The engineering division performs work in several areas： electrical； plumbing；heating， ventilation， air conditioning； general maintenance and repair；preventive maintenance； renovation； and water management. The property's own engineering staff concerns itself primarily with maintenance in each of these areas. Local building codes and/or lack of time or personnel in the engineering division may dictate that outside contractors must handle large installations， changeovers， or new construction. The use of contractors is often dictated by applicable codes and by the fact that the engineering staff frequently has insufficient time and personnel to handle such work while attending to regular repair and maintenance.
Electrical Systems
Property operations use a tremendous amount of electrical equipment， and electrical repair takes the engineering division to every corner of the building. An elaborate electrical system with its many circuits requires hundreds of fuses， and every blown fuse must be replaced. Should a fuse continue to burn out， the short circuit must be located and repaired. All electrical fixtures， outlets， and switches must be kept in good working order. Maintaining and servicing a modern electrical system is very complicated，but consider the woes of an engineer whose property may be 50 to 100 years old who must contend with obsolete equipment and wiring.
Today， most properties buy electrical power from public utilities. However，many properties have an emergency generator ready in case the regular source fails. A few communities still generate their own power， but this requires added staff and equipment and usually costs more than power from a public utility. Job description for a chief engineer
Job Title Chief Engineer Date
Basic Function：
Performs， manages， or supervises maintenance operations for exterior and interior facilities including electrical， plumbing， heating， cooling， structural，groundcare， parking areas， and other maintenance work necessary to maintain the proportion in an optimum and efficient condition. Also， ensures the safety and comfort of the tenants. Responsibilities：
1. Maintain all distribution systems for electricity， water， gas， etc.
2. Maintain and operate air conditioning， heating， and ventilation systems.
3. Maintain buildings and grounds.
4. Monitor and coordinate the services performed by outside contractors in accordance to all contracts， leases， service agreements， and warranties.
5. Keep all records pertaining to heat， light and power and costs of the facility.
6. Ensure timely response to requests for services by tenants and management to include repair or replacement of all interior fixtures and furnishings.
7. Schedule all work to be done on a daily basis at a minimum of inconvenience to tenants.
8. Plan， implement， and administer an effective preventive maintenance program in accordance with good engineering practices.
9. Plan， implement， and administer an energy management program.
·Maintain appropriate equipment operating logs
·Maintain utility consumption records
·Educate other operating departments in energy management
·Establish annual energy reduction objectives
·Analyze and modify operation of the physical plant to conserve energy
10. Assist in the preparation of capital expenditures and maintenance budgets.
·Select vendors and contractors that meet quality standards and pricing specifications
·Initiate purchase orders
·Maintain adequate inventory of parts， tools， and supplies
·Maintain purchasing records
11. Train and supervise subordinates and assist in safety and emergency training for other employees.
12. Conduct continuing inspection of buildings and grounds to ensure compliance with fire and safety laws.
13. Recommend and/or take action to ensure compliance.
14. Maintain a clean and orderly work area free of hazards.
15. Perform other duties as assigned.
Supervision Exercised：
Assistant chief engineer， carpenters， electricians， grounds maintenance，lock and key maintenance， painters， and plumbers.
Supervision Received：
·Supervisor：
·General Manager
Minimum Requirements：
·Education： high school or equivalent.
·Mechanical or equivalent training in the following： boilers， plumbing，air conditioning， power or building construction. Higher education or experience of such kind and amount as to provide a comparable background required.
Experience：
Five years in any combination of mechanical trades with hotels/motels，hospitals， high-rise apartments or similar duties with the armed services. Must have license where required or qualifications to become licensed. Knowledge of carpentry and painting required.
Other：
1. Applicant should possess the following traits：
·Effective communication skills
·Administrative abilities
·Good personal relations skills
·Self - motivation
·Mechanical aptitude
2. Applicant must be willing to relocate when and where directed.
Useful Expressions
concern with 关心，挂念；从事
attend to 照料
burn out 烧毁，熄灭
keep in good order 维持好的状态，完好
contend with 与……作战，与……战斗
in case 万一……的话，在……的情况下
pertain to 有关；附属
in accordance with/to 与……一致，与……协调
take action 采取行动
free of 无……的；免费的
Notes
1. Local building codes and/or lack of time or personnel in engineering division may dictate……
当地的建筑规范和/或者工程部缺少时间和人手也许要求……
2. The use of contractors is often dictated by applicable codes and by the fact that the engineering staff frequently has insufficient time and personnel to handle such work while attending to regular repair and maintenance.
由that引导的从句作fact的同位语，对其作进一步的解释。例如：
We all know the fact that they have landed on the moon.
While 引导的时间状语，该句省略了主语the engineering staff.例如：
He was so tired that he fell asleep while reading the newspaper.
3. a tremendous amount of electrical equipment 大量的电气设备
4. every blown fuse 每根烧坏的保险丝
5. Should a fuse continue to burn out， the short circuit must be located and repaired.
should a fuse…是一个倒装句，should置于句首，此句型实际上省略了连词if，该从句可译为：如果保险丝不断烧坏。
例如：
Should anyone phone， tell them I'm in conference.
6. …but consider the woes of an engineer whose property may be 50 to 100 years old who must contend with obsolete equipment wiring.
此句中有两个定语从句，一个是由关系代词whose引导的从句，whose在定语从句中充当定语，相当于the property of whom，表示所属关系。例如：
This is a book whose content （the content of which） have caused a great deal of discussion.
另一个定语从句由关系代词who引导，who在定语从句中作主语，其先行词为engineer.
7. However， many properties have an emergency generator ready in case the regular source fails.
Have an emergency generator ready 有一台救急的发电机备用
in case 作连词，引导状语从句，意为“万一……的话，在……的情况下”。例如：
In case anything important happens， please call me up. 如果有要事发生，请给我打电话。
8. …and usually costs more than power from a public utility.
通常比从公用机构送来的电要贵得多。
9. exterior and interior facilities 户内与户外的设施
10.…including electrical， plumbing， heating…and other maintenance work necessary to maintain the property…。
Necessary to maintain…作work的定语，该短语可译为：有必要使物业保持完好与高效的其他维修工作……。
11. Schedule all work to be done on a daily basis at a minimum of inconvenience to tenants.要尽量减少租户的不便，安排好每日要做的工作。
to be done…动词不定式作定语，表示将要做的事，因为修饰的名词是动作接受者，所以不定式用被动语态形式。例如：
That will be the only things to be done by the children.这是孩子们目前可做的唯一的事情。