Built for Project Teams
Coordination for
Architects
Early HVAC input on equipment placement, routing, aesthetics, load calculations, and design-sensitive constraints — for Bay Area architects who need mechanical decisions handled without compromising the architecture.
Built for Architects
A Mechanical Partner That Respects the Design
On architect-led projects, the mechanical scope can drift quietly away from the design language — ducts grow, equipment migrates, and a clean concept turns into a coordination problem. 3rdGen is structured for work where the mechanical needs to be coordinated early, specified clearly, and installed without rewriting the architecture in the field.
- Custom and high-end residential
- Adaptive reuse and historic buildings
- Boutique commercial and hospitality
- Restaurant and retail interiors
- Multifamily and mixed-use projects
- Net-zero and all-electric projects
- LEED, CalGreen, and Title 24 projects
- Design-sensitive mechanical retrofits
- ADUs and significant additions
What We Bring
Mechanical Engineering Built Into the Design Phase
From schematic through construction documents, the mechanical scope is engineered in-house — loads, equipment, ductwork, and code all coordinated as part of the design rather than after it.
Early Design Input
Mechanical review during schematic and design development — equipment placement, routing, ceiling space, and ventilation aligned with the architecture before the design is locked.
Manual J, S, and D In-House
Room-by-room load calculations, equipment selection, and duct design performed in-house so HVAC sizing matches the actual envelope, not rule-of-thumb assumptions.
3D Coordination & BIM
3D modeling of ductwork, refrigerant routing, equipment placement, and access clearances — delivered as drawings or coordinated with your BIM model.
Title 24 & Electrification
California Title 24, CalGreen, and all-electric / heat pump requirements coordinated into the design rather than retrofitted at permit submittal.
Integration
How We Integrate With the Design Team
Architects need a mechanical partner that fits the way the design team already works — joining at the right phase, speaking the right language, and protecting the design intent through to the field.
Design-Phase Collaboration
Joined into SD, DD, and CD phases when called for, with mechanical input that respects design intent — not equipment specs that override it.
Specs & Submittals
Clean specification language, equipment cut sheets, and submittal packages your engineer of record and reviewer can sign off without surprises.
Concealment Strategy
Soffit, chase, ceiling, and façade routing planned early so the visible mechanical footprint stays minimal and the architecture stays intact.
Coordination
What We Coordinate For
Mechanical work on architect-led projects touches ceilings, façades, acoustics, electrical, structural conditions, and code compliance. Our role is to keep all of it on the design's side of the line — coordinated, specified, and concealed where it should be.
- Ceiling heights and soffit limits
- Façade, roof, and yard aesthetics
- Equipment access and serviceability
- Window, door, and millwork coordination
- Acoustic performance and equipment noise
- Concealed and chase routing
- Structural, joist, and floor constraints
- Electrical loads and panel coordination
- Title 24 and CalGreen ventilation
- Permit, plan-check, and field inspection
Scope
Project and System Types
The architectural scopes 3rdGen is built for, and the mechanical systems we design, specify, and install across the Bay Area.
Project types
- Custom residential
- High-end residential remodels
- ADUs and significant additions
- Adaptive reuse and historic buildings
- Hospitality and boutique commercial
- Restaurant and retail interiors
- Multifamily and mixed-use construction
- Institutional and community facilities
- Net-zero and all-electric projects
System types
- VRF and multi-zone heat pump systems
- Mitsubishi Diamond Contractor systems
- Concealed ducted heat pump systems
- Ductless mini-split systems
- Energy recovery ventilation (ERV)
- Mechanical ventilation (CalGreen)
- High-efficiency packaged systems
- Custom ducted air distribution
- Hydronic and radiant coordination
Accountability
Design Intent Stays in the Mechanical
On architect-led projects, the costliest design problems often start at the mechanical line — a duct that didn't fit the soffit, a condenser that ended up where the elevation didn't want it, an outlet that broke the ceiling rhythm.
3rdGen stays close from early design through installation. The architect's intent — concealment, aesthetics, acoustics, and access — gets carried into the field, not lost between trades.
Selected Work
Relevant Work
Recent Bay Area projects where mechanical scope, concealment, and design intent had to stay aligned through the field.
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Berkeley, CA · High-End Residential Remodel
Hearst Remodel — Berkeley
GC-led residential remodel in Berkeley with a six-zone Fujitsu ductless heat pump system and two outdoor units, coordinated around an older existing home being prepared for sale.
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Berkeley, CA · Institutional Upgrade
Religious Institution Mechanical Upgrade | Berkeley
Commercial HVAC upgrade for an institutional religious facility in Berkeley, delivered in coordination with VRGC Inc. and the project team around existing building conditions, access limitations, and closeout requirements.