Project Spotlight: Supporting the Reopening of Groff Elementary School

Project Spotlight: Supporting the Reopening of Groff Elementary School

At Velocity Building Technical Services, we know that building performance impacts more than facilities, it impacts the people who rely on them every day.

When Groff Elementary School in Moses Lake faced significant facility and infrastructure challenges that resulted in the school’s closure, the path forward required a coordinated effort among project stakeholders to help prepare the facility for reopening. Public updates from the district outlined an extensive remediation process focused on addressing identified issues and ensuring the school would be ready to serve students once again.

Velocity BTS was proud to support these efforts by providing building systems expertise, technical evaluation, and performance verification services as part of the broader solution strategy. Working collaboratively with the project team, our role focused on helping ensure critical building systems perform as intended and support a safe, healthy, and reliable environment for students, teachers, and staff.

Projects like Groff Elementary demonstrate the importance of building performance in creating spaces that communities can depend on. While much of our work occurs behind the scenes, the impact extends far beyond the mechanical systems themselves. Properly functioning building systems help create environments where learning can thrive and where occupants can feel confident in the spaces they use every day.

As planning continues toward the district’s stated goal of reopening Groff Elementary for the 2026–2027 school year, Velocity BTS is honored to have contributed to a project that will benefit students, families, educators, and the broader Moses Lake community.

We take pride in partnering with clients and stakeholders to help solve complex facility challenges and support the long-term performance of the buildings that serve our communities.

Solving complex challenges in the field.

Alex Woods, Fire Life-Safety Supervisor, has nearly nine years of experience and a practical, problem-solving approach to his work at Velocity BTS. Since joining the team just over a year ago, he has built a strong foundation across both testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) and fire and life safety (FLS). He recently earned the Seattle Fire Department SC-1 certification, further expanding his expertise in complex building systems.

Originally from Leavenworth, Washington, Alex grew up in a one-room cabin surrounded by the outdoors. Today, he still lives that lifestyle, now in the mountains with his wife and their two huskies. Outside of work, he spends his time skiing, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, and hiking.

Alex didn’t take a typical path into the industry. He first pursued outdoor guiding and wilderness medicine in Alaska, followed by time exploring wildland firefighting. After returning to Washington, he found his way into the trades, following family members who had built careers in the unions. He started in industrial fabrication, moved into sheet metal installation, and later transitioned into design and detailing before specializing in TAB and FLS.

In his current role, Alex supports both TAB and FLS work, including testing and balancing systems, performing fire and smoke damper inspections, and supporting smoke control work.

Alex is currently focused on Swedish’s Nordstrom Tower, where he recently completed a major fire and life safety survey in preparation for upcoming inspections. Working in hospital environments brings an added level of complexity, from coordinating work around active patient care to meeting strict containment requirements.

One of his favorite projects to date has been Jefferson County Hospital, which provided early hands-on experience and a chance to learn Velocity’s workflows while building strong team connections.

For Alex, the most rewarding part of the job is working through complex challenges.

“Projects that take more planning and require a deeper level of problem solving are the most rewarding,” he said. “When the team comes together with different perspectives and finds a solution, that’s when you see the best results.”

Alex continues to build his experience across both TAB and FLS and looks forward to supporting future projects, including additional travel work.

Velocity BTS Joins 7×24 Exchange International!

We’re proud to announce that Velocity BTS is now a member of 7×24 Exchange International, the leading knowledge exchange for professionals who design, build, operate, and maintain mission-critical infrastructure.

As a firm dedicated to delivering high-quality test & balance, commissioning support, and life-safety system verification, joining 7×24 Exchange strengthens our alignment with the organizations and professionals driving reliability, uptime, and performance across critical facilities.

7×24 Exchange has long been at the forefront of advancing collaboration and innovation within the data center and mission-critical industry. With a diverse membership spanning technology, healthcare, finance, energy, and more, the organization provides a powerful platform for knowledge sharing, industry dialogue, and best practice development.

This partnership reinforces Velocity BTS’s commitment to:

Enhancing end-to-end system reliability
Supporting energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives
Collaborating with industry leaders to solve complex operational challenges
Staying engaged in the conversations shaping the future of mission-critical environments

We look forward to contributing to the 7×24 Exchange community and continuing to deliver AHJ-defensible, performance-driven solutions for our clients across data centers and critical facilities.

Fixing Issues and Delivering Better Building Outcomes

Carson Kreager has been with Velocity BTS for six months and has worked in the industry since graduating from college in 2021.

Originally from Bonney Lake, Washington, Carson spent several years living overseas with his family. In 2011, they moved to Germany, where he lived on four different military bases between 2011 and 2017. Outside of work, Carson and his wife are big true crime fans and like to spend their evenings watching documentaries.

Carson entered the industry during the early stages of COVID. A family friend recommended commissioning at the company they worked at, and Carson quickly found he enjoyed the work.

As a Commissioning Agent Project Manager at Velocity BTS, Carson’s specialties include new building commissioning, existing building commissioning, and data center commissioning. He also supports work with the Port of Seattle. In his role, Carson works with building owners and contractors throughout the construction process, helps identify and resolve issues, documents commissioning activities, and provides sign-off that a project has been commissioned.

Right now, Carson’s work also includes a good mix of work. He is supporting Washington State Clean Buildings Act documentation for existing buildings, including 2+U, the Norton Building, and Safeco Plaza in downtown Seattle. He is also in the final stages of smoke control commissioning for SeaTac’s NMTRP and supporting commissioning for the Tulalip Casino Expansion.

Carson’s favorite project at Velocity BTS has been ASOG Camp Murray. He enjoyed that it was short and straightforward, and it gave him the opportunity to showcase his commissioning expertise without the project becoming overly complex.

For Carson, the most rewarding part of the job is fixing issues. He enjoys finding problems, working through solutions, and knowing the final outcome is better because of it.

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.