Category: Uncategorized

The Case for Commissioning

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

How third-party commissioning agents can improve building construction.

Over the last three decades, I worked with thousands of buildings and witnessed firsthand a critical issue in the building industry: Construction Quality. Serious building deficiencies are shockingly common.

These flaws are born from a construction event — not only in new construction but remodels and simple equipment replacements as well. The prevalence of quality deficiency in all building types: big and small, simple and complex, commercial and residential; is on the rise.  Retail, restaurant, office, grocery, lodging, education, warehouse, data center, healthcare… none are immune.

As a result, we have buildings with:

  • Unhealthy and uncomfortable indoor environments
  • High energy use
  • Soaring repair and maintenance costs

Causes of Poor Construction Quality

I observed four key root causes of poor construction quality:

  1. Pressure on time and money – As a society, we want things faster and cheaper, and buildings are no exception. This constricts construction teams, forcing errors and cut corners. Important design elements are ignored or intentionally removed from scopes of work.
  2. Scarcity of skilled labor – The skilled labor shortage is a national challenge and is worsening. Because of this, people are installing building systems without proper training and experience. Even when intentions are good, mistakes happen.
  3. Lack of integrity – Sadly, personal character and ethics are undervalued by many. Frequently I see contractor reports claiming certain tasks were complete but, upon inspection, were found incomplete… A construction checklist indicating the presence of important equipment accessories that are missing, a balance report showing airflow set to design while the necessary components are not installed, the list goes on. Much of the construction process is invisible to building owners and thus ripe for dishonesty.
  4. Absence of accountability – The vast majority of construction issues are being overlooked. When they are caught, they are not being pursued to a successful resolution. This problem is exacerbated for chain building owners trying to manage dozens, if not hundreds, of projects at once. They are unable to keep up, and their level of oversight diminishes.

Commissioning: How to Improve Construction Quality

So, what can be done? Give construction contractors more time and money to do their job and, though that may help, that doesn’t ensure success. The skilled labor shortage is a long-term problem and will not be solved any time soon. We can and should associate with those who have integrity, but we must verify that our trust in them is justified.

What can we do immediately? We can improve construction quality, provide accountability by auditing, and inspect the construction process. In other words, we can commission the building.

Independent commissioning agents work alongside the design and construction teams, objectively checking things along the way. However, they do not replace those teams or their responsibilities. The commissioning agents examine particular details of the building systems and determine how those systems work together. Experienced and diligent commissioning agents uncover construction deficiencies and work with the appropriate contractors to appropriately resolve issues.

Without accountability built into our construction processes, (AKA commissioning) the quality of buildings will only continue to worsen.

Melink offers commissioning services. Contact us to learn more.

‘Hire a Veteran Day’ is Every Day at Melink

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

July 25 is National Hire a Veteran Day. At Melink Corporation, we have veterans at nearly every level of our business, and we make hiring veterans a priority year-round.

Currently, there are 12 military veterans in the Melink family. Four are in leadership roles and eight serve in roles ranging from sales to field service, via Melink’s national network of technicians. In total, veterans comprise approximately 12% of Melink Employee-Owners.

National Hire a Veteran Day - Statistics for Melink's military veteran employees

We have found that our military veterans are loyal, hardworking, and have a strong sense of integrity. They bring a different perspective on life, leadership, and hard work. Hiring and employing veterans offers Melink a chance to support those that have given so much for our country. It is a mutually beneficial relationship, and our veterans’ military values easily translate to Melink’s core values.

How We Hire Veterans

To help us get matched with veterans, we work with a couple recruiting firms. Originally, we started working with the firms to find the right type of candidate to fill the challenging role of a Melink Field Service Technician.

For this role, veterans seem to be a natural fit and are drawn to the position. The role requires travel, a self-reliant work ethic, and adherence to a specific code of conduct. Plus, a technician is often away from his or her family for an extended amount of time.

For me, hiring veterans is rewarding on several different levels. I feel that we understand the capabilities of these individuals and that we can translate their military experience into the civilian job market.

Due to several of us in the leadership team are veterans ourselves, we have a unique advantage when hiring veteran talent. We truly enjoy the chance to provide opportunities to those who have also sacrificed and taken up the call to serve our nation.

Meet Our Veterans

We are proud of our veterans and stand by them:

Army

Jon Sawyer

Matt Meyer

Mark Goodhind

 

Melink Navy veterans
Navy

Schyler Forcier

Jason Eckel

Air Force

Jonathan Perry

Ralph Conti

Eric Kelly

Kent Edmonds

Marines

Michael Berry

Larry Moore

Derrick Prince

International Women in Engineering Day

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Now in its seventh year, International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) is celebrated annually on June 23. The day celebrates the accomplishments of women engineers and raises awareness of career opportunities.

Currently, Melink Corporation employs four female engineers.

“Our goal is to enrich and strengthen our teams with a more diverse workforce that can lead to better innovation and effective leadership, while improving our company’s overall performance,” said Angela Bradley, Melink Corporation’s Director of Human Resources.

Meet Melink’s women in engineering…

Sarah Evans

Embedded Software Engineer

Degree: BS Computer Engineering

As an engineer at Melink, my job is to take the ideas for what we want PositiV® or Intelli-Hood® to do and implement them. Since I started working at Melink, my main focus has been on PositiV, our building health monitor system. My work includes programming the PositiV devices, maintaining an application for setting up the devices, collecting and analyzing data, and testing. While all these tasks involve software development, each problem is unique and can require a number of different solutions. Essentially, my day-to-day includes solving puzzles, which I really enjoy.

Krysta Kincaid

Sales Engineer

Degree: BS Industrial and Systems Engineering

My day-to-day in sales at Melink is not necessarily predictable, and for that I am grateful. I support the sales team by creating test and balance proposals and managing projects for new customers. The majority of my time is spent evaluating mechanical plans and developing potential scopes to create proposals for prospective customers. When we win the project or program, I run point with the end customer and site contacts. This includes reviewing the contract, scheduling our technician with the jobsite, securing rental equipment, communicating with our technician on site, distributing any necessary information to the customer in real time, and ensuring the customer gets the final report. I will then help answer any questions the customer has about the findings. In my role, I collaborate with almost the entire sales, national account, and network leadership teams on a daily basis. I truly enjoy the human interaction with my colleagues, as well as our customers. At the end of the day, all of our efforts at Melink go toward trying to save the environment, and that gets me out of bed every morning.

Katherine Moeller

Quality Assurance Engineer

Degree: BS Industrial and Systems Engineering

My role in quality assurance is to ensure that the products Melink produces, as well as our internal processes used to create those products, function properly and efficiently. Daily, my role can vary from creating process documentation to testing firmware to verifying data accuracy. I help connect what is created by the product development team to something that can be replicated easily by our production team. I support the production team by providing the materials they need to create and test a high-quality product, prior to sending it to the customer. Something I really enjoy about my job is that each day is different and I get to work with multiple stakeholders across the company.

Anna Rusconi

Account Engineer

Degree: BS Mechanical Engineering

My role varies from day to day. When we receive a test & balance quote request from one of our national accounts, I look through the mechanical prints to prepare a quote. The quote covers the scope of work for the visit, as well as the estimated time needed for an on-site technician. Before our technicians visit on site, I make sure they are equipped with all the information they need to successfully complete the job. If the technician has any questions while on site, I work with them and our site contacts to ensure the visit goes as smooth as possible. Once the T&B is completed and the final report is sent to the customer, I will work with the customer to help them understand the information. We provide our customers with an overview of their project data; I work with the National Account Manager to pull data to present to the customers. I really enjoy this position because each day is different, and it is rewarding to help the customers and the internal team. 

About International Women in Engineering Day

INWED was launched in the United Kingdom in 2014. Since then, the day has grown significantly and was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2016.

Top 3 Construction Industry Trends in the U.S.

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

A discussion of 2020 construction industry trends.

Have you ever wondered why construction on the interstate near your house has dragged on for the past five years, yet when you come back from a 10-day vacation in the Bahamas, an entire strip mall emerged out of existence since you’ve been gone? Okay, so maybe it takes longer than a fortnight to build an Arby’s but certainly not more than a couple years, like most roads and bridges. There are many differences between horizontal construction (roads) and vertical construction (buildings), but I would like to explore the top three trends in the (vertical) construction industry that have expedited the building process, enabling contractors to build smarter.

#1 Better Planning

It’s no surprise that technology is booming in every industry. Between IoT, cloud computing and artificial intelligence, the effect that big tech has had on construction has opened the doors for many process improvements. The way architects and engineers plan for construction has changed drastically over the past several years. One major improvement has been in their modeling software to incorporate Building Information Modeling (BIM). BIM is a 3-D, model-based process that allows for multi-disciplinary collaboration on a single platform. Succeeding CAD and other 2-D programs, BIM has transformed the way architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals visualize their projects, as well as how they convey them to the client.

construction industry blueprint

#2 Appeal to “Turnkey”

Turnkey solutions are emerging as the best way to streamline operations from planning to install. These can ease the minds of builders who can now better organize workflow knowing that a single product or service can get the job done. With turnkey solutions come project managers who can coordinate with multiple trades to accomplish the packaged scope. This plays particularly well to companies with a diverse product offering who already have a lot of expertise under the same roof. More specialized companies may be left by the wayside as they simply don’t have the resources to furnish a complete product without delegating some of the scope.

#3 More Skilled Labor

From the construction trends I covered above to forecasted industry growth, there is a labor crisis that is getting worse every year. With the emergence of new technology comes the need to educate the labor force to implement these advances without sacrificing quality. Unfortunately, forcing a generation of young adults to pursue trade school rather than college doesn’t happen overnight, so the construction industry has to adapt. Part of the solution comes with self-performing companies who can guarantee quality with the products that they offer. Afterall, who better to install the super high-tech gadget than the company that made it?

Melink offers turnkey options for clean-energy projects. From solar PV installation to DCKV systems to geothermal HVAC, our skilled team is comprised of industry experts. Contact us today to see how we can help on your construction projects.

Melink 2025 Pledge

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Happy Earth Day 2020!  Though we are living through a pandemic that is killing thousands, sickening millions, and affecting billions of jobs, we need to have a vision and purpose beyond this time that gives us hope for a better world.

Earth Day gives us the permission to think big again and to imagine the bold goals we have long supported finally being implemented and realized.  However, since government often lags rather than leads when it comes to the environment, we need individual action more than ever.

Sure, the clean energy movement is well underway.  Countless government, business, and education leaders are investing in solar and wind farms across the United States and around the world. Electric cars and batteries are slowly but surely going mainstream.

But certain headwinds are preventing this clean energy movement from becoming a revolution.  Yes, the current administration is one of them.  And the fossil fuel industry and climate change deniers are another. And, to some extent, so are you and me.

How many of us complain about someone else not doing their part to lead on climate action, and then fail to do so ourselves?  For example, is every one of us buying clean energy from our utility? And is every one of us at least planning to upgrade to an electric car in the future?      

It is in this spirit that I make the Melink 2025 Pledge. Though our company has long been a pioneer and leader in clean energy solutions and Zero-Energy buildings, we have typically allowed our employees to make personal choices that run counter to our mission.

Now that we are an ESOP and every employee is an owner, it is more incumbent than ever for us to walk the talk on our vision and mission. The world already has enough headwinds. But Melink shall continue to lead and live up to its calling even during the hardest times.

Melink 2025 Pledge

  • Every Melink employee-owner shall select the clean power option from his/her utility. (The average monthly cost of doing this is a Starbucks cup of coffee).

 

  • Every Melink employee-owner shall drive an electric car using clean energy. (Our EV incentive, leasing program, and lower market prices should make this possible).

 

  • Melink Corporation shall give everyone five years to transition to this commitment. If there are personal financial reasons preventing this, we will support him/her.

To further leverage this pledge, we ask that other local, regional, and national partners or stakeholders join us.  It’s a small premium to do the right thing, and it’s getting smaller every day.  Let’s create more demand so that in five years it’s cheaper than doing the wrong thing. Like the pandemic and any war, we can only win if we all do our small part. Let’s create a better world for our children and grandchildren — all of us, together.      

Sincerely,

Steve Melink signature

Steve Melink
Chairman & CEO
Melink Corporation

 

A Day in the Life of a Melink Engineer

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Engineers serve a variety of roles at Melink Corporation — application, project, tech support, product design, and field service. In honor of National Engineer Week (Feb 16-22, 2020), Melink employee-owners are sharing what they do. Read along in a day in the life of…

Tom Critchfield
Quality Engineer & Field Service Engineer

I am currently in a dual role at Melink. As a Quality Engineer, I typically wake up early and log on to our internal server to see the Test & Balance queue status. I’ll catch up on emails and have a check-in phone call with the Field Service Manager to see if there is anything urgent from the customer service team or field technicians. The rest of my day consists of reviewing submitted reports, providing feedback to technicians, and planning potential quality assurance audits for the following days or weeks. Depending on the day, I will also be involved in meetings and technician education programs.

Then, as a Field Service Engineer, a large chunk of my time is spent traveling and getting to the various T&B job sites. This includes driving, flying, and speaking with border agents to gain access to Canada. Once on site, I speak with the site superintendent, mechanical contractor, electrical contractor, and anyone else I’ll need to be working with to complete the job. This is followed by data collection and report construction. The rest of the time is just balance completion and finishing the report.

Josh Gerlock
Business Development Manager

With my engineering degree, I have become a technical sales consultant for Melink. I often start my day studying industry news and learning about the latest technology trends that my customers are following. From there, I check for any emails that came in the night before while I was not at work and take care of any pressing replies. Next, I move on to new projects by finalizing proposals and creating an energy analysis. The energy analysis is used to show our potential customers how much energy and money our Intelli-Hood® system can save them. On any given day I could be presenting the analysis to customers through a webinar or over the phone to help make sure they understand everything. Part of the day involves being reactive as well by fielding calls and answering customers’ questions. With products that are very technical, there are plenty of times I do not have all the answers, but I always know where to go to make sure I find them or connect my customers with someone who does. Almost three years in, I am still learning new things, so I am always on my toes!

Anna Rusconi
Account Engineer

The Account Engineer role at Melink varies from day to day from working with the customer to working with the technicians to collecting data analytics.  When we receive a Test & Balance quote request from one of our national accounts, I look through the mechanical prints to prepare a quote. The quote covers the scope of work for the visit, as well as the estimated time needed for an on-site technician. Before our technicians visit on site, I make sure they are equipped with all the information they need to successfully complete the job. If the technician has any questions while on site, I work with them and our site contacts to ensure the visit goes as smooth as possible. Once the T&B is completed and the final report is sent to the customer, I will work with the customer to help them understand the information. 

Also, when we visit customers or have customers visit our office, we provide them with an overview of their project data from the previous years. I work with the National Account Manager to pull data to present to the customers. I really enjoy this position because each day is different, and it is rewarding to help the customers and the internal team. 

Darren Witter
Vice President of Human Resources

Earlier in my career, I applied my engineering education to more “traditional” engineering vocations. These included product development, manufacturing, design, commissioning, and green building construction and operation. These experiences were incredibly valuable, and I enjoyed them immensely. Now, after more than two decades into my profession, I apply my engineering principles and training in other ways. Though different from what I first envisioned as an engineering student, these ways are equally exciting, challenging, and fun! I help fellow Melink employee-owners with career development by providing training on technical concepts, soft skills, company values, and lessons from my personal experience. I meet students and prospective employees and explain our unique company mission and culture, our products and services, and career opportunities.  I provide tours to visitors of Melink’s Zero-Energy headquarters, one of the greenest buildings on the planet, and inspire them to be more sustainable in their lives. I seek ways to improve processes and strengthen our businesses. And, most importantly, I help to care for our greatest asset at Melink… our employees. Years of solving technical problems as an engineer have helped prepare me to now solve business challenges, to guide and mentor others, and to make the world a better place!

Sarah Evans
Embedded Software Engineer

As an engineer at Melink, my job is to take the ideas for what we want PositiV® or Intelli-Hood® to do and implement them. Since I started working at Melink, my main focus has been on PositiV, our building health monitor system. My work includes programming the PositiV devices, maintaining an application for setting up the devices, collecting and analyzing data, and testing. While all these tasks involve software development, each problem is unique and can require a number of different solutions. Essentially, my day-to-day includes solving puzzles, which I really enjoy.

Want to be a Melink engineer? Check out our Careers page.

Searching for Melink HVAC Technicians: It’s Recruiting Season!

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

If it’s January, then it’s “Recruiting Season” for Melink T&B Field Service Technicians. Each year, our goal is to source, engage, and win the best technicians to join our national network of HVAC technicians.

Melink technician diagnosing HVAC unit

Becoming a Melink Technician

So, what characteristics does it take to become a Melink T&B Field Service Technician?  That answer lies in our Melink Core Competencies:

Extreme Ownership – A Melink HVAC Technician takes personal responsibility for outcomes and perseveres to face resistance or setbacks. A Melink Technician pursues everything with energy and drive.

Subject Matter Expertise – A Melink HVAC Technician is the on-site expert. Every technician excels at his/her professional function, regularly demonstrating and sharing depth of knowledge and skills. Being a quick study is key in success.

Clear & Candid Communication – A Melink HVAC Technician ensures that information is passed on to others who should be kept informed and has the courage to say what needs to be said.

Building Collaborative Relationships – A Melink HVAC Technician develops trusting, respectful, and professional relationships with colleagues and customers over time.

Planning & Problem-Solving – A Melink HVAC Technician takes the steps necessary to deliver high-quality results on time and on budget.

Continuous Improvement – A Melink HVAC Technician constantly seeks ways to improve the internal and external customer experience by delivering better, faster, or less expensive products and services.

When looking to take the next steps in your career, make sure to take the time to truly understand the meaning behind of each of Melink’s Core Competencies. Going through these will not only help you in your job search but help you to be an overall better employee, no matter your future career path.

Are You the Next Melink HVAC Technician?

At Melink, our goal is to provide the best “White Glove” service for our customers.  We want you if you:

  • Can travel 100%
  • Have electrical and controls experience
  • Received HVAC training and education
  • Have a strong work ethic
  • Possess a high level of self-accountability
  • Have strong organizational skills
  • Have high emotional intelligence, a positive attitude, and a service-leadership philosophy

Does it sound like you would be a great fit for our team? Click here to learn more and meet with Melink’s Human Resources Team.

To Own Is To Serve

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

A Friendly Competition

In 2010, Melink started a friendly competition called the “Good to Great Awards”. This was inspired by Jim Collins’s book “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t”.  The goal was to challenge employees to give their best, be innovative and make Melink a great company and sustain our goals year over year.  In typical Melink fashion, we had several employees rise to the challenge and set the tone for the next 10 years.

A Step Further

We knew this was good, but can we make this friendly competition great?  2012 began a new approach and we transitioned to a healthy competition that focused on delivering quality products and services and continuously looking for ways to improve.  Now we were asking for employees to take ownership and responsibility to support our vision, mission and values.  Over the next few years, great ideas were born:

  • Blowing Things Up
  • Insanely Great Service
  • Purpose with Passion
  • Sow to Grow
  • Act Like a Start Up
  • Attitude is Everything

Core Competencies

This year’s competition focuses on stewardship by an individual, team, or collective group displaying an example our newly defined core competencies and our values. Everything we do is built on Integrity, Service Excellence, and Innovation, and this past year we decided to take it a step further by adding six core competencies that we believe all of Melink employees should portray.

Melink Competition for Internal Success and Growth - Core Competencies

Nominating For Success

Just as we do every year, we have an abundance of nominations already. Our employees are proud to be able to acknowledge someone else’s hard work. Their drive makes Melink a better place, for our employees and for our customers. A sampling of the nominations we have received this year include:

  • “Not only does he ALWAYS do a fantastic job on all the projects he works on, he looks out for the development of the other technicians”
  • “The tech worked on a site and took the time to explain what he was working on to the onsite personnel. This was not unnoticed, Melink received a glowing thank you email from the GC.”
  • “She has been above and beyond nice to me. She helped me out when my car was in the shop by giving me a ride to and from work.”
  • “He has persevered through probably double the workload than he previously had. Every engineering need from the sales team was met, with timely, quality results.”

In February 2020, we will honor the winners at our annual company meeting.  It will be difficult to select a winner, but we know Melink will continue to strive for Greatness. This competition will help promote continual improvement.

Employee Ownership Month

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

The ESOP Association and its member companies celebrate Employee Ownership Month every October.  An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is a benefit plan that gives workers ownership interest in their company.  The employees do not buy the stock, there is no cost to the employees, and it is not a part of their compensation plan.  According to The ESOP Association: “An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is a retirement plan—in some ways similar to and governed by the same laws and regulations as a 401(k). In other ways, ESOPs are quite different from 401(k)s.  When companies launch an ESOP, they form a trust that purchases some or all of the company’s shares and holds these in retirement accounts for employees. When the stock value increases or decreases, so does the value of employees’ accounts.”  Various studies and surveys have linked ESOPs to higher returns, greater productivity, higher sales growth, and greater likelihood to survive as compared to conventionally-owned companies.

Ownership creates a unique incentive and motivation for employees to do what they can to help the business be successful.  Imagine the collective power of not just one or just a few owners, but every employee thinking and acting like owners, invested in the company’s success and all pulling together toward that common goal!  The more they do to grow sales and profits, and there are often a countless number of small actions every day which can do both, the more value they directly put into the company… and into their own retirement.

Owners generally think and act differently than non-owners.  Consider how you treat something that you rent versus something that you own.  Perhaps a rental car.  A home or apartment.  A tuxedo.  Or some other property.  Most people will give extra care and attention to the things they own themselves.  They see things in context of the bigger picture and the long-term, not just the here-and-now.  They recognize and appreciate the importance of customer satisfaction.  They see the value in maintaining healthy and collaborative relationships with co-workers/co-owners.  They display a more positive attitude.  They make decisions that are best for the company, not just best for themselves.

Melink became an ESOP in 2018 to create an additional retirement benefit for employees, to share success among all employees, and to reward employees for their efforts to grow and support our business’s success.  The ESOP also allowed us to maintain the company’s independence as a green-energy focused business.  Our ESOP is viewed as a long-term, wealth-building plan that provides each Employee-Owner with an equity stake in the company.  Employee ownership very much complements our company culture and our core values of integrity, innovation, and service excellence.  Even though we only recently became employee-owners, we have always had that owner-mindset.  Ever since I started with the company 23 years ago, I can remember our founder, Steve Melink, encouraging us to “think like an owner”.  Owners make decisions that are in the best interest of their customers, their employees, and their business.

Whether or not your company is an ESOP, how do you perform your job duties?  Like an owner… or like a renter?

Melink’s Super-Green HQ2

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Melink’s super-green HQ2 is approaching the 90% completion mark.  The windows are installed, and the curtain walls and doors are next.  The sidewalks are being poured and the solar canopy will be erected very soon.  Then the courtyard pavers and asphalt parking lot will be installed.  The two ponds will be combined into a larger one and the landscaping will follow.

Inside, the framing and drywall is nearly completed.  The zone heating/cooling, plumbing, and electric is also nearly completed with our super-hybrid geothermal system going in after the floor area is epoxied next week.  Most of our innovations and patentable products will revolve around this showcase system.  Stay tuned for more information on this as we work through the details.

Painting and carpeting should begin in October with the furniture and fixtures quickly following.  The super-green building should be 99% complete by the end of that month with just punch-list items and commissioning in November.  Melink Solar & Geo should be able to move-in in December and officially start its first month of lease in January. 

SonLight Power’s staff will also be relocating to our HQ2 in January as part of strategic partnership to promote solar and all the positive benefits, including lower operating costs and long-term sustainability and resiliency. In February, we will have our annual Company Meeting and hold an internal grand opening for our employees.

In April we plan to host a separate grand opening for our customers and other stakeholders.  We hope to attract a national keynote speaker to further promote the message that Zero-Energy Buildings are proven, practical, and profitable.  If Melink can design and build an affordable zero-energy building, all architects and engineers in the building industry should do the same.