Engineered building systems backed by over 40 years of experience

HVAC System Design

HHB Engineers provides HVAC design for projects ranging from complex campus utility infrastructure to individual building systems. Our experience includes central chilled water plants, heating hot water systems, district energy distribution networks, laboratory ventilation, and building level HVAC systems serving educational, government, athletic, healthcare, and specialized facilities.

Whether engineering a central utility plant, analyzing campus distribution capacity, or designing a building renovation, we balance initial capital investment with lifecycle cost, operational reliability, indoor air quality, energy performance, and long term maintainability. Every system is designed to support the facility's mission while providing dependable service for years to come.

Plumbing System Design

HHB Engineers provides plumbing system design for projects ranging from campus utility infrastructure to specialized facility applications. Our experience includes domestic water, sanitary waste and vent, storm drainage, utility distribution, and specialty piping systems serving educational, government, athletic, healthcare, laboratory, and research facilities.

Whether designing campus water distribution systems, laboratory piping networks, or plumbing systems for building renovations and new construction, we focus on reliability, code compliance, maintainability, and long term operational performance. Every system is designed to support the facility's mission while meeting the unique needs of its occupants and operations.

Fire Protection Design

Fire protection design is fundamentally about life safety, code compliance, and seamless structural integration. HHB Engineers provides performance-based fire protection design grounded in current NFPA and IBC standards. We establish clear system criteria, water supply parameters, and performance specifications that align directly with architectural constraints and local AHJ requirements. Working in close coordination with architects and MEP teams, we ensure building life-safety systems are fully integrated from concept through construction.

Planning & Analysis Services

HHB Engineers provides planning, evaluation, and consulting services that help owners assess existing facility conditions, evaluate alternatives, and make informed decisions before major capital investments are made. Our experience includes facility condition assessments, feasibility studies, system evaluations, energy analysis, lifecycle cost studies, and capital improvement planning.

Whether assessing aging infrastructure, evaluating renovation options, or troubleshooting persistent system issues, we combine engineering expertise with practical field experience to identify opportunities, solve complex problems, and support long term facility goals.

Let’s plan your systems.

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1490 Northbank Parkway, Suite 270
Tuscaloosa, AL, 35406
205-650-4000
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B. Seth Michael, PE

Mechanical Engineer
Seth Michael, PE earned his Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Alabama in 2012. After college, Seth spent several years working in construction for a General Contractor, with projects on campus at the University of Alabama, and around Central Alabama. He then transitioned to mechanical design, with now over a decade of experience in mechanical engineering consulting. After only a short time in mechanical design, he earned his PE in Mechanical Engineering, demonstrating his ability to engage with a variety of engineering disciplines successfully.

Seth has varied experience across multiple project types, including extensive work in higher education, office buildings, manufacturing, and medical facilities, with a wide variety of complex major renovations and new construction projects. He is also well versed in multiple design and production applications including Revit and AutoCAD. Seth has proven experience across multiple disciplines including HVAC systems, Plumbing systems, and Fire Protections Systems.

Seth is currently licensed in the State of Alabama.

Seth is a member of the following professional societies:

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE)
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
Seth serves as Alumni Advisor for the Beta Chapter of Kappa Sigma at UA. He is active in the UA campus community and supports student success through his mentorship and advisory. He lives in Tuscaloosa with his wife, Elizabeth, and his English Bulldogs, Blanche and Rosie.

Cuong Tran

Mechanical Engineering Leader
Cuong Tran joined HHB Engineers, P.C. in fall of 2016. He received a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, graduating cum laude. Prior to joining HHB Engineers, Cuong worked for GreenbergFarrow in Atlanta performing HVAC calculations and code review, as well as experience in other engineering industries.

Cuong’s expertise includes Revit, HVAC and plumbing design including load calculations, piping calculations, system design, equipment selection, air distribution system design, coordination with existing building constraints, as well as all aspects of construction administration including site inspections.

Cuong is a member of the following professional societies:

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE)

Barbara H. McCrary, P.E.

President
Barbara H. McCrary, PE – Barbara earned both a Bachelor’s of Science and Master’s of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alabama in 2003 and 2005 respectively. Prior to joining HHB Engineers, McCrary worked at a mechanical consulting firm in Atlanta, GA. She became President and majority owner of HHB Engineers in June of 2014.

Barbara has experience on a variety of projects including major renovations, athletic facilities, historic buildings, college and university projects, detention facilities, office buildings, military projects, including complex renovations at the Prime AE project manager. Her Prime AE project management includes work at universities and for governmental clients (state and federal). Both as Prime AE and Consultant, Barbara’s projects often involve complex phasing where the building may remain occupied and/or systems can only be down during limited periods. McCrary has extensive experience with whole building energy modeling for as part of integrated design practices, and for submission on LEED projects.

McCrary understands and embraces the challenge of finding the right balance between first costs, the needs of the end user, energy costs, and long term maintenance considerations when selecting systems types for buildings. Barbara has experience with a wide range of HVAC and mechanical systems including:

Chilled water plants and distribution systems
Hot water plants and distribution systems
Variable primary and primary/secondary hydronic systems
VAV systems
Dedicated outside air systems
Specialized indoor environments such as Operating Rooms and Laboratories
Commercial kitchens
Heat recovery systems
Water source heat pump systems
Ground source and lake source heat pump (geothermal) systems – lake system featured in ASHRAE Journal (April 2018)
Plumbing systems
Rainwater harvesting systems
McCrary’s honors and recognitions include 2026 Distinguished Engineering Fellow Inductee for the Styslinger College of Engineering at the University of Alabama, 2022 Engineered Systems Magazine 20 Women to Watch in HVAC, 2021 Engineer of the Year Award from the Engineering Council of Birmingham (ECOB), Birmingham ASHRAE Chapter 2021 Engineer of the Year, inducted as University of Alabama Mechanical Engineering Distinguished Fellow in 2016, and Birmingham ASHRAE Chapter’s 2013 Young Engineer of the Year (ages 35 and under).

Barbara won the 2006 ASHRAE Willis H. Carrier National Award for a best paper presented at an ASHRAE meeting in 2006 by a member age 32 years and younger, and also received the 2006 ASHRAE Presentation Award for the best poster presentation from the 2006 Winter and Annual Meetings. Barbara presented another paper at a previous ASHRAE Winter meeting (published in ASHRAE Transactions) and co-authored an article published in ASHRAE Journal, originating from her graduate studies at the University of Alabama. Her graduate degree studies were in the area of geothermal heating and cooling systems with an emphasis on lake source heat pump systems, working with Dr. Steve Kavanaugh. In April of 2018, McCrary co-authored a case study article in ASHRAE Journal featuring a lake-source geothermal system located at Southern Union Community College in Wadley, AL.

Barbara is licensed mechanical engineer in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.

Barbara is a member of the following professional societies:

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE)
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Association of Energy Engineers
Pi Tau Sigma (Mechanical Engineering Honor Society)
Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society)
McCrary has served on the University of Alabama Department of Mechanical Engineering Industrial Advisory Board since 2016, and is a past-Chair of the Board. She is active on the U of A campus speaking to students and groups, as well as other outreach and networking events, and enjoys involvement in organizations supporting women business owners. She and her husband Zac live in Northport, AL with their Italian Greyhound.