NYSSPE

Recent Changes to the New York Building Code Regarding Parking Garages

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By the PEs in Construction Group

As you may know, a recent rule in New York now requires that all parking garages under the jurisdiction of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code undergo a periodic condition assessment to help ensure structural integrity and user safety. Owners of parking garages must retain a professional engineer to perform the inspection and submit a report to the local authority having jurisdiction to obtain an operating permit. For additional details and scope of inspection, click here to read the article in the link below, prepared by Robert P. Antes, P.E. of the engineering firm of Simpson Gumpertz & Hedger.

This rule went into effect on 29 August 2018 as a series of amendments to the New York State Uniform Code. Together, the amendments require cities, towns, villages, counties, and state agencies – also called the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) – to mandate that owners of parking garages have qualified professional engineers perform both initial and periodic condition assessments to maintain legal occupancy.

The rule applies to all private, municipal, and state-owned parking facilities, including freestanding structures and portions of buildings used for parking or storage of motor vehicles. This also applies to garages in New York City under the ownership or custody of a state agency. Excluded from the rule are buildings with only parking on grade, attached or accessory
For more information click on the full article here.

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Note: NYSSPE facilitates posting on this blog, but the views and accounts expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not the views or accounts of NYSSPE, its officers or directors whose views and accounts may or may not be similar or identical. NYSSPE, its officers and directors do not express any opinion regarding any product or service by virtue of reference to such product

The New York State Society of Professional Engineers Awards New York City’s 5-Mile Belt Parkway Bridge Replacement Project as the 2019 Construction Project of the Year

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The New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE) is proud to announce that the 5-Mile Belt Parkway Bridge Replacement & Reconstruction Project has been selected as the 2019 Construction Project of the Year.  The Award recipients include the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) as project owner; AECOM, Hardesty and Hanover, and HNTB as the project design firms; and Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI) and Thornton Tomasetti (Weidlinger) as Construction Managers and Resident Engineers.  Among others, the project’s general contractors CCA Civil, Inc., Halmar International, and Michels of the Mill Basin Bridge Constructors (MBBC) will be recognized.  The award will be given out at the NYSSPE Annual Installation & Awards Reception & Dinner which will be held on Thursday, June 7th, 2019 at the Holiday Inn Conference Center, 232 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.  The event is open to the public.  For more information about the Awards Reception and Dinner event, click here.

The 5 Mile Belt Parkway Reconstruction Project is about the reconstruction of a vital artery of a historic parkway, which spans over a 5-mile strip of environmentally sensitive coastland of New York City.  Located in a dense urban setting, the reconstruction project remained open for approximately 150,000 commuters per day, necessitating innovative design and work methods.    The project required diligent coordination of the work between the City and some of our nation’s most prominent engineering firms. The scope of the $780 million infrastructure project included: the reconstruction of five (5) unique bridges in critical need of repair originally built circa 1940; and the complete replacement of the connecting roadways, bike path, and ramps.  The complete surface landscaping and final tree planting of the project was being completed in late 2018.

The project’s owner, NYC DOT, employs dozens of professional engineers who provide design and supervision of critical infrastructure construction and maintenance work throughout the City.  The distinguished design professionals in charge at NYC DOT that contributed to the design and supervision of the project of the year included Mr. Robert Collyer, P.E., Deputy Commissioner and Chief Bridge Officer, David B. Dunn, P.E., Deputy Chief Engineer, Bridge Capital Design and Construction,  Anil Vyas, P.E., Deputy Chief Engineer, Mousa Nazif, P.E., Director, Roadway Bridges – Manhattan / Brooklyn Groups, and Daniel Hom, P.E., Engineer in Charge.

NYC DOT Division of Bridges is responsible for the design, construction, rehabilitation, reconstruction, maintenance, operation, and administration of the 784 bridges, 5 tunnels, and 53 culverts located citywide, that are under the jurisdiction of the agency.  Included in this inventory are the majority of the original 1940’s bridges of the Belt Parkway.  The Belt Parkway is the namesake for a series of connected highways that form a belt-like circle around the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. The parkway was originally conceptualized in the 1930’s by the City’s Planning and Parks Commissioner, Robert Moses.

The replacement of the five (5) bridges in the project were packaged together in a single corridor-wide replacement program that brought the corridor into full compliance with current state and federal standards.  This included compliance with standard width of traffic lanes, requirements for safety shoulders and super-elevation of curbing roads and bridges, realignment of approaches to improve sight distances, and new concrete median barriers.

Paerdegat Basin Bridge.

The five (5) bridges in the reconstruction project span over four waterways and one roadway.  The design and replacement of the old Belt Parkway bridge over Paerdegat Basin was performed by NYC DOT – In House Design team, which opted for independent eastbound and westbound replacement bridge structures as shown in the captioned photo. The Eastbound bridge also carries a dedicated, 12 foot wide, barrier protected, bicycle and pedestrian path.  The joint venture by the design firms of GPI and AECOM (“CTE”) was selected to provide resident engineering and construction inspection services.  An innovative design feature of the Paerdegat Basin Bridges was the design of the two (2) bridge structures on a split alignment, which allowed the existing bridge to remain in service, while the new bridges were constructed “off-line”. [Read more…]

Trenchless Underpinning: A Method to Underpin Foundations and Stabilize Soil Without Excavating.

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By the PEs in Construction Group

On Tuesday March 12th, 2019 there will be a presentation made for NYSSPE members on the topic of Trenchless Underpinning: A Method to Underpin Foundations and Stabilize Soil Without Excavating, using a chemical grout injection technique. The 1-PDH presentation will be made by Tony Alfano of Ground Works Solutions at the conference room of Brooker Engineering in Suffern, NY. For more information about the presentation and to RSVP, click here.

The presentation will provide a review the technical specifications of the URETEK chemical grout and its application on soil stabilization. The course will discuss the chemical reaction and the effect on temperature and pressure as it applied to various soil conditions. The chemical injection effectiveness and limitations will be discussed at various depths from 3 feet to 50 feet below grade. We will discuss our solution for the following applications:

  • Sub-terrain void fill and high rise underpinning.
  • Seawall, bulkhead, ground water and injectable barrier containment.
    culvert, spillway, and sewer and dam repair.
  • Soil stabilization for bridge approaches and rail ballast.
  • Slab lifting.

The Impact of the 2016 NYS Energy Code Updates will be Presented by Chairman of the ASHRAE Technical Committee TC 7.6, Dennis Landsberg P.E. at The 2019 National Engineers Week Celebration Event in NYC

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By the PEs in Construction Group,  January 2019.   

Chairman of the ASHRAE Technical Committee on Building Energy Performance (TC 7.6), Dennis Landsberg P.E.  will discuss the Impact of the 2016 changes to the NYS Energy Code on building design at NYSSPE’s 2019 NYC Engineers Week Celebration Event, which will be held on Monday February 18th, 2019 at the Time Square Marriott Marquis in New York City.  The presentation will focus on changes covering each building system and how that may impact building design choices.  The 2016 State Code is based upon the 2015 International Code and 90.1-2013.  The code has provisions for Residential buildings, which are defined as single family and multi-family buildings of three stories or less, and commercial buildings, which are all buildings not defined as residential buildings.  To achieve compliance, there is a prescriptive path, a component performance paths allowing tradeoffs and a custom path that relies on modeling.  ASHRAE also has workbooks for specific building types that achieve 30%, 50% or more above code, and that can be downloaded for free.  Topics covered include a brief introduction of the  code that the NYS standard adopts, the new compliance paths, the three climate zones in NYS, full/part load efficiencies for Unitary Air Conditioners, major changes to Energy Recovery Ventilation and new categories introduced to Domestic Hot Water.

The presentation on the design implications of the 2016 Energy Code updates will be part of a series of 6 presentations (6-PDH) celebrating Engineers Week on Monday February 18, 2019 with some very interesting topics focused on infrastructure improvements and green/energy efficient measures.  The PE’s In Construction Group of NYSSPE is organizing this presentation series in conjunction with the Association of Towns of the State of New York (AOT) at the AOT 2019 Training School and Annual Meeting.  This will be the Association of Town’s 86th Annual Meeting. The event attracts elected and appointed officials from more than three-quarters of the state’s 932 towns.

To find out more information about the presentations and the 2019 National Engineers Week celebration event in NYC, CLICK HERE [Read more…]

Required 1-PDH Engineering Ethics Lecture to be Presented At The 2019 National Engineers Week Celebration Event in NYC

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By the PEs in Construction Group,  February 2019

Lewis Tesser, Former Chair of the New York State Bar Association’s  (NYSBA) General Practice Section will discuss and answer questions regarding ethical and legal aspects required by (and expected of) professional engineers and architects at NYSSPE’s 2019 NYC Engineers Week Celebration Event, which will be held on Monday February 18th, 2019 at the Time Square Marriott Marquis in New York City.  The purpose of the engineering ethics presentation is to provide an overview of ethical conduct and legal aspects required of professional engineers with primary emphasis on the big picture of being a professional in New York State. Mr. Tesser will discuss concepts and/or nomenclatures of:  What it means to be a professional; obligations; licensed vs. unlicensed Engineer; what requires an engineer’s stamp; attaining License in other States; exemptions from licensing requirements; hiring unlicensed engineers; unprofessional conduct; avoiding problem areas and communicating.

The engineering ethics presentation will be part of a series of 6 presentations (6-PDH) celebrating Engineers Week on Monday February 18, 2019 with some very interesting topics focused on infrastructure improvements and green/energy efficient measures.  The PE’s In Construction Group of NYSSPE is organizing this presentation series in conjunction with the Association of Towns of the State of New York (AOT) at the AOT 2019 Training School and Annual Meeting.  This will be the Association of Town’s 86th Annual Meeting. The event attracts elected and appointed officials from more than three-quarters of the state’s 932 towns.

To find out more information about the presentations and the 2019 National Engineers Week celebration event in NYC, CLICK HERE. [Read more…]

2018 Changes to Special Inspections Requirements To Be Offered At The 2019 National Engineers Week Celebration Event in NYC

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By the PEs in Construction Group,  January 2019Lawrence J. O’Connor P.E., L.S., Lead/Technical Assessor of the International Accreditation Service (IAS), the organization in charge of accrediting Special Inspections Agencies will discuss the 2018 rule changes in performing Special Inspections.  The presentation will be given at NYSSPE’s 2019 NYC Engineers Week Celebration Event, which will be held on Monday February 18th, 2019 at the Time Square Marriott Marquis in New York City.

To find out more information about the presentations and the 2019 National Engineers Week celebration event in NYC, CLICK HERE

This presentation will provide an overview of some of the changes made to the requirements and practice of Special Inspectors as well as discuss the affected rules of Chapter 17 of the Building Code.  The 2018 amendment to the rule of section 101-06, Chapter 100 of the rules of NYC affecting Special Inspections can be reviewed in this link.  Topics to be covered include changes to Special Inspections rules including qualifications of inspectors, frequency of inspections, changes to local laws etc. Participants will learn about the sequence and organization of the SI Rule, differences between the prior and current rules, discuss a summary of the impact of the changes in various SI rules, the criteria and classification of Special Inspections, some of the differences between inspection requirements, summary of some of the code sections impacted by the changes in SI rules, and a brief overview of the process of becoming an Accredited Special Inspection Agency in 2019.

The rule changes to Special Inspections presentation will be part of a series of 6 presentations (6-PDH) celebrating Engineers Week on Monday February 18, 2019 with some very interesting topics focused on infrastructure improvements and green/energy efficient measures.  The PE’s In Construction Group of NYSSPE is organizing this presentation series in conjunction with the Association of Towns of the State of New York (AOT) at the AOT 2019 Training School and Annual Meeting.  This will be the Association of Town’s 86th Annual Meeting. The event attracts elected and appointed officials from more than three-quarters of the state’s 932 towns.

To find out more information about the presentations and the 2019 National Engineers Week celebration event in NYC, use the following link:  http://www.cvent.com/d/pbqbmv

Mr. O’Connor has over forty years’ experience in New York as a Civil Engineer working in government, industry and consulting. His career has a broad scope including roles in design, research, land and hydro-graphic surveying, infrastructure management and nuclear power quality assurance.

Since 2010 he has served IAS in several roles. In New York City he is focused on Special Inspections for Building Construction, bringing ISO standards to the building industry in New York. In addition to assessments for the accreditation of 130+ Special Inspection Agencies in New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Florida and Dubai, Larry teaches seminars on the importance of Special Inspections and Chapter 17 of the IBC. [Read more…]

Former NYC DOT Traffic Commissioner, Sam Schwartz P.E. will Discuss Autonomous Vehicles at The 2019 National Engineers Week Celebration Event in NYC

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By the PEs in Construction Group,  January 2019.   

Former NYC DOT Traffic Commissioner, Sam Schwartz P.E.  will discuss the pros and cons of driver-less cars at NYSSPE’s 2019 NYC Engineers Week Celebration Event, which will be held on Monday February 18th, 2019 at the Time Square Marriott Marquis in New York City.  Mr. Schwartz will discuss the adaptability of driver-less cars to urban roads and lay out the future of driver-less traffic.  While there are some major benefits—fewer crashes, less parking, and greater productivity while motoring, there is also a need to be aware of the big concerns. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) will affect family and work life, business, politics, ethics, the environment, travel, and health. City planning will change significantly as AVs will dominate transportation over the next generation. The streets cape, as we know it today, may be dramatically altered.  Mr. Schwartz will provide an overview of the concepts discussed in his latest book NO ONE AT THE WHEEL which will provide a road map for how to respond to the inevitable changes that autonomous vehicles will bring.  Stakeholders and citizens will need to work together with government to maximize the benefits of this technology while minimizing its downsides.

The autonomous vehicles presentation will be part of a series of 6 presentations (6-PDH) celebrating Engineers Week on Monday February 18, 2019 with some very interesting topics focused on infrastructure improvements and green/energy efficient measures.  The PE’s In Construction Group of NYSSPE is organizing this presentation series in conjunction with the Association of Towns of the State of New York (AOT) at the AOT 2019 Training School and Annual Meeting.  This will be the Association of Town’s 86th Annual Meeting. The event attracts elected and appointed officials from more than three-quarters of the state’s 932 towns.

To find out more information about the presentations and the 2019 National Engineers Week celebration event in NYC, CLICK HERE

Mr. Schwartz is currently President, and CEO of Sam Schwartz Transportation Consultants, a firm that specializes in transportation planning and engineering. In addition to his 1982 to 1986 post as Traffic Commissioner at the New York City Department of Transportation, he has served as an adjunct professor of engineering at Cooper Union, Long Island University, and Brooklyn College.  Mr. Schwartz is also the Inaugural Ted Kheel Fellow at Hunter College’s Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute. Among the many roles he has held throughout his career, he is the acclaimed author of Street Smart: The Rise of Cities and The Fall of Cars, and No One at the Wheel: Driver-less Cars and the Road of the Future (2018). He also pens the “Gridlock Sam” and “Transit Sam” columns in the New York Daily News and Downtown Express.   [Read more…]

NYC DOB and DDC to Address Design Professionals on October 19th at NYC Design Professionals Day.

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On Friday October 19th, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) will provide several presentations to inform design professionals and the construction industry about important design considerations and about conducting inspections in the City, as well as about the recent initiatives by the department. The event will be held at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering (NYU-Poly), Pfizer Auditorium, 5 Metrotech Center, Brooklyn, NY 11201. For more information and to RSVP to the event CLICK HERE.

The full day event will begin with a keynote speech by DOB’s First Deputy Commissioner Thomas Fariello R.A., who will discuss recent developments and an update on the online filing system being implemented by the department. DOB’s Chief Structural Engineer Dan Eschenasy, PE, F.SEI, SECB, will provide an overview of post fire structural investigations by design professionals (1 PDH). Chief of DOB’s Forensic Engineering Unit, Tim Lynch PE, will discuss Building Typology and NYC’s building classifications system (1 PDH) as well as lessons from the recent damage assessments in Puerto Rico (1 PDH). In addition, DOB’s Director of Sustainability Enforcement, Holly Savoia PE will discuss TR-8 energy progress inspections conducted by design professionals in New York City (1 PDH).

In addition, the Deputy Commissioner of the NYC Department of Design & Construction (DDC) Eric Macfarlane, PE, M.ASCE, will provide an overview of New York City’s efforts to engineer sustainability and resiliency in the face of Global warming and associated sea level rise projection and extreme weather events (1 PDH). Mr. Macfarlane will discuss NYC’s emissions reduction efforts to date and NYC’s Roadmap to 80% GHG reduction by 2050. Also discussed will be a few DDC projects and case studies related to sustainability and resiliency and 80X20 efforts to preserve and improve the quality of life for NYC residents. For more information and to RSVP to the event use the following link: RSVP to Event.

The presentation by DOB’s Director of Sustainability Enforcement, Holly Savoia PE will include a discussion on changes in the energy code and the continually evolving knowledge base of design professionals in an effort to improve energy performance and sustainable building practices in construction. Strong enforcement and education are a necessary component of this effort, and TR-8 progress inspectors play a crucial part in the bridge between the design phase and construction. The presentation will identify the resources available to design professionals for the conduct of progress inspections with respect to the energy code, the administration process to be followed, lessons learned by the Department of Buildings during a recent pilot study of alteration projects, a discussion of challenges, and what is coming up on the horizon.

The presentation by DOB’s Chief Structural Engineer Dan Eschenasy, PE, F.SEI, SECB, will include an overview of Post Fire Structural Investigations. Material specific methods of post-fire inspection and evaluation will be presented. Following a fire incident structural engineers are called to evaluate the structural stability and condition of the remaining structure and determine the needs for structural repairs. Fire characteristics and the effect of fire on various construction materials will be discussed (steel, concrete, stone and wood). [Read more…]

Engineering Ethics: How to Protect Your Engineering License

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By Lewis Tesser and Randall Tesser

Bad things happen to good engineers.  Each year, some well-intentioned professional engineers cross over the misconduct threshold, and many, many more are the subject of disciplinary investigations even though they have not committed an ethical violation.  Therefore, it is worth discussing the factors triggering disciplinary investigations and the circumstances frequently attending disciplinary violations.  Whether or not misconduct has been committed, avoiding even the appearance of ethical pitfalls will save you time, money and stress, keep your clients satisfied, and safeguard your license.

Communication, Communication, Communication

In any profession, the vast majority of complaints emanate from unsatisfied clients.[1] The remedy is apparent; keep the customer satisfied. The best way to do this is to maintain good communication. Often, timely and honest communication is the single easiest and greatest step that any professional can take to reduce the likelihood of receiving complaints. What is involved?

Promptly return phone calls and e-mails. Whether you are working directly for a client, are working through a contractor or are part of an organization, whoever your point person is, keep them informed. When clients do not hear from you—even if you are hard at work—they may believe that their project is not important to you. Of course, you do not have to respond to each and every call ten times a day. The key is to communicate. Establish a policy regarding response time, and stick to it. If you are unable to respond, make sure to explain the reason for the unavailability and make a realistic promise as to when the call will be returned.

Document your work. Keep contemporaneous notes of relevant conversations, important events, time devoted and expenses incurred. Maintain records in a way that you can easily retrieve them. With good recordkeeping, you can show your clients all the hard work that you put into their projects. This will be especially useful if a bill is higher than usual.

Speaking of bills, clients should never be surprised. You may feel awkward having spent more time than expected on a project. That is the time to communicate with the client (or your company). Let them know ahead of time if you expect a bill to be high, and explain why the bill is higher than usual (using your well documented records). Consider sending out your bills frequently and regularly so they are not stuck with one big number at the end.

Be Wary of Ethical Grey Areas

            While being a licensed professional involves certain privileges, it also limits the scope of your practice. There are certain activities that are prohibited for professional engineers to take part in, either because they are not the work of a professional engineer, or because they pose a conflict of interest. For example, in some states an engineer may not work for, or with, the government while they are being regulated as a professional. In addition, professional engineers often may not perform work where they have an undisclosed financial interest in a project.[2]

On that note, be aware of local laws and regulations. Different states, counties and municipalities impose different requirements on the practice of engineering. Regardless of where your license was issued, violating local rules and regulations can put your license in jeopardy. A little bit of research goes a long way when working in new or unfamiliar localities. [Read more…]

NYSSPE Announces 2018 Award Recipients for Annual Conference

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Please join the New York State Society of Professional Engineers, Inc. in congratulating our 2018 Award Winners!

Engineer of the Year: William Gorlin, P.E.

William Gorlin is an industry recognized and world-renowned expert in the design of stages, theaters, amusement rides and theatrical effects. His expertise in structural and mechanical engineer systems relating to these elements has made him a leader in the industry. Bill is a graduate of Cornell University where he obtained both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree, and he is currently Vice President and Division Chief of Entertainment Engineering at McLaren Engineering Group.

His career spans 30 years and four continents. He has worked on projects around the globe, from Macau to China to Singapore, North and South America, the Middle East and throughout Europe. His work includes the Dancing Cranes in Singapore, the world’s largest animatronic structure; the stage for Cirque du Soleil’s Ka at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas; work at all of the theme parks in Florida, including Disney World, Universal and Sea World; amusement parks in Dubai, and Moscow; and work on over 100 Broadway shows.

As Professional Engineers, one of our key core values is the protection of the public. Bill has exemplified this as he is at the fore front of his industry in promoting safety and is presently in charge of writing the industry standards for both Performer Flying and Temporary structures. Many of the projects Bill is involved with are considered temporary structure and don’t fall under the traditional building Code. Because of this Bill has worked with both international committees and the NYC Building department to develop the requirement for temporary events to insure public and performer safety.

[Read more…]