From Rooftops to Smart Buildings: Meet Bobby Mohamed of ATS Controls

NJIEC New Member Spotlight: ATS Controls Brings Building Automation Expertise to New Jersey

NJIEC is pleased to welcome ATS Controls and its partners, Bobby Mohamed, Threshan Ramsarran and David Amin, to our growing community of New Jersey electrical and specialty contractors.

Although ATS Controls is one of NJIEC’s newest members, the company brings decades of experience in HVAC controls, building automation systems and energy management. By joining NJIEC, the specialty contractor now has access to valuable industry resources, professional connections and a pathway toward participating in New Jersey public works projects.

Finding a Path to New Jersey Public Works

For a small specialty contractor, entering the public works market can be challenging. New Jersey contractors must meet specific apprenticeship requirements before bidding on qualifying public projects.

That need helped lead ATS Controls to NJIEC.

“A small specialty shop can’t bid New Jersey public work without a registered apprenticeship program behind it, and the IEC trust gives us a real path to one,” Bobby said. “NJIEC also walked me through the process on the phone before I had paid a dollar in dues. That’s not nothing.”

Through NJIEC membership, ATS Controls can take steps toward meeting apprenticeship requirements while receiving support from an organization that understands the electrical and specialty contracting industries.

From HVAC Service to Building Automation

Bobby began working as an HVAC service technician in August 1998. Early in his career, he became increasingly interested in the controls that operate heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment.

That interest became a career direction in 2003, when he began working with a Metasys building automation front end at Johnson Controls.

“Once I got my hands on a Metasys front end, that was it,” Bobby said. “I’ve been in building automation ever since.”

Now entering his 29th year in the field, Bobby remembers starting with service calls that meant working on rooftops in July and inside boiler rooms in January. Those years provided the mechanical foundation that continues to shape how he approaches building automation today.

A Building Automation Project That Shows What ATS Controls Can Do

One project that stands out is the complete HVAC replacement at the Van Nest branch of the New York Public Library in the Bronx.

ATS Controls handled the entire building automation scope, including the front end, air-handling unit, 11 variable air volume boxes and gas-detection system. The project used a Honeywell Niagara building management system.

“We were the small shop in that bid, and we won it,” Bobby said. “It’s the job I point to when somebody asks what a shop our size can do.”

The project demonstrates how a smaller building automation contractor can successfully manage a complex public-building installation through technical knowledge, coordination and hands-on experience.

How the Building Automation Industry Has Changed

Building automation technology has changed dramatically since Bobby entered the industry nearly three decades ago.

Many buildings still relied on pneumatic controls in the late 1990s, and manufacturers commonly operated within proprietary systems that could not easily communicate with one another. Today, building systems are increasingly connected through technologies such as BACnet, Niagara and other open protocols.

The value of a modern building management system also extends beyond controlling equipment. Building data now plays a major role in energy efficiency, maintenance planning and regulatory compliance.

In New York City, Local Law 97 has placed additional pressure on building owners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This has made properly operated building management systems even more important for tracking performance, identifying energy waste and avoiding potential penalties.

The role of the building automation professional has expanded along with the technology.

“The controls guy is now the network guy too,” Bobby said. “Nobody said ‘cybersecurity’ in a boiler room in 1998.”

Advice for the Next Generation of Technicians

For anyone considering a career in HVAC controls or building automation, Bobby offers one central piece of advice: understand the equipment before relying on the software.

“Anyone can click through a front end,” he said. “The money is in knowing why that chilled water valve is doing what it’s doing.”

He also encourages new technicians to arrive early, document their work and learn directly from experienced people in the field.

“Stay close to the older techs,” Bobby said. “Most of what I know came from guys who had been doing it 20 years longer than me.”

Family, Food and Life Outside the Trade

When he isn’t working, Bobby spends many Saturdays on the sidelines watching his son compete in a Long Island soccer league. He also enjoys cooking, relaxing with a good cigar and working on car-audio systems.

Originally from Guyana, Bobby values time spent surrounded by family and friends, usually with more than enough food to go around.

NJIEC is proud to welcome Bobby Mohamed, Threshan Ramsarran, David Amin and the entire ATS Controls team. We look forward to supporting the company’s continued growth in New Jersey’s building automation and public works markets.

To learn more about NJIEC membership, apprenticeship opportunities and resources for New Jersey electrical contractors, contact the NJIEC team today.