New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE)

The New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE) represents the interests of professional engineers, totaling more than 25,000 licensees in New York State, practicing in all disciplines.

New York City Department of Buildings – Proposed Rule Hearing June 30, 2020

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NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS: Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment on Proposed Rule

What are they proposing?
The Department of Buildings (DOB) is proposing to add a new section 102-05 to Title 1 of the Rules of the City of New York to specify penalties for failure to certify
correction of certain immediately hazardous violations.  Due to the current health emergency, the public hearing for this rule is being scheduled as a virtual hearing, which may be accessed according to the information given below.

When and Where is the hearing?
 DOB will hold a public hearing on the proposed rule online. The public hearing will take place at 11am on 7/30/20.
Join the Webex: To join the hearing via your browser either click on the following URL link or copy and paste it into your browser’s address bar. Then follow the prompts.
Meeting password: 10007
Choose either “Use computer for audio” or “Call in” for the audio portion of the public hearing. If you choose the “Call in” option, the information needed to connect (phone number, Access Code and Attendee ID) will automatically be presented to you immediately after you join the Webex meeting. [Read more…]

NYC Building Update : June 2020

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Phase 1 Reopening: NYC Construction Activity Restarts Monday, June 8th

As the City moves into Phase 1 of reopening, the Department has released new COVID-19 safety guidance for property owners and contractors of all permitted construction sites across the City. The sites include those beginning the work of reopening and those designated as essential during the construction ban. All permitted job sites must adhere to the new rules.

The new guidance reinforces the New York State Department of Health’s interim guidance on construction activities during this public health crisis and emphasizes the responsibility of all members of the construction industry to make compliance a top priority. Additionally, the guidance reinforces the City’s commitment to use education and enforcement to work collectively towards a safe restart and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 during this ongoing pandemic.

Employers are also required to develop a site-specific health plan that is prominently visible on worksites. They will also be required to submit and display an affirmation to the State that they have read and understood the additional reopening requirements as required in the NYS Interim Guidelines.

 

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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 or service in this blog.

 

DOB Update May 2020

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Mandatory Submission of all BIS Job Applications in eFiling to launch June 8th:  Read More! 

Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment on Proposed Rules : June 1st at 1:00PM: Read More!

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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 or service in this blog.

 

 

NYC Building Update:NYC Energy Conservation Code Updates

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NYC Building Update:NYC Energy Conservation Code Updates

Building Bulletin 2020-007

Building Bulletin 2020-008

Building Bulletin 2020-009

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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 or service in this blog.

 

City Halts Non-essential Construction : UPDATE

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City halts non-essential construction

Please see here for guidance on how DOB is implementing the ban on non-essential construction during the COVID-19 outbreak:

As part of the citywide response to the Coronavirus, the Department of Buildings (DOB) is continuing its efforts to immediately limit the amount of walk-in traffic to DOB offices. Effective immediately, the following mandatory operational changes have been implemented:

Drop off boxes are available for the following services:

Application Processing

  • After Hours Variances
  • Certificates of Occupancy
  • Data Entry Corrections
  • Letters of Completion
  • Letters of No Objection
  • New and subsequent job filings
  • Permits and Permit Renewals
  • Post Approval Amendments (PAA)
  • Supersede Requests
  • Temporary Certificates of Occupancy
  • Temporary Use Permits
  • Withdrawal Requests

[Read more…]

UPDATE: The 2020 New York City Energy Conservation Code (NYCECC)

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See below for the New York State E-Bulletin regarding the Notices of Adoption for the rules amending and updating the Uniform Code and Energy Code.

The Notices of Adoption will appear in the February 2020 edition of the State Register and the rules will become effective on May 12, 2020.

As mentioned before, New York City’s Energy Code must have the same effective date as the State’s Energy Code, which will become effective on May 12, 2020.

Please continue to check the DOB Energy Conservation Code webpage for updates on Intro 1816 and more on the effective date and see links below for more supporting documents:
Buildings Bulletin 2020
Proposed Int. No. 1816-A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_______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 or service in this blog.

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…]

Legislative Update: Letter to Commissioner Fariello

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Please see the link below for a copy of a letter sent to Thomas Fariello, RA who has assumed the duties of Commissioner of NYC Department of Buildings following the decision by Rick Chandler, P.E. to step down.  We are awaiting a reply to our request for a meeting.  NYSSPE is hopeful that the meeting will lead to additional improvements at the DOB squarely focused upon the elimination of inordinate delays in the plan approval process.  Thanks to everyone who has helped with this initiative.  We will keep everyone apprised.

Letter from NYSSPE to Thomas Fariello, RA 

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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 or service in this blog.

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…]