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Richard Janis



Richard Janis started work with William Tao & Associates, Consulting Engineers in 1974. He was president and CEO of the firm from 1989 until his retirement in 2014. He is engineer of record for over 18,000,000 square feet of new construction and remodel projects with a total value exceeding $2.5 billion. He is a specialist in data center and laboratory design. His projects have won energy conservation and design awards from numerous professional organizations including Consulting Engineers Council, National Society of Professional Engineers, ASHRAE, St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers, and the Corp of Engineers.

Janis has taught in both the College of Architecture and the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University for over 40 years. Courses have concentrated on building environmental systems, energy conservation, and sustainable design.

In addition to numerous articles over the years, he is author of Mechanical and Electrical Systems in Buildings (Prentice Hall). In its sixth edition, this text is used by over 50 colleges and universities.