“There’s something special about being able to drive down just about any street in Syracuse and point to a building and say ‘I helped design that’.”
This week we sat down with Chris DeJohn. He’s a Project Manager/Plumbing and Fire Protection Design Engineer who has 35 years of experience and has been with IPD for the last seven years.
What does a typical day look like for you at IPD?
On a typical day you will find me working together with architects, owners, and construction managers. Some of my recent projects include work for healthcare, commercial, and industrial clients.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
The best part of my job is that every day is different. I work on hospitals, veterinary clinics, grow room facilities, food processing plants, and design multiple systems within these projects, including water, medical gas, fuel gas, storm, sanitary, and process piping.
What is different about working for IPD that you enjoy?
Having been in this business for so many years, IPD is different because it’s like a big family. Everybody works together and you can always ask for help. You’re never left on your own. We get a lot of different kinds of projects from new and repeat clients and we have our hands in a lot of different things, from small buildings to large 150,000+ SF buildings.
What’s one recent project that you worked on that you would like to highlight?
I’m currently working a grow facility in Texas. The unique thing about this project is its immense size. It’s about 150,000 SF and it has a large grow room, process rooms, irrigation room, and office space. The facility is very plumbing-heavy in its design, requiring systems for water, process waste, compressed air, and carbon dioxide. CO2 is provided to the ductwork in the grow rooms and dispersed to the plants. When you get a package in the store, this facility grows it, packages it, and ships it.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I enjoy my work. I have been in the business for 35 years and have no desire to do something else. It can be stressful, but it’s very rewarding in the end when final construction is done. There’s something special about being able to drive down just about any street in Syracuse and point to a building and say, “I helped design that”.
A Better Way
to Engineer
Since 2009, IPD has been working with clients to design systems for their buildings, helping to balance budget and performance, and striving to create buildings that improve the health and experiences of those who use them.
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