Critchfield Mechanical: 47 Years Of Cutting Edge Service
Critchfield Mechanical, Inc. was founded in 1977 by Joe Critchfield. Over the past 48 years the San Jose-based company established itself as one of the most trusted mechanical contractors in the nation, focusing on the design, fabrication and installation of HVAC and plumbing systems. Today, Critchfield employs more than 250 people and remains a family-owned and operated business. Joe’s sons, Mike and Vic Critchfield act as CMI’s president and chairman of the board, respectively.
“Over 40 years of experience has resulted in CMI’s reputation for quality workmanship, timely project completion and budget consciousness,” CMI Marketing Manager Hahn Nguyen said
Critchfield Mechanical is unique in the industry, Nguyen noted, because everything from mechanical systems design to sheet metal and piping production to project management, install and integration is all contracted through one entity.
“CMI takes a proactive approach to every project, providing early, at-risk pricing and collaboration with the team, including the owner/developer, builder, architect, engineers and other subcontractor trades involved in the design and construction process,” Nguyen said. “This team philosophy results in increased productivity and quality while ensuring that the owner’s objectives and budget for the mechanical systems are consistently met.”
This business approach in action, along with Critchfield’s remarkable craftsmanship recently earned the company some big accolades. Three projects CMI worked on received awards in the Northern California division of the Engineering News-Record (ENR) 2024 Regional Best Projects competition. The Google Moffett Park Thermal Plant in Sunnyvale received the Award of Merit - Energy/Industrial, the County of San Mateo Office Building 3 in Redwood City received Best Government/Public Building and 200 Park in San Jose received Best Office/Retail/Mixed Use.
ENR also named 200 Park its Northern California Project of the Year. The 19-story, 1.4 million-square-foot commercial high-rise is the tallest building in downtown San Jose and one of the most innovative in the country. It’s the second structure in the nation built with the modular “SpeedCore” concrete-filled composite steel plate shear wall core system. According to ENR, utilizing SpeedCore cut three months off the construction schedule and $10 million off the structural cost compared to a more traditional steel frame with a concrete core.
This award-winning San Jose high-rise is also 100 percent electric, thanks in large part to the cutting-edge work of MEP contractor Critchfield Mechanical. CMI designed and installed natural gas-free mechanical systems, including a rooftop-mounted all-electric central plant comprised of 18 combination air-to-water heat pump modules and two 600-ton water-cooled chillers that supply chilled, condensed and heated water to all floors, while four 112,000 CFM air handling systems provide filtered, conditioned air to all office levels. The structure meets LEED Gold BD+C New Construction requirements and it’s Fitwell certified.
“Being a part of the ENR Regional Best Projects competition event allowed us to showcase our commitment to excellence, safety and sustainability in our projects,” Nguyen said. “The recognition of outstanding projects and initiatives serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of collaboration and innovation in our industry.”
Another thing that sets CMI apart from other sheet metal contractors in the Bay Area is the cutting edge, efficient Trumpf True Laser 1040 laser cutting machine they’ve used on every sheet metal project since 2019. CMI are the only contractor in the Bay Area with such a laser cutting machine in their production arsenal. Nguyen said the companies CMI works with count on them to install intricate work of the highest quality in the most cost-effective manner. The incredible capabilities of the True Laser 1040 help CMI deliver on all those fronts.
As it is with many Bay Area SMACNA members, giving back to the local community is important to Critchfield Mechanical. Every year the company sponsors Women in Aviation’s “Girls in Aviation Day,” which introduces girls aged 7-18 to aviation and the career paths it offers.
Whether you’re looking to fly literally or figuratively, Critchfield Mechanical has got you covered.