Bios

Patrick “Tony”  Stremel
Mr. Stremel is a licensed professional mechanical engineer in California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and Hawaii. He is CFPS certified through the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). He has over 34 years of experience in the construction industry, including over 20 years in forensic consulting. Mr. Stremel has over 145 days of deposition testimony. He has testified in 15 trials and 3 arbitrations.

Summary & Highlights of Experience
Performing services as an expert witness and consultant in the investigation, review, evaluation, and analysis of all types of mechanical systems including HVAC, plumbing and fire protection, in all building types (residential, commercial, municipal, and institutional projects).  Evaluations include design, installation, equipment, systems and product performance for compliance to specifications, contract documents, Federal, State and local codes and industry standards.  Projects and testimony include cases involving construction defects, construction claims, product defects, failure analysis and personal injury.

Detailed Qualifications & Specialized Experience:

• Over 1275 case designations as a mechanical expert in HVAC, plumbing and/or fire protection
• Over 22 years of experience in the forensic field, including involvement in thousands of cases & projects
• Over 36 years of experience in the construction field (fabrication, installation, project management, design, third party review, forensics & expert witness, etc.)
• Extensive experience in the review of project plans, specifications and construction contracts
• Pex piping / Yellow brass fitting claims: PEX piping systems and yellow brass fittings, including evaluation of systems related to dezincification (DZ), system installation and alternate materials and repairs
• Copper piping systems: failures including erosion corrosion, excessive flux, bad solder joints, pitting and other installation issues
• Cast iron drainage piping systems: failures, improper design and installation, sudsing, sizing and sloping issues; sovent installation analysis; maintenance and repair analysis, including alternate repairs
• HVAC evaluations: Design and Installation, CO testing, airflow measurements (CFM), temperature and humidity data-logging and analysis; ventilation analysis; EccoDuct; Coil corrosion
• Numerous cases involving Single Family and Multi-family, Mid-rise and High-rise residential, schools, commercial and institutional buildings
• Energy conservation analysis and compliance with energy codes (IECC & Title 24)
• Numerous SB800 cases
• HVAC and plumbing cost estimating and cost analysis
• Historical Building Code and Existing Building Code analysis
  *A court qualified plumbing and HVAC expert in Superior Courts in California and District Court of Clark County in Nevada.
  Project List or Deposition, Trial and Arbitration testimony list available upon request.

James Miller
Mr. Miller was hired by DLSK in 1990 as a Mechanical Designer and ACADD Operator. When DLSK split into two companies in 1994, Mr. Miller followed Mr. Swink and became one of the founding members of Southwest Consulting Group. Mr. Miller has over 25 years of forensic experience and has been involved in engagements including Construction Defects, Product Liability, Personal Injury, Design Errors and Omissions, and Professional Liability.

He is a member of the following organizations: American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (Associate Member since 1989), American Society of Plumbing Engineers (Full Member since 1995), International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (since 2001, also Certified as a Plumbing and Mechanical Inspector), National Fire Protection Association (since 2001).