Cipher, LLC

Advantus Engineers, founded in 2004, provides a range of engineering, commissioning, project and construction management services. Advantus has experience in design, energy analysis, project engineering, commissioning, environmental compliance, and quality assurance. We provide services for the commercial, governmental, and institutional markets. We are pleased to have LEED Accredited Professionals on staff and that our portfolio of work includes a wide array of sustainable buildings. Whether managing environmental concerns, specialty investigations, or providing clients with project and construction management, we put the needs of our clients first. Core Services Building Commissioning: Advantus is a Certified Commissioning Authority, CxA, as well as a member of the Building Commissioning Association, the Green Building Alliance, and the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Commissioning is a process that verifies the correct interaction and operation of building systems and components, while ensuring building systems perform as specified and intended. Advantus is also a Conservation Service Provider as designated by the State of Pennsylvania. MEP Design: Our staff has decades of design experience. Although our specialty is mechanical and HVAC design, we have supplemented our core staff as needed to provide complete MEP packages. Over the last twelve years, we have designed and managed the construction on a wide variety of projects for Pittsburgh Public Schools. Construction Quality Assurance and Coordination: Advantus Engineers held the contract for QA/QC and Commissioning at Goddard Space Flight Center from 2014-2018. Advantus’ full time staff of five to seven professionals’ responsibilities included engineering design reviews, bid document reviews, and construction cost estimates. Advantus also assisted with schedule development, ensuring compliance with NASA scope of work, reviewing and documenting contract performance, monitoring jobsite safety, attending and conducting job meetings, field investigative services, and checking as-built drawings. Since 2018, Advantus has had a full-time construction inspector/engineer in Pittsburgh. Advantus’ inspector has primarily worked on catch basin replacements throughout the city. Responsibilities include: scheduling of work, PA one call-submittal, site planning, documentation of work completed, safety review, quality assurance, report submittal, GPS data collection, restoration coordination, and closing surveys. Environmental Compliance and Sustainability Services: Advantus’ professional have extensive experience with Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance, including NPDES industrial and MS4 permitting, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan / Preparedness, Prevention and Contingency Plan (SWPPP / PPC) development, wastewater pretreatment studies and discharge permitting, and regulatory negotiation. Advantus also has experience with Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI). Since 2017, Advantus professionals have been supporting Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority’s (PWSA) LEAD water line replacements and analyzing storm sewer system and combined sewer system flow meter data for the Green Infrastructure flow monitoring program. Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) of flow monitor data is critical to the evaluation process. Comparing pre- and post-construction flow data is an important factor in determining the effectiveness of a Green Infrastructure project. Angelica Ciranni joined Advantus Engineers in 2019 as Director of Sustainability. In this role, Ms. Ciranni assists design and operations teams in creating and maintaining healthy and high performing buildings and communities. Ms. Ciranni is focused on innovative strategies to address energy and water efficiency, stormwater management, mobility and alternative transportation, healthy materials selection, waste reduction, and other essential features of sustainable infrastructure.