The CSU Mechanical Review Board (MRB), comprising practicing professional mechanical and electrical engineers, is an advisory arm to the CSU in review of mechanical and electrical building systems, energy efficiency, building decarbonization, infrastructure resilience, and more.
Members
Active:
Jairam Agaram, P.E.
Jai Agaram is the Principal of Digital Energy, Inc. a consulting engineering firm with extensive experience in buildings, central plant infrastructure, renewable energy projects and combined heat and power (CHP/Cogeneration) projects. Jai has successfully worked with CSU campuses, UC campuses, K-12 school districts and California Energy Commission on a variety of projects ranging from energy efficiency improvements to building HVAC design and infrastructure projects.
During the last 40-years, Jai has been involved in providing a variety of consulting support to CSU campuses. These have included design reviews of over a hundred projects and building commissioning services in a variety of buildings including classroom, science, gymnasium, performing arts centers, central plants and large housing complexes. Jai has also successfully led A&E teams in the design of central chiller and boiler plants, expansion of campus chilled water infrastructure, and lately decarbonization projects involving substitution of boiler based heating to heat pump based hot water heating.
Jai has also developed computer models for energy and building systems. Some of the notable models include hourly modeling of complex cogeneration/centra plant projects involving a mix of resources including thermal energy storage, PV, and battery storage. He has also developed other applications involving real time utility meter data tracking and data visualization, and document managements for buildings over their life cycle.
Jai is a member of ASHRAE, AEE and IDEA.
Alyse Falconer, P.E.
Point Energy Innovations
Alyse is a managing principal at Point Energy Innovations, an MEP consulting firm specializing in highly cost-effective net-zero energy and sustainable buildings. As a registered Professional Engineer & LEED Accredited Professional, Alyse designs all-electric MEP systems that positively impact the environment by minimizing energy consumption, offsetting electricity use through on-site renewables and eliminating operational carbon footprints. She has designed, managed, and completed multiple LEED Platinum projects, net-zero energy and Passive House projects. Alyse’s dedication to the industry has been widely recognized by multiple outlets. Alyse was recently awarded the ASHRAE New Faces in Engineering Award, which recognizes the outstanding talents, skills, and abilities of engineering leaders ages 30 or younger as well as Engineered Systems Magazine 20 Women to Watch in HVAC in 2020. She was the 2020-2021 Golden Gate ASHRAE Chapter President, and has also volunteered at the Regional and Society level committees. Alyse sits on the San Francisco ULI Sustainability Committee and she has written an article for ULI Magazine titled “For Owners of Older Commercial Buildings, the Time to Upgrade Your Air Filtration System Is Now.” Alyse has also been asked to guest lecture at ULI MasterClasses as well at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She has spoken at multiple conferences, including GreenBuild and ASHRAE. Alyse is an advisor on the Cal Poly’s Mechanical Engineering HVAC&R Industry Advisory Board. Alyse’s commitment and contribution to the industry is clear and runs deep.
Connor Frazier, P.E.
HGA Architects and Engineers
Connor Frazier is the California Electrical Engineering Department Head at HGA Architects and Engineers. He has led the design and assessment of electrical systems for a wide range of project types, including new and renovated facilities in higher education, healthcare, and the cultural sectors. His technical expertise and leadership in project delivery have earned the confidence of clients and industry peers. Connor has strong experience integrating sustainable system technologies into electrical designs, supporting energy-efficient and resilient building performance. He is a member of Code-Making Panel 15 for NFPA 70 (the National Electrical Code) and has presented at both California and national conferences. He brings a commitment to advancing best practices in engineering and contributes a forward-looking perspective to the Board’s evaluations and decision-making.
Ex Officio:
Lindsey Rowell, Chief of Energy, Sustainability & Transportation (CSU)
Ebi Saberi, University Architect (CSU)
Rachel Patterson, University Engineer (CSU)
James Moore, Central Plant Manager (CSU Chico)
Emeritus:
Douglas Effenberger, P.E.
Kent Peterson, P.E.
Steve Straus, P.E.
Responsibilities
The MRB’s primary purpose is to support CSU’s efforts in improvement of the quality of new and existing facilities and infrastructure through promotion of energy efficiency, decarbonization, resilience, optimized lifecycle costs, and streamlined operations and maintenance. The MRB also authors CSU design guidelines that can be found on the References page.
MRB member firms provide commissioning and peer review services for CSU Major Capital projects, in addition to general engineering advisory services. Letters of concurrence at 75% Schematic Design and 95% Construction Documentation phases of design are issued by the MRB member contractually engaged. Full details of the Mechanical Peer Reviewer scope can be viewed in the associated Master Enabling Agreements available for campus use.
Meetings
The scheduled quarterly meetings of the board are rotated among the campuses of the CSU to provide regular firsthand observation of the campuses as well as to accommodate discussions between the Office of the Chancellor staff, board members, and the campus staff.
MRB Design Guidelines:
Design performance and submittal requirements are provided through standards and guidelines. Guideline documents have the most administrative leeway, whereas standards are specific performance metrics with limited leeway. Any document that is posted on the CSU website at the time of the project submittal is considered to be in effect for the project.
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CSU Compliance Requirements for 2025 Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (.pdf, Rev. 04/2026)
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Commissioning Campus Mechanical and Electrical Standards (.pdf, Rev. 11/28/2018)
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Commissioning Guideline For CSU Capital Projects (.pdf, Rev. 11/28/2018)
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Control Systems Procurement Guide (.pdf, Rev. 12/12/2018)
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CSU Energy Metering for Utilities Management (.pdf, Rev. 10/09/2018)
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CSU Feasibility Study Guide (.pdf, Rev. 09/23/2021)
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CSU Indoor Lighting Guide (.pdf, Rev. 12/12/2018)
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CSU Indoor Lighting Design Specifications for Task Order Construction Agreement Delivery Method (.pdf, Rev.04/12/2021)
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CSU Mechanical and Electrical Basis of Design Guidelines (.pdf, Rev. 12/07/2018)
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CSU Metering Guide (.pdf, Rev. 12/12/2018)
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Outdoor Lighting Design Guide (.pdf, Rev. 12/10/2018)
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Owner’s Project Requirements (.pdf, Rev. 09/14/2021)
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Utilities Infrastructure Master Plan Guideline for CSU Campuses (.pdf, Rev. 12/10/2018)
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Utility Recharge Rate Computation Guide (.pdf, Rev. 12/07/2018)
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Best Practices for Hydronics Piping & Infrastructure (.pdf, Rev. 11/2022)
Other Resources:
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Associated Contracts
- Systemwide Mechanical Systems and Electrical Systems Peer Review MEA
- Systemwide Commissioning and Monitoring-Based Commissioning MEA
Reference: