Advancing Safety and System Performance in the Field

Shakeisha Spencer brings focus, confidence, and technical precision to her role as TAB Technician at Velocity BTS. Born and raised in Washington State, she joined Velocity in May 2025 and has quickly made her mark supporting safe, high-performing building systems.

Her entry into the industry began with a college instructor’s recommendation and was further shaped by her participation in the SMART Heroes program. Designed to support veterans and active-duty military members transitioning into the skilled trades, the program provided advanced placement into a sheet metal apprenticeship and a clearly defined career pathway. From there, Shakeisha built hands-on expertise in testing, air balancing, and controls.

Today, her work is centered on fire and life safety, along with air and water balancing, helping ensure building systems perform safely and as designed.

One of Shakeisha’s favorite projects was the Madison Center fire life safety dampers. She describes it as a project “where everything went perfectly,” noting the smooth execution and successful outcome as particularly rewarding.

What drives her most is knowing her work directly contributes to the safety of building occupants, while also giving her the chance to keep learning and growing in the field. That balance of purpose and progress is what keeps the job rewarding.

Beyond the job site, Shakeisha enjoys hiking, fishing, gardening, music, and flying helicopters. She and her wife are also busy raising their five-year-old daughter, who keeps life full and fast-paced.

Shakeisha is also proud to be building a successful career in a traditionally male-dominated industry. She has seen firsthand how the field is evolving and values being part of that change through her work at Velocity BTS.

With a strong commitment to safety, technical excellence, and continuous improvement, Shakeisha is helping set the standard for system performance across Velocity projects.

At Velocity BTS, safety is never just a slogan. It’s the standard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2025, our team of 17 employees worked more than 30,400 hours with zero recordable safety incidents. This achievement marks our fourth consecutive year without a safety incident, and it’s a milestone we’re proud to share.

In our line of work—HVAC testing, balancing, and life-safety systems—safety is not a slogan, it’s the standard. It is a result of disciplined procedures, continuous safety training and recertification, strong field awareness, peer accountability, and a team that looks out for one another every day. Our goal is simple: everyone goes home safely and in the same condition they started the day.

This achievement reflects the core of our safety culture:

• Consistent adherence to safety protocols

• Ongoing training and mentorship

• A culture where stopping work for safety is always the right call

We are grateful for a team that takes personal ownership of safety, not because it’s required, but because it is the standard we hold ourselves to.

At Velocity BTS, we are committed to continuing this culture on every project, at every site, every day. Safety is a shared responsibility, and we’re proud to have a team that embodies it in every task they undertake.

We are pleased to welcome Carson Kreager to the Velocity team as a Commissioning Agent.

Carson is a graduate of Washington State University and brings several years of experience in building commissioning and validation. He has worked on large-scale projects across the West Coast, developing a strong background in systems testing, project coordination, and performance verification. His technical expertise and commitment to quality make him a great addition to our growing commissioning group.

In his new role, Carson will collaborate with the Velocity team to lead and support commissioning efforts for several key projects, including the Tulalip Casino Renovation and Expansion, ASOG Camp Murray, and the Safeco Plaza Existing Building Commissioning project.

Outside of work, Carson enjoys playing tennis, cooking new dishes, solving puzzles, and spending time with his family.

Please join us in welcoming Carson to Velocity! We’re thrilled to have him on board and look forward to the energy and insight he’ll bring to our projects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Velocity Building Technical Services (Velocity BTS) is proud to recognize Dave Petrie for earning the Seattle Fire Department SC-1 certification, further demonstrating our commitment to technical mastery and code-compliant fire safety solutions.

As a Qualified Person authorized by the Seattle Fire Department, Dave is certified to perform testing, inspections, and maintenance on smoke control systems. This ensures that the systems we maintain operate safely, efficiently, and in full compliance with local codes.

Strengthening Our Capabilities

With this certification, Velocity BTS enhances our ability to deliver precise, reliable solutions in smoke control and pressurization systems, including:

• System & Code Expertise: In-depth knowledge of smoke control theory, fan performance, fire alarm interfaces, control logic, and emergency power operations.
• Field Performance: Quickly identifying deficiencies, optimizing pressurization results, and collaborating effectively with engineers and Seattle Fire Department inspectors.

Commitment to Safety and Reliability

At Velocity BTS, continuous education and professional development are core to our approach. Dave’s SC-1 certification reinforces our dedication to delivering safe, dependable, and code-compliant building systems for our clients.

Congratulations, Dave! Your expertise helps Velocity BTS maintain the high standards our clients rely on for fire safety, performance, and technical excellence.

Velocity Building Technical Services (Velocity BTS) is partnering with the Port of Seattle on a critical project designed to ensure the safety of passengers, staff, and airport facilities. This multi-year contract, running from 2025 through 2030, highlights Velocity BTS’ commitment to delivering dependable, code-compliant life safety solutions.

The Velocity BTS team will perform a range of essential services, including:

• Annual Smoke Control Confidence Testing: Verifying that smoke control systems function as designed in emergency conditions.

• Semiannual Fire Suppression System Testing: Inspecting and testing over 13 gaseous systems, providing detailed reporting, and performing on-the-spot repairs when approved.

• Fire/Smoke Damper Testing & Identification: Utilizing advanced geospatial tools to locate, update, and maintain accurate system records while minimizing disruptions in active airport environments.

Backed by commissioning agents, TAB experts, inspectors, and engineers with proven experience in the Port of Seattle and aviation sector, Velocity BTS is equipped to deliver reliable solutions that protect critical infrastructure and keep the traveling public safe.

With more than 52 million passengers passing through annually, the systems maintained by Velocity BTS play a vital role in the safe operation of one of the nation’s busiest airports. Safety, reliability, and technical excellence remain at the core of Velocity BTS’ operations, as the company brings its expertise to projects that safeguard the community and strengthen aviation infrastructure in the Seattle region.

About Velocity BTS:
Velocity Building Technical Services provides commissioning, TAB, inspection, and life safety system solutions for complex facilities across the Pacific Northwest. The company delivers reliable, code-compliant services that ensure the safety and efficiency of every project it undertakes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Glassmaking to Building Performance – Advancing Energy and Operations

Career paths often take unexpected turns, and Annette Ringe has embraced each stage with creativity and determination.

Originally from Southern California, Annette split her early years between California and Oregon before moving to Seattle in 1994.

“A year after I moved here, I was captured by the glassmaking culture up here and started working with hot glass,” she recalls.

Annette spent more than a decade as a professional glassmaker, apprenticing at Chihuly Studios and later managing a local glass studio in Seattle’s South Lake Union. Her work took her to studios across the country and abroad, where she created artwork and maintained the complex facilities that support glassmaking.

In 2018, Annette set her sights on a new goal: completing her degree. She graduated in 2023 with a BAS in Sustainable Building Science Technology, a program focused on energy management, building science, and regional energy policy. Along the way, she completed an internship with the GSA’s Oxbow Building and gained practical HVAC and DHW experience at a Bellevue mechanical company.

Annette joined Velocity BTS two and a half years ago and now serves as an Energy Analyst on the Energy Services team. Her work centers on Washington Clean Buildings Act compliance, supporting clients ranging from downtown Seattle high-rises to schools, hospitals, and distribution warehouses. She develops custom Energy Management Plans, creates O&M programs based on ASHRAE 180, assists with commissioning, and contributes to Energy Star certifications.

For Annette, the most rewarding part of her role is helping bridge gaps between facilities teams, owners, and construction teams.

“If I can help facilities staff get the recognition they deserve or improve their documentation standards, I know I’m making a difference.”

She is also working toward becoming a Certified Energy Manager to expand her impact in the field.

Annette describes herself as “relatively new” to the industry, but her background as both a facility manager and artist gives her a distinctive perspective. Today, she combines precision, problem-solving, and creativity to help Velocity BTS clients make their buildings more efficient and resilient.

Fueling Efficiency, from net-zero homes to Western WA Data Center

Career paths are rarely linear. For Greg, the journey began in a tough job market. It evolved into more than two decades of field testing, commissioning, and energy modeling. Today, he leverages his deep technical background to design complex building systems and has even applied it to his own West Seattle home, transforming it into a solar-powered, net-zero residence that powers both the house and two electric vehicles.

Originally from Tacoma, Greg graduated from Stadium High School, where he ran cross-country. He went on to earn a mechanical engineering degree from Washington State University. He continues to stay active with running and cycling, having completed the Seattle to Portland (STP) and Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and Party (RSVP) events multiple times.

Greg launched his career in 2000 by taking a field-based engineering role to gain hands-on experience. What started as a temporary move grew into a 20-year path through test and balance, commissioning, design engineering, energy audits, and energy modeling. He was also part of building a performance-focused energy group and contributed to the development of in-house energy modeling capabilities.

Since joining Velocity BTS in May 2024, Greg has been instrumental in growing our Energy Services group. His current projects include commissioning the mechanical systems at an Undisclosed Data Center in Western Washington, ensuring systems perform as designed, and troubleshooting construction and design issues. He’s also leading an energy audit for the historic Norton Building in downtown Seattle, analyzing usage and identifying cost-effective energy conservation measures (ECMs) for both financial savings and carbon reduction.

When asked about his favorite project, Greg points to a deep energy retrofit for the Seattle Aquarium.

“I spent over a year walking behind the scenes, learning how their systems work, proposing improvements, and guiding implementation.”

Outside the office, Greg and his wife Heather enjoy camping, live music, and traveling (most recently to Costa Rica). Their two dogs are always ready to join the adventure, while their three cats prefer things stay quiet at home.

From high-performance buildings to homegrown efficiency, Greg brings a unique combination of technical depth and creative problem-solving that continues to make a lasting impact on projects, clients, and the Velocity team.

Leading the Way in Building Controls at Jefferson Hospital

At Velocity BTS, our work is driven by people who take pride in doing things right. Richard Amos, our Controls Foreman, is a perfect example of that mindset in action.

With 17 years in the electrical industry and a deep passion for building controls, Richard joined Velocity earlier this year, bringing a strong background in hands-on electrical craftsmanship.

Originally from Southeast Alaska and raised in Southern Oregon, he found his calling early, excelling in woodshop and diving into construction right out of high school. After joining the IBEW Local 46 apprenticeship in 2008, he journeyed out as a licensed 01 electrician in 2014. Since 2017, he’s specialized in building controls, a passion that eventually led him to Velocity.

Currently, Richard is leading our controls work at the Jefferson Healthcare South Campus Replacement Project in Port Townsend. This transformative hospital expansion project focuses on modernizing care and improving energy efficiency. The project, led by Abbott Construction and designed by ZGF Architects, is being built with collaboration and community in mind. Velocity’s controls team is working on the full airside, hydronic controls, and the controls for a commercial kitchen.

When asked about his approach to the job, Richard shared, “I put a very high price on craftsmanship, so the rewarding part of the job for me is conduit work and panel makeup.”

“I love hearing from customers when they point out how clean and tidy the work is and how easy the start-up was.”

A sports enthusiast and lifelong Mariners and Seahawks fan, Richard also enjoys roasting coffee, hiking, fishing, and camping in his spare time.

His passion for precision, performance, and people makes him a standout at Velocity BTS and a trusted leader on this critical healthcare project.

 

Velocity Building Technical Service welcomes Darrin Williams as Velocity’s Test and Balance (TAB) General Forman and Smoke Control Supervisor. With two decades of experience in TAB and HVAC systems, Darrin will play a crucial role in driving quality and safety across our projects.

In his new role, Darrin will oversee Velocity’s major TAB Projects, lead smoke control projects, and mentor the field team, ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety. As a certified SC-1 ANSI, TABB, and NEBB technician, Darrin’s extensive knowledge allows him to proactively identify potential issues, enhancing project success and client satisfaction.

Velocity is Distech Controls’ Newest System Integrator