Heating Ventilating Air / HVAC Expert Witnesses: 7

Michael A. Pollock, PE, USPTO, is a Mechanical Engineer responsible for the design and engineering of commercial, industrial, manufacturing, institutional, and residential venues, as well as efforts relating to services and products used in and around these facilities. Mr. Pollock's full CV can be viewed at cogentexpert.com.

Business and industries include electronics, safety and construction, building materials, polymers and plastics, instrumentation manufacturing, petrochemicals, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, colleges, athletic facilities, textiles, coatings and resins, food storage, biosciences, supermarkets, inks & pigments, automotive, facility and real estate operations, agricultural, transportation, nuclear, healthcare, nutrition, retail, distributors, pulp and paper, packaging, utilities, apparel, and R&D centers.

Litigation Support - Mr. Pollock is a subject matter expert in Commercial and Industrial Engineering Applications and Projects, as well as engineering standards and applicable codes (ASHRAE, ASME, NIST, NFPA, NBIC, ASTM, SAE, LEED, ASCE, GMP, ISA, BOCA, and EPA Regulations.) He has engaged with local, state, and governmental officials and agencies regarding numerous matters over his commensurate years of experience.

Areas of Expertise:

Registrations

• Professional Engineer: PA (PE075410)
• American Bar Association (ABA) – Construction Forum
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air Act Certification – Universal (includes Chillers, HVAC & Refrigeration)
• United States Patent & Trademark Office Registered (USPTO)                              

Forensic Consulting Experience

Warehouse Distribution Facility – Maryland - Evaluated a $10M (million) claim relating to purported construction defect claims by the 600,000 sq. ft. facility owner against the facility construction contractor and an original equipment manufacturer relating to installed infrastructure in the facility. Developed an expert opinion and expert report regarding the analysis of the purported defects and a proposed repair solution to correct said defects. 

 Psychiatric Hospital Facility – North Carolina – Evaluated a $28M (million) construction claim by the general contractor against a hospital facility concerning a $100M facility construction project.  Developed an expert opinion and report for general construction issues, constructability, design revisions, and corresponding delay analysis for mechanical, HVAC, electrical, smoke and fire, structural, security and building automation systems. 

Forensics Consulting Work-in-Progress 

• 2022 – International Trade Commission (ITC) Matter – Resin Manufacturing Facility Construction Delay / Completeness Analysis
• 2022 – Mechanical Systems Coatings Matter Analysis
• 2021 – Industrial Manufacturing Facility Standard of Care Matter, Construction Defect, Construction Delay     
• 2021 – Electrical Distribution System Construction Defect Matter, Standard of Care
• 2021 – Hotel Facility HVAC Materials of Construction Related Defect Matter

Roger W. Griffith, P.E. is a professional Mechanical Engineer with over 40 years of experience in designing, maintaining, and operating mechanical systems (Plumbing, HVAC, and Fire Sprinkler Systems). As the principal of Griffith Engineering & Consulting for 23 years, his design experience with commercial and industrial projects includes convention centers, schools, office buildings, condominiums, apartment buildings, hotels, manufacturing facilities, medical buildings, restaurants, dormitories, fire halls, and maintenance facilities.

Litigation Support - Since 2002, Mr. Griffith has provided thorough, credible, and timely forensic engineering, consulting, and expert witness services. He also assists clients through the mediation and arbitration process. His expert testimony is based upon independent and impartial investigation, research, analysis, and testing. His services include written reports and the preparation of exhibits. Mr. Griffith's expertise is available to plaintiffs and defendants on the issues of plumbing, mechanical, and fire sprinkler system defects and failures. 

His specific areas of expertise include hot water scalding, carbon monoxide poisoning, and legionella. Mr. Griffith has served on numerous codes and standards committees related to areas, including the NFPA 54 Fuel Gas Code, the ASSE Scalding Awareness Task Group, the Uniform Codes' Legionella Task Groups, and the ICC Plumbing/Mechanical/Fuel Gas Code Action Committee. 

He is a Professional Engineer in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Areas of Expertise:

View Roger W. Griffith's Consulting Profile.

John Hatcher is an industry leader in Building Systems Engineering including, Information Technology, Audio Visual, Security, Building Automation Systems, Fire Alarm Systems, Intelligent Building Concepts and Commissioning. He has worked on some of the most prestigious facilities in the world including the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Russia, India and Southeast Asia. 

Andrew Allocco, PE, is a leading Construction Consultant, Florida Certified Contractor, Florida Licensed Public Insurance Adjuster and Real Estate Broker. With over 45 years of experience in his fields of expertise, Mr. Allocco's services are sought by individuals, corporations, developers, and law firms to oversee and advise on construction projects. He is the current owner of construction, real estate, and engineering consulting firms.

Background Experience - Mr. Allocco is the President of Indian River Construction Services, Inc. Prior to his current role, he served as the President of Better Homes Construction Services, Inc. of Miami, Florida, which performed in excess of 40,000 Building Inspections. As a Forensic Consulting Engineer, he inspects Commercial, Residential, and Industrial Facilities before, during, and after construction. He assists property owners with complex insurance claims, some of which involve significant and lengthy litigation

Mr. Allocco is not only licensed in the State of Florida as a Professional Engineer and Licensed Public Insurance Adjuster, he holds more Florida certified contractor licenses both presently active and past than any other individual in the State

Litigation Support - Since the early 1970s, Andrew Allocco has been an Expert Witness in many court and arbitration cases involving disputes between owners, builders, contractors, and architects. He has extensive knowledge of the court litigation process and has assisted law firms in providing facts and questions to be used during depositions and discovery motions. Mr. Allocco's services include inspection reports on the status of the property, depositions, trial testimony, arbitration, and mediation hearings.

Areas of Expertise:

Insurance Litigation and Structural Consulting - Mr. Allocco is also called upon by insurance companies and attorneys representing property owners to help adjusters evaluate loss. He has been retained to investigate the cause of structural failures, determine the extent of the structural damage, develop subrogation information, prepare the scope of repair, develop a repair design, draft specifications, and more. Mr. Allocco also has experience with code upgrades and notice of dangerous conditions, including hurricanes such as Hurricane Andrew.

View Andrew Allocco's Consulting Profile.

Joseph A. LaRovere, CEM, has over 35 years of experience as a contractor, owner/operator, technician, and consultant to the construction industry with specialties in HVAC, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Energy Management and Control Systems. Licensed PE, Project Manager, Design Professional, Construction Manager on staff.

Project Types - Health care facilities, Clean Rooms, Operating Suites, Apartments and Condominiums, Medical Office Buildings, K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Commercial Office Buildings, Highrise Buildings, Casinos, Hospitality, Assisted Living Facilities, Military Facilities, Manufacturing and Semi-Conductor Facilities

Litigation Support - Mr. LaRovere is a Forensic Expert Witness for cases involving HVAC, Mechanical, Plumbing, Construction Defects and Project Management for a variety of clients. He has worked in Arizona, California, Texas, Colorado, and Hawaii as an expert

Areas of Expertise:

Certifications:

• C.E.M. - Certified Energy Manager
• Honeywell Tridium Niagara AX
• Honeywell Tridium Niagara 4
• Johnson Controls Facility Explorer
• LEED AP BD&C (Inactive)

View Joseph LaRovere's Consulting Profile.

Tim Keane is recognized nationally and internationally as a Leading Expert on methods to Control, Mitigate and Assess the Risk for Legionella in building and industrial water systems. He has published articles and books on the subject and has co-written regulatory documents including the 2018 and the 2015 ASHRAE Standard titled: Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems,  ASHRAE Guideline 12 titled: Managing the Risk of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems, 2005 Guidelines for Ornamental Fountains and the 2000 ASHE Advisory. Mr Keane has over 25 years experience in water system consulting and over 10 years experience in facility design, construction and operation. Legionella Risk Management, Inc. provides consulting services for Effective Engineering Solutions to Engineering System Pathogens including; outbreak investigation, root cause analysis, control and remediation of legionella from water systems in commercial buildings, healthcare and industrial facilities.   We provide Litigation Support in this area.

Nancy M. McClellan, MPH, CIH, CHMM, is an award winning, Industrial Hygiene and Safety expert with over 25 years of broad international experience practicing, teaching and authoring to anticipate, recognize, evaluate, control and prevent workplace health and safety hazards in high hazard industries.

 Prior to her independent expert and consulting practice, Ms. McClellan practiced industrial hygiene management as a Board Certified Industrial Hygienist on a global scale for both AbbVie, a major producer of highly potent biopharmaceuticals and LafargeHolcim, the world’s largest building materials corporation.

She currently provides industrial hygiene and safety legal expert, management, training, and select field services to sectors such as the pharmaceutical, automotive, military, hospital, electronic, food, chemical, and commercial real estate industries. 

She is the Chair of the University of Michigan Graduate School of Public Health COHSE External Advisory Board and an international AIHA Distinguished expert lecturer.

Ms. McClellan is domestically and internationally recognized for leadership service to the IH profession for the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH), the Occupational Hygiene Training Association (OHTA) and the Joint Industrial Hygiene Ethics Education (JIHEEC) Boards of Directors and Committees. She currently serves on the AIHA Executive Board of Directors.

As a result of her well-practiced ability to describe science in lay terms, Ms. McClellan was interviewed in October 2020 on the ABC Network’s Good Morning America program regarding Covid pandemic controls, as well as a number of ABC News and professional journal articles regarding the association between HVAC systems, Indoor Air Quality and the Covid pandemic to advance public and worker health protections.

Ms. McClellan has extensive expertise in Pandemic, Covid-19 Response Management, including chemical and non-chemical disinfectant exposure evaluation and real estate/facility controls.

Good Morning America Pandemic / Indoor Air Interview 

Litigation Support Goal - Nancy McClellan seeks to continue a 50/50 defense/plaintiff practice that presents challenging cases determining worker and/or public exposure to chemical, biological, physical or ergonomic hazards. Her services include thorough review, reporting, depositions, and trial testimony.

Areas of Expertise:

• Chemical and biological airborne and dermal exposure assessment and modeling
• Bioaerosol Assessment and Pandemic Control Programs 
• Indoor Air Quality and Air disinfection Technologies Evaluation
• H&S Policy and Program Development and Audits
• Highly Potent Compound Containment 
• Workplace Hazard Risk and Exposure Assessment 
• USP 800 Safe Hazardous Drug Handling Conformance
• Hearing Conservation Program Development and Controls
• Respiratory Protection Evaluation and Program Development
• Worksite Ergonomic Evaluation and Controls

View Nancy McClellan's Consulting Profile.