The NCSEA Building Assessments Subcommittee invites you to join us for a half-day pre-conference symposium on building assessment, a vital and growing area of practice for structural engineers. This summit will share highlights from the 2024 fall webinar series on building assessment, which covered a range of topics related to the evaluation of existing buildings, such as:
· Investigation methods and tools, including non-destructive testing, surveying, monitoring, and scanning.
· Common failures in different types of structures, including specifically steel, concrete, wood, masonry, parking garages, balconies and decks, and building envelopes.
· Report writing and recommendations, including rating systems, levels of assessments, and legal aspects.
You will also have the opportunity to network with your peers and learn about the latest developments and resources from the NCSEA Building Assessments Subcommittee. In addition, you will participate in a dynamic discussion on next steps when a structural engineer discovers a potentially unsafe condition and whether they should advise the building to be evacuated or otherwise closed.
We believe that structural engineers are the best qualified professionals to perform structural building assessments and to provide solutions for the challenges, and identify learning opportunities that arise from firsthand experience with the nation’s existing building inventory. This summit is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to take the lead on building assessment projects and to advance the structural profession while protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
Registration fee is $249 (members of NCSEA)/ $449 (nonmember) per person. Summit registration is not required to attend. This event will award 4.75 PDHs.
Thank you to our event sponsor, DEWALT!
Schedule of Events
12:30 - 12:45 pm
Welcome and Introductions
Speaker: Stanley Stoll
12:45 - 1:45 pm
Keynote: The State of the Art and Practice of Building Assessments
Speaker: William Bast
1:45 - 3:15 pm
Existing Building Assessment Webinar Series - That's a Wrap!
The webinar series from Fall of 2024 was about improving the skills and confidence of structural engineers who assess existing buildings, especially after the Surfside collapse. The webinars covered topics such as the scope of building assessments, common failures in all of the main building materials, and how to write clear and informative reports appropriate for the circumstances. This panel will summarize the main points of the webinars and share best practices including the ethical and professional challenges when performing building assessments.
Speakers: Stanley Stoll and others
3:15 - 3:30 pm
Break
3:30 - 5:15 pm
Round Table: Red-tag a Building?! Are you Crazy?
The Building Assessment Committee (BAC) aims to support structural engineers engaged in building assessments. Recognizing the complexity of these tasks, the BAC has delivered an educational series, including six 90-minute webinars featuring experts nationwide. The series covered essential topics such as assessment levels, investigation techniques, analysis, and communication strategies. Emphasizing practical application through case studies and ethical considerations, the program seeks to enhance professional competence and ensure the safety and quality of building assessments. This presentation dives into delivering assessment results to clients, through case studies and group discussions on decision-making and client response scenarios when our recommendations are ignored.
Speakers: Stanley Stoll and Julie Furr
5:15 - 5:30 pm
Adjournment
Closing remarks, announcement of additional existing buildings presentations during the Summit and thank you to our generous sponsors.
Speaker: Stanley Stoll