeling Program that officially launched its operational program in 2011, and launched its “as designed” rating in 2013. This presentation includes an overview of the ASHRAE bEQ program with an up to date discussion of its primary goals, objectives, and procedures.

Building Performance Analysis for Building Performance Rating Systems
GBCI Approved | 1 CE Hour | 0920004628
AIA Approved | 1 LU|HSW| KNIGHT03

This presentation focuses on building performance rating systems and their requirements for energy use reduction and whole building optimization. The program provides an overview of how to use computer assisted building performance analysis systems and ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G to maximize the design team’s ability to achieve the greatest number of credits when seeking project certification under a building performed rating system.

Control of Infectious Aerosols
ASHRAE, through its Epidemic Task Force, provided timely leadership in responding to the COVID19 pandemic from March 2020 through June 2022. At the request of the White House, ASHRAE undertook its own project Warp Speed to build on that expertise for the future. In December 2022, the ASHRAE Board committed to quickly writing a standard to make buildings more resilient against infectious aerosols ahead of the next epidemic. In only four months the project committee created and won approval for ASHRAE Standard 241-2023. In this Lecture a member of the 241 project committee will provide a summary of the standard including its purpose, scope, and key requirements with supporting background.
Integrated Building Design and Building Information Modeling
GBCI Approved | 1 CE Hour | 0920004589
AIA Approved | 1 LU|HSW| KNIGHT01

This presentation focuses on the Integrated Building Design and Project Delivery processes including team building, project management, stakeholder responsibilities, early collaboration, better decision making, documentation methods and the use of technologies like BIM to improve the built environment.  The presentation provides an overview of ASHRAE Applications Chapter 57 and how to apply its recommendations to help design, construct, operate and maintain better buildings.

Developing an Integrated Personal Management System
GBCI Approved | 1 CE Hour | 0920004588
AIA Approved | 1 LU| KNIGHT02

This presentation focuses on how to setup and utilize an integrated time and action management system to improve personal communication and productivity.  No matter where you are on the project delivery list of stakeholders, this presentation is designed to provide new ideas and tools to help you provide better leadership, improve personal communications, and to help you personally get things done without giving up your entire personal life.

Health and Wellness in the Built Environment
GBCI Approved |1 CE Hour| 0920017333
This session introduces our members to emerging, consumer driven trends in the areas of health, wellness and well being in the built environment. The session discusses new research focused on Indoor Environmental Quality and it’s potential affects on human occupants. In addition, the session covers how health and wellness requirements are being integrated into new and existing building rating systems and standards. Finally the session concludes with a conversation regarding what ASHRAE’s role has been in the past, and what leadership roles we should be taking now and in the future with respect to maintaining and improving thermal comfort, humidity control, indoor air quality, acoustic and lighting comfort within buildings.