About
Engineering Grounded in Experience
A licensed Professional Engineer with design-build roots, military discipline, and deep expertise in the building types that demand precision.
Heriberto Ortiz, PE
I'm a licensed Professional Engineer based in Gardena, California — the South Bay of Los Angeles. I've spent my career designing mechanical and plumbing systems for commercial and institutional buildings, with a particular depth in laboratories, fume hoods, vivariums, and campus utility infrastructure.
My background is in design-build mechanical contracting, which means I don't just engineer systems on paper — I understand how they get built, what they cost, and where coordination breaks down between trades. That perspective is rare in consulting, and it's the foundation of everything I deliver.
Why I Started Consulting
After years on the contractor side, I saw a gap: architects and owners often lacked access to independent mechanical engineering judgment during early design phases. They needed someone who could evaluate systems objectively — without the bias of wanting to build them. That's the role I fill.
Credentials & Expertise
PE Licensed
Professional Engineer — California. Full authority to stamp and seal mechanical engineering documents.
100+ Projects
Mechanical and plumbing designs across higher education, laboratory, infrastructure, aviation, and commercial sectors.
10+ Years IESVE
Deep expertise in Integrated Environmental Solutions Virtual Environment for energy modeling and compliance.
USMC Veteran
United States Marine Corps. Operations management background that carries through to every project.
Project Experience
Laboratory & Fume Hood Systems
HVAC systems with stringent air change, pressurization, and exhaust requirements. Fume hood exhaust design, BSL containment HVAC, vivarium environmental controls, and lab controls feasibility studies. Projects include CSULB College of Engineering fume hoods, Caltech Sloan & Kellogg Lab renovation, UC Irvine Medical Science labs, and CSU Sacramento Science II.
Campus Utility Infrastructure
Heating hot water, chilled water, steam, and natural gas underground piping systems for major university campuses. Central plant design, chiller replacements, and utility masterplanning. Projects across CSU Long Beach, CSU Fullerton, CSU Northridge, CSU Sacramento, and San Diego State University.
Higher Education & Aviation
Academic building renovations, library HVAC replacements, and air handler upgrades for CSU campuses. Concourse mechanical design for JFK Terminal Expansion and Orlando International Airport.
Design-Build Mechanical
Years of hands-on experience estimating, designing, and coordinating mechanical construction. Deep understanding of cost drivers, constructability, and trade coordination across all project types.
Let's Work Together
Whether you need a peer review, energy compliance package, or just want to talk through a mechanical challenge — I'm here.
Get in Touch