Arium AE, LLC

06/18/2026

Arium AE recently hosted a Lunch & Learn at our Columbia office focused on HVAC Duct Silencers and the important role acoustics play in building systems design and in secure, mission-critical environments.

Led by Patrick Coffey, Sales Engineer with H&B Engineered Products, the presentation introduced our team to VAW Systems Ltd.’s noise control products and explored key considerations for sound quality in HVAC and fan systems. The discussion also covered silencer system effects, breakout noise, Comsil software, and the value of application engineering support in selecting effective solutions.

Engineering staff, along with members of our architecture team, attended the session, reinforcing the importance of early coordination between disciplines when designing comfortable, high-performing interior environments.

Thank you to Emanuel Mouratidis of VAW Systems and Patrick Coffey of H&B Engineered Products for sharing your knowledge with our team.

06/08/2026

✨Celebrating Iliyanna’s Architectural Internship at Arium AE✨

Iliyanna, an eleventh-grade student from Long Reach High School in Maryland, recently completed her architectural internship with Arium AE. During her time with Principal Emeritus Stephen McLaughlin, she learned about drafting, planning, and design. To conclude her experience, she presented a final layout of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Combining her interests in architecture and medicine, she explored what a newly planned NICU facility might look like, taking into account the varying needs of patients, families, and medical staff to create a better-suited space for all.

Congratulations, Iliyanna, on completing your internship! We appreciate your professionalism, passion, and eagerness to learn throughout your experience. We wish you continued success in your academic and professional journey! 🎉

06/03/2026

**June Permitting Updates 🏗️📅**

Permitting processes are continually evolving across the region, making it essential to stay informed to keep projects on schedule. Our team works closely with local jurisdictions every day, helping clients navigate permitting timelines, documentation requirements, and review cycles with confidence.

This June, Arium AE shares important permitting and code updates that may impact commercial projects in the region. This month, there are updates from Fairfax County, VA, Montgomery County, MD, and West Virginia. Additionally, the Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) benchmarking reports and exemption requests are due by June 30th.

For more information, please see the link in the comments. 👇

05/28/2026

✨Celebrating Zack’s Engineering Internship at Arium AE✨

We recently had the pleasure of welcoming Zack, a twelfth-grade student from Glenelg Country School, as he completed his engineering internship with Arium AE through the school's Dragon Internship Program.

This program is designed to help students apply their classroom knowledge in a professional setting, fostering exploration, independent thinking, and the development of new skills. During their time with our team, the student gains valuable exposure to the engineering profession and experiences the collaborative environment necessary for designing real-world spaces and systems.

We appreciate Zack's enthusiasm, professionalism, and eagerness to learn throughout his internship. Opportunities like this are crucial for supporting the next generation of engineers and designers as they explore potential career paths.

Congratulations, Zack, on completing your internship! We wish you continued success in your academic and professional journey!

w/Scott Walthour, PE

05/19/2026

The buildings that cannot find traditional office tenants are not obsolete. They are mismatched. The right repositioning strategy unlocks an entirely different pool of tenants, uses, and returns.

We are the architect of record for the University of Maryland Quantum Labs Center, a 14,000 SF facility under construction in the Discovery District at College Park. Completing this fall, the center includes dedicated quantum computing labs, office spaces, and a multipurpose teaching room with infrastructure supporting four immediate and seven future quantum computing machines. It is a cornerstone of the Capital of Quantum initiative, a state and private sector collaboration targeting over $1 billion in quantum industry investment in Maryland.

We were also recently awarded a second quantum project: a 4,243 SF lab and office fit-out for a technology company, also in the Discovery District. We're working directly with UMD and tenant consultants to coordinate the complex MEP and infrastructure requirements these systems demand. Having architecture, MEP engineering, and interior design under one roof compresses schedules, eliminates coordination gaps, and keeps technically complex projects on track.

This is not a standard lab fit-out. Quantum computing facilities require precision in vibration isolation, EMI shielding, cryogenic systems support, and cleanroom adjacency planning. Our experience in SCIF and high-security facility design delivers the technical rigor that classified and sensitive research clients require.

If you have an underperforming office asset and you're exploring its potential for lab, research, or advanced technology use, we are ready to help.

05/15/2026

Arium AE’s Scott Walthour, PE, served as a judge for the Carroll County Career & Technology Center’s Project Lead The Way engineering showcase. Congratulations to the students on their hard work, creativity, and commitment to bringing their ideas to life!

05/15/2026

Today, Arium AE’s Scott Walthour, Principal Engineer, served as a judge for the Carroll County Career & Technology Center’s Project Lead the Way Showcase.

As part of the Industrial Review / Juried Response process, Scott evaluated student Engineering Design & Development projects through an industry lens, reviewing how well teams define a technical problem, justify their solution, consider alternatives, develop and construct prototypes, test and refine their designs, and communicate their process.

These are the same foundational skills that shape strong engineering work: critical thinking, technical documentation, design iteration, problem-solving, and the ability to explain complex ideas clearly.

Arium AE is proud to support hands-on learning opportunities that help prepare the next generation of engineers, designers, and technical professionals. Congratulations to the Carroll County PLTW students on their hard work, creativity, and commitment to bringing their ideas to life.

05/13/2026

Did you know? Geothermal systems can be a strong fit for the Mid-Atlantic’s mixed climate. ☀️🌧️❄️

Because ground temperatures are relatively consistent below the surface, around 55°F in Maryland, geothermal heat pump systems can use the earth as both a winter heat source and a summer heat sink. That stability can help reduce energy use by approximately 25% to 50% compared with air-source heat pump systems, depending on the building and system design.

Arium AE's engineering and architecture team recently joined Trane for a Lunch & Learn on “Trends in Geothermal Systems and Ground Loops,” covering distributed vs. centralized systems, borefield construction types, heat pump plant configurations, and the design tradeoffs that affect borefield size and cost.

As geothermal technologies continue to evolve, understanding these system options helps our MEP engineers evaluate efficient, practical solutions for commercial, institutional, and mission-critical environments.

Thank you to Trane, Trane Commercial, and Chris Poole for sharing your expertise with our team.

05/07/2026

BEPS Update: The deadline has been extended to June 30, 2026.

Maryland’s new Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) are here, and for many building owners, 2026 will be the first real checkpoint.

Maryland’s BEPS, established under the Climate Solutions Now Act, requires certain covered commercial and multifamily buildings to meet specific energy use intensity (EUI) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets over defined compliance cycles. The program mandates benchmarking, performance tracking, and phase reductions with final penalties for non-compliance.

If you are starting to think about your strategy or navigating both state and local requirements, contact Scott Walthour, PE, at Arium AE. Our team is available and ready to help you.

Read more about BEPS; see the link in the comments. 👇

04/24/2026

Zero downtime. Mission-critical precision. 🎯

Arium AE supported a federal agency with the phased replacement of aging HVAC infrastructure in a continuously operating facility where uptime was essential.

Through careful sequencing, temporary systems, and detailed coordination, our MEP Engineering team helped deliver major mechanical upgrades while maintaining uninterrupted operations.

👉 Read more about how we approached this phased HVAC replacement: https://www.ariumae.com/news/phased-mission-critical-hvac-replacement/

A phased replacement of aging HVAC infrastructure within a continuously operating facility for a mission-critical federal agency.