Site selection is the critical first step in any new commercial real estate development. Thorough due diligence during the programming process is imperative so that the site’s infrastructure meets or exceeds an owner’s requirements and expectations. In most instances, an architect may assist the broker in the selection by reviewing multiple buildings and spaces from an architectural standpoint, while the engineer gets involved only after a site has been selected. Given today’s ventilation, cooling, and power requirements associated with technology-intensive clients such as trading firms, hospitals, financial institutions, and other mission critical facilities, it is imperative that design engineers be involved from day one — when the owner is prospecting buildings.