Don’t Defer Routine Parking Structure Maintenance!

There are many factors that influence how long a parking structure will last and at what point you will need to tear it down and rebuild.

How can you avoid expensive repairs or a rebuild in the future?

Parking structures are directly exposed to the elements, unlike a building structure that’s protected by a building envelope. Exposure includes moisture, freezing temperatures, deicing salts, thermal expansion and contraction, and dynamic vehicle loads.

Whether your parking structure is a multi-level garage or a few below-grade levels under a high-rise building, proactive condition assessment and diligent maintenance are imperative.

If problems are ignored, the harsh environment in garages will quickly accelerate deterioration into hazardous conditions.

Many see the outwardly rugged nature of a parking structure and assume that they are indestructible and require little maintenance. Unfortunately, this is simply not true. Many parking structures lack a true building envelope, and instead leave their structural components exposed to the elements. This leads to deterioration starting before construction has even completed.

Read more on our website!

Innovative Engineering Specializes in Parking Structure Restoration

We help owners with parking structure restoration and reducing costs. Unlike most other building systems that are protected by a conditioned building envelope, parking structures are directly exposed to the elements which results in exponential or accelerated deterioration.

Our engineers are glad to walk your facility and let you know about any conditions that require immediate attention. Since the back of IEI business cards contain a crack gauge, you can easily evaluate any cracks within your structure to determine if it is of concern. Give us a call today!

Routine Parking Structure Maintenance Can Prevent Long-Term Costs

High-cost structural issues in parking garages often stem from common culprits such as water infiltration, freeze-thaw cycles, chloride attack from de-icing salts, and the natural aging of materials. These issues can lead to concrete cracking, spalling, rebar corrosion, and ultimately, a compromised structure. The good news is that many of these issues are preventable with consistent care and attention.

Addressing small issues promptly is significantly less expensive than tackling large-scale repairs. A comprehensive preventative maintenance plan should include:

• Invest in Effective Waterproofing and Protective Coatings: Applying high-quality traffic-bearing membranes and protective coatings to the parking surfaces creates a barrier against water, chlorides, and other corrosive agents.
• Regular Cleaning: Removing dirt, debris, and corrosive substances like de-icing salts prevents them from penetrating the concrete and accelerating deterioration. Power washing can be an effective way to remove stubborn residues.
• Crack and Pothole Sealing: Sealing cracks and repairing potholes prevents water and chemicals from infiltrating the concrete layers and reaching the reinforcing steel.
• Drainage System Maintenance: Clogged or damaged drainage systems are a major contributor to water accumulation and subsequent damage. Regularly cleaning catch basins, drains, and pipes ensures water is effectively channeled away from the structure. Proper grading and slope of the parking surface are also critical for effective drainage.

Read more on our website! 

Innovative Engineering Specializes in Parking Structure Restoration

We help owners with parking structure restoration and reducing costs. Unlike most other building systems that are protected by a conditioned building envelope, parking structures are directly exposed to the elements which results in exponential or accelerated deterioration.

Our engineers are glad to walk your facility and let you know about any conditions that require immediate attention. Since the back of IEI business cards contain a crack gauge, you can easily evaluate any cracks within your structure to determine if it is of concern. Give us a call today!

Why You Can Trust Your Historic Building to a Structural Engineer

According to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, “working with a trained professional to determine the condition of your property will help you identify and prioritize the challenges and opportunities unique to your historic property… once you’ve determined the scope of your project, you’ll need to find a contractor to help you complete the work.”

Hiring the right historic restoration contractor is key, as the preservation of historic properties can be complex. Issues they may encounter include:

• Lead and other hazardous building materials used before 1978
• Non-standard building materials and methods
• Building practices that no longer meet code
• Addressing current ADA accessibility requirements
• Aging and damaged structural elements

Trust Your Historic Building to IEI for Commercial Property Inspection in Atlanta

With age, the façade of your building may experience degradation due to normal wear and tear and chemical exposure. Moisture, either penetrating the exterior or escaping the interior of a building, can cause rust and deteriorate supports. Water vapor pressure trapped within the veneer along with freeze/thaw action (also called sub florescence) can result in cracks and spalls. Building movement in the form of shortening, caused by creep and shrinkage, and foundation settlement can cause cracks, spalls and buckling of the façade. Differential expansion and contraction, caused by temperature and moisture changes, can also lead to similar failures. As one can imagine, northern climates experience more severe façade degradation compared to southern climates due to the colder temperatures, significant snowfall, extended periods of below freezing temperatures, and larger seasonal temperature changes.

Read more on our website!

Learn about the IEI Advantage Today!

IEI’s expertise is trusted by owners and property managers of all sizes, including some of the nation’s largest property portfolios. In addition to answering the request for advice, consulting, and peer reviews, IEI is sought after for their expertise in the form of educational speaking events for national organizations as well as articles in major national publications.

Contact us today to get a quote and see how we can help you with commercial property inspection in Atlanta to keep the historic value of your building alive.

The Role of Structural Engineers in Historic Building Preservation

Preservation of historic buildings is so important to keeping our rich cultural heritage alive. How can you make sure your building continues to stand the test of time?

Condition Analysis and Structural Assessment

Structural engineers help the preservation process by:

• Conducting comprehensive assessments of the building’s structural integrity including the facade
• Looking for signs of deterioration, understanding the impact of environmental factors, and assessing load-bearing capacity
• Can utilize new technologies like laser scanning and thermal imaging to detect problems the human eye can’t see

Read more on our website!

Learn about the IEI Advantage Today!

IEI’s expertise is trusted by owners and property managers of all sizes, including some of the nation’s largest property portfolios. In addition to answering the request for advice, consulting, and peer reviews, IEI is sought after for their expertise in the form of educational speaking events for national organizations as well as articles in major national publications.

Contact us today to get a quote and see how we can help you with commercial property inspection in Atlanta to keep the historic value of your building alive.

Active Shooter Preparedness: Essential Security Strategies for Buildings

In the face of increasing active shooter threats, businesses, schools, and public institutions must adopt comprehensive security strategies to protect occupants. While law enforcement response is critical, proactive building design and emergency planning can make a significant difference in mitigating risks.

The Importance of Security Risk Assessments

Before implementing security enhancements, organizations should conduct a security risk assessment to identify vulnerabilities. Certified security professionals can analyze building layouts, existing security measures, and potential entry points to recommend improvements.

Key Design Strategies for Active Shooter Preparedness

Security-focused design plays a critical role in delaying attackers and improving safety:

• Controlled Entry Points: Using keycard access, mantrap vestibules, and perimeter barriers to prevent unauthorized entry.
• Enhanced Surveillance: Installing AI-powered cameras and gunshot detection systems to provide real-time threat alerts.
• Emergency Lockdown Capabilities: Smart electronic locks and reinforced doors to contain threats and protect occupants.
• Safe Refuge Areas: Designated secure rooms equipped with communication tools for emergency sheltering.

Emergency Response Planning and Training

Having a well-defined emergency response plan is essential for effective crisis management. Organizations should implement and regularly update:

• Lockdown and Evacuation Procedures: Clear escape routes and shelter-in-place strategies.
• Mass Notification Systems: Alerts through mobile devices, PA systems, and alarms.
• Active Shooter Drills: Staff and occupant training on Run, Hide, Fight or ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) protocols.

Read more on our website! 

The IEI Physical Security Advantage

As Physical Security Professionals (PSP), we have conducted physical security risk assessments for individual buildings and entire campuses. We have lead design teams in the incorporation of physical security into the building design.

We have also performed physical security peer reviews of finished designs on behalf of the government. And with our expertise in structural engineering including structural dynamics, we’re able to holistically engineer buildings for ballistic and explosive threats including hardening and progressive collapse resistance. With our extensive Engineer of Record (EOR), we can easily manage the incorporation of protective design and physical security measures into each of the discipline drawings and specifications.

Our sought-after expertise has resulted in numerous peer reviewed presentations at professional society conferences and symposiums in the area of physical security, risk assessments, terroristic and wartime threats, blast and progressive-collapse resistance design, and vehicle barriers.

Contact us today to see how we can help you with your next project!

Designing for Safety: How Protective Engineering Can Reduce Active Shooter Risks

Active shooter incidents are an unfortunate reality in today's world, making it essential for organizations and building designers to prioritize safety. Traditional security measures are no longer enough—protective design engineering plays a crucial role in preventing and mitigating these threats. By integrating strategic security features into architectural design, buildings can deter attackers, slow intrusions, and provide safe evacuation or shelter options for occupants.

Understanding Active Shooter Threats

Active shooter events are unpredictable and unfold rapidly, requiring immediate response measures. Statistics show an increasing trend in such incidents across workplaces, schools, and public spaces, emphasizing the importance of proactive planning. Protective design engineering aims to create environments that naturally discourage threats and enhance occupant safety.

Core Principles of Protective Design

Protective design engineering is based on key security principles that strengthen buildings against threats:

• Natural Surveillance: Increasing visibility through strategic lighting, window placement, and open layouts.
• Access Control: Restricting entry points and implementing secure doors or ID-based access systems.
• Territorial Reinforcement: Using landscaping and barriers to define public and private areas.
• Target Hardening: Strengthening windows, doors, and entryways to resist forced entry.

How Protective Design Enhances Security

By applying these principles, organizations can create safer environments that not only deter attackers but also assist law enforcement in responding effectively. For example, reinforced doors and secure rooms can provide occupants with critical seconds to hide or escape. Smart security measures such as biometric access controls and AI-driven surveillance further enhance building safety.

Read more on our website! 

The IEI Physical Security Advantage

As Physical Security Professionals (PSP), we have conducted physical security risk assessments for individual buildings and entire campuses. We have lead design teams in the incorporation of physical security into the building design.

We have also performed physical security peer reviews of finished designs on behalf of the government. And with our expertise in structural engineering including structural dynamics, we're able to holistically engineer buildings for ballistic and explosive threats including hardening and progressive collapse resistance. With our extensive Engineer of Record (EOR), we can easily manage the incorporation of protective design and physical security measures into each of the discipline drawings and specifications. 

Our sought-after expertise has resulted in numerous peer reviewed presentations at professional society conferences and symposiums in the area of physical security, risk assessments, terroristic and wartime threats, blast and progressive-collapse resistance design, and vehicle barriers. 

Contact us today to see how we can help you with your next project!

What is Building Envelope Water Intrusion?

Water intrusion through a building’s envelope—whether it be the walls, windows, roofs, or foundation—is one of the most common and costly issues property owners and managers face. If left unchecked, it can lead to structural damage, mold growth, and compromised indoor air quality, all of which can significantly impact both the safety, longevity, and value of a building.

The building envelope is designed to keep the outside elements, like rain and snow, from entering the interior. But sometimes, despite the best efforts in design and construction, water can find its way in. This is called water intrusion, and it can come from a variety of sources like leaks in the roof, cracks in the foundation, or improperly sealed windows.

Roof (or Plaza Slab): For a roof to successfully keep water out of a building, the bulk water should be shed quickly and efficiently from the roof surface or the drainage layer within a plaza or green roof. Ponding, which is standing water 48 hours after precipitation (rain) is unacceptable. Standing water can break down asphaltic and polymeric roofing material. Water can also freeze and erode embedded gravel UV protective surface. Standing water can also find its way through the smallest of imperfections within the roofing system. For these reasons, ponding also voids roofing warranties. The secondary barrier is the actual roofing material itself.  And the tertiary water management layer is the building's HVAC system that deals with what little moisture enters the building.

Exterior Walls: For a wall to successfully keep water out of a building, the bulk water should be shed quickly and efficiently from the outer wall cladding. Water that penetrates the cladding should be drained and evaporated within a secondary drainage plane backed up by a water-resistant barrier. And the fourth water management layer is the building's HVAC system that deals with what little moisture enters the building.

Read more on our website!

Schedule Your Building Envelope and Water Intrusion Inspection Today

No one likes surprises. Having a building envelope inspection and report done only to realize during the restoration that the budget you were given isn’t enough to complete the project can create unnecessary problems and possibly damage reputations.

We take a very holistic and thorough approach to building envelope inspection, forensic investigation, reporting, and estimating of repair costs. Innovative Engineering’s staff includes engineers with expertise in both structural and building envelope engineering. They also have relationships with reputable restoration contractors with real-time pricing. If you or others have tried unsuccessful to solve water intrusion issues, contact IEI. Chances are they have dealt with similar conditions. If not, they have the education, certifications, experience, and a quiver full of specialized diagnosis tools to diagnose and solve the water intrusion issue.