CRS Engineering and Design Consultants

The professional practice disciplines within the firm work as part of structured teams, which are typically comprised of multiple disciplines. The teams are organized around the specific needs of the client and project. Specialty services, such as Lighting Design and Fire Protection Engineering, are offered as stand-alone services, or as supplemental enhanced services as needed to support a multi-discipline team.

CRS offers these services as part of a multi-discipline package or as individual disciplines as needed to best serve the client and the project.

Since Frank Cater founded the firm nearly 30 years ago, CRS has been delivering quality electrical engineering consulting services in an innovative, cost-effective manner for a wide range of projects. Today the dedication, technical knowledge, and depth of experience of our staff gives CRS the ability to deliver quality solutions to complex projects in a time efficient manner.

We continually challenge ourselves to provide consulting services that are cost efficient for our clients, while designing systems that are maintainable, flexible and considerate of operational costs. We feel that the continued trust of our clients is proof that we have met the challenge.

CRS stays on the cutting edge by constantly expanding client services. Our areas of expertise include central plants, primary power distribution systems, standby generators, UPS systems, fire alarm systems, security systems and voice/data systems.

The experience of our staff, our design philosophy, and our company’s commitment to total quality combine to offer our clients’ excellence in electrical engineering services.

CRS has provided Mechanical & HVAC engineering services to our clients since 1990. Since that time, we have continually expanded our mechanical engineering services. Our technical strength allows us to anticipate our clients’ needs and to expand our scope of practice to meet those needs. The philosophy of our mechanical engineers is to create unique design solutions that provide cost-conscious, maintainable and effective mechanical systems for our clients.

Among the specialized areas of practice offered by CRS in the mechanical engineering field are: central energy plants, alternative energy systems, thermal storage, energy conservation, process piping, medical gas systems and digital controls and automation systems.

Because of the depth of professional experience within our company, CRS has first-hand design knowledge in creating plans for central plants large enough for a military base, a college campus or a hospital. Our experience also includes high tech isolation rooms and industrial designs for compressed air systems.

The experience level of the professionals in this discipline coupled with the number of Professional Engineers and the variety of technical experiences in our company, gives CRS the ability to offer total quality designs for our clients.

CRS has offered Plumbing Engineering services since 1990, providing consistent quality plumbing system design for our clients. We have proven experience on projects of all scopes and sizes. The experience of our plumbing engineers and designers allows us to give our clients the most cost-efficient and effective plumbing design possible.

By working as a part of a multi-discipline design team, our plumbing designers are able to interact with the design team or the owner at all stages of the project. This enables us to provide the most effective plumbing design while minimizing the cost.

Our staff of engineers and designers constantly participates in specialized training, which guarantees that our clients receive state-of-the-art design and consistently excellent service.

CRS's objective to offer a full compliment of engineering and design services led the firm to include Fire Protection design service. With this new service we are able to provide clients with designs for efficient and code-compliant fire protection systems. In addition to full-service plumbing design, CRS offers our clients the services of a fire protection design engineer whose expertise compliments that of the other professionals in the firm.

This highly specialized service ensures our clients that CRS has the knowledge and experience to anticipate the complex restrictions and codes that are associated with fire protection systems on a project.

With the addition of a fire protection team trained and experienced in sprinkler and fire protection systems, CRS can work closely with the project design team to insure the highest level of cost efficiency by avoiding costly change orders.

Fire Protection system design is another example of CRS Engineering's commitment to providing top quality, state-of-the-art design services to our clients.

CRS Engineering’s commitment to provide integrated and enhanced design services, led to its development of a Lighting Design service. CRS is one of the few consulting engineering firms in the Southeast to offer specialized lighting design consulting. We have offered Lighting Design consulting since 1990.

Our approach is to design lighting that is thoroughly integrated into the architectural design, enabling the necessary visibility while enhancing the project. Our proven staff has garnered several design awards, including the lighting industry’s top honor, the I.E.S. Guth Memorial Award of Distinction, in 1995. These accomplishments validate our design philosophy and the capabilities of our team.

Featuring a unique combination of technical expertise and aesthetic sensitivity, our lighting designers work closely with owners, users, architects and designers. Our objective is to create the most effective and efficient use of lighting, to improve the productivity of users and to embellish the appearance of their environment, both inside and out. Our aim is to provide lighting that is not only purposeful, but also enriching.

Among the lighting design services CRS provides for clients are these specialized lighting systems and service

Security System Design at CRS will provide the client with a system that will meet the security needs that each facility requires from a modest household security system to the most secure jail facility. Each facility is designed to the clients needs and will include all or part of the following security equipment needed to make to facility secure. CCTV Surveillance System.

Place video cameras to monitor entrances, exits and sensitive areas
Select cameras for best possible view of area

Locate video switching equipment conveniently for security personnel

Place video monitors for easy viewing with single or multiple views

Select recording equipment for historical data

Design remote monitoring of system as required for multiple buildings

Design cable routing and grounding to eliminate interference

Provide system operational training for security personnel

Design card reader, key pad or key entry system to control facility access

Design card reader processor location and power requirements

Specify and size central processor to provide sufficient database for future

Design remote monitoring of system as required for multiple buildings

Design cable routing and grounding to eliminate interference

Provide system operational training for security personnel

Design duress transceiver location for continuous monitoring of duress signal
Design door, window or motion alarm positions to detect unauthorized entry

Integrate alarm system into CCTV Surveillance System to monitor alarm location

Design remote monitoring of system as required for multiple buildings

Design cable routing and grounding to eliminate interference

Provide system operational training for security personnel and duress system user.

The systems built today are attractive and blend into the architectural design of the buildings. These systems can also be integrated into a Facility Management System for a comprehensive view of the building facility and its operation.

Estimate Voice and Data outlet requirements based on building size

Develop LAN or WAN fiber and copper communications cable topology

Specify horizontal and riser cable type, sizes, quantities and distances

Specify termination hardware and labeling requirements

Develop Telecommunication Closet (TC) requirements for the building

Develop TC equipment layout

CRS has Architectural Room acoustical consulting services as well as mechanical system noise control and sound isolation services for existing and new facilities. These services are performed by a registered engineer. CRS consults in acoustics within the architectural design process integrating recommendations throughout your compressed design cycles. The following design services are most effective during the schematic or design development phase to appropriate the required details, construction materials/techniques, and resources to reach the desirable condition.

Establishing optimum room acoustical response time (Reverberation Time-reflects how lively or tight the space is when responding to sound energy).

Providing recommended room geometry to achieve best listening conditions.

Assisting in room finishing details and furnishings to achieve desired room response.

Recommendations for wall, ceiling, and floor construction methods to achieve required noise criteria (NC or RC rating).

Provide information on material property compositions including noise reduction coefficients (NRC Ratings) and mounting details to obtain maximum effectiveness.

Provide analysis report for defining the relative effectiveness of existing facilities to provide a proper listening environment. Recommendations would include options given the uses of the space (i.e. liturgical, sports, choral, organ, lecture, etc.).

Provide recommendations, analysis, and design options to reduce mechanical and plumbing system vibration and/or structure-borne noise.

Provide design schemes to minimize duct generated and/or diffuser airborne noise.

Recommended linings, sound attenuators, and plenum designs to meet optimum room noise criteria.

Since it's inception in 1976, CRS Engineering has had a philosophy to optimize energy efficiency in every project to encourage responsible use of our natural resources, as well as provide long-term investment returns to our clients. Early in our practice, we championed the use of day lighting and other solar energy technologies, among other energy-saving techniques. Today, that has translated to a commitment to sustainable design practices. To further that end, our staff includes LEED-trained and certified professionals. CRS is a member of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and actively supports local sustainable design activities, such as the Sustainable Alabama Design Initiative (SADI).