Preventing EV Fires in Parking Structures

To mitigate the risks associated with EV fires in parking structures, several measures can be implemented:

• Regular Inspections: Conduct routine inspections of charging infrastructure, cables, and connectors to identify and address potential hazards.
• Fire Suppression Systems: Consider installing fire suppression systems specifically designed for EV fires, such as those using inert gases or foam that do not harm batteries.
• Emergency Procedures: Develop and implement emergency procedures for handling EV fires, including evacuation plans and protocols for first responders.
• Ventilation: Improve ventilation in parking structures to facilitate smoke removal and reduce the spread of fire.
• Battery Management Systems: Advancements in battery management systems can help prevent thermal runaway by monitoring battery temperature, state of charge, and other critical parameters.

While EVs offer many advantages, it is essential to address the potential fire hazards associated with their use in parking structures. By taking proactive steps to prevent fires and ensure proper emergency response, we can create safer environments for both EV owners and building occupants. 

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Utilize the IEI Advantage!

We’ve been a trusted resource to some of the largest property owners and managers across the United States for over 25 years. 

Our passion is showing real estate professionals how to self-inspect their facilities in order to reduce repair and replacement costs and know when to call in an expert. Our engineers are glad to walk your facility, including parking structure inspection, let you know the condition, what and when repairs or replacement are necessary, and provide reports with construction costs and recommend quality contractors to perform the work. 

Contact us today to get a quote!

Understanding the Risks of EV Fires in Parking Structures

The rise of electric vehicles (EVs) has brought about a significant shift in the transportation landscape. While EVs offer numerous benefits, such as reduced emissions and improved fuel efficiency, they also present unique safety concerns, particularly in enclosed spaces like parking structures. One of the most pressing issues is the risk of fire. This blog post will delve into the factors that contribute to EV fires in parking structures and explore strategies to mitigate these risks.

Unique Fire Risks of EVs

Unlike traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, EVs rely on lithium-ion batteries, which are highly energy-dense. While these batteries offer excellent performance, they can also be prone to thermal runaway under certain conditions. If a battery cell becomes damaged or overheated, it can trigger a chain reaction, leading to a rapid increase in temperature and the release of flammable gases. This can result in a fire that is difficult to extinguish and can spread quickly in a confined space like a parking structure.

Read more on our website!

Utilize the IEI Advantage!

We’ve been a trusted resource to some of the largest property owners and managers across the United States for over 25 years. 

Our passion is showing real estate professionals how to self-inspect their facilities in order to reduce repair and replacement costs and know when to call in an expert. Our engineers are glad to walk your facility, including parking structure inspection, let you know the condition, what and when repairs or replacement are necessary, and provide reports with construction costs and recommend quality contractors to perform the work. 

Contact us today to get a quote!

Essential Winter Preparedness Checklist for Facility Managers & Owners

Is your facility ready for winter?

Have you done everything to ensure your staff are safe and warm during the cold months ahead?

Winter preparedness shouldn't be overlooked, and it's important to follow a checklist to make sure you don't forget any essential items that keep your facility up and running this winter:

Test Heating Systems: Ensure heating systems are functioning properly. Replace filters utilizing high efficiency filters and consider cleaning ductwork and installing a UV sanitizer to minimize the spread of viruses. Also, bringing in more air from the outside can help dilute the number of viral particles in the air. This may cause higher energy bills, but the payoff is healthier, safer employees and guests.

Test Emergency Generator: Service and test emergency generators. Ensure you have the appropriate amount of fuel, and that fuel is tested periodically to determine if fuel polishing is required to keep the fuel clean and free of contaminants.

Shut-Off Landscape Sprinklers: Shut off and completely drain irrigation systems.

Inspect Building Envelope: Visually inspect the roof paying particular attention to areas where work has been done, loose flashing, debris removal from roof, drains and gutters. Visually inspect the façade of your building paying particular attention to doors and windows. Avoid having to fix a roof, door, or window leak in the middle of a winter storm.

Snow and Ice Removal: Have On-Call Service provider(s) available 24/7 for snow and ice removal. Have them work overnight as required to remove snow and ice before occupants arrive each morning. The property owner usually has 48 hours to remove the accumulation of snow or ice to avoid being sued for a slip and fall. If this is done in-house, the property owner or manager should make sure equipment is available and has been serviced, ice melt is available, and shovels and snow blowers are ready. Ice melt such as Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, and Calcium Magnesium Acetate are not harmful to concrete. Rock salt (sodium chloride) is often the first deicing agent turned to because it’s inexpensive and effective. However, it’s very corrosive and can cause significant damage to concrete surfaces and even pose a threat to pets and plant life. Also, ensure winter wear is available to your workers.

Read the full list on our website!

The IEI Advantage for Winter Preparedness and Parking Structure Inspection

Innovative Engineering Inc. has been a trusted resource to some of the largest property owners and managers across the United States for over 25 years.

Our passion is showing real estate professionals how to self-inspect their facilities in order to reduce repair and replacement costs and know when to call in an expert. Our engineers are glad to walk your facility, including parking structure inspection, let you know the condition, what and when repairs or replacement are necessary, and provide reports with construction costs and recommend quality contractors to perform the work.

Contact us today to get a quote!

Emergency Preparedness for Winter

Is your facility prepared for winter?

Winter can be a challenging season for property owners and building managers. Inclement weather can strike without notice, and if you’re not prepared, your building and occupants could suffer costly damage.

As the seasons change and temperatures drop, make sure you plan adequately and take these essential steps for winter preparedness:

• Emergency Preparedness: While the following activities ahead of winter will minimize the likelihood or magnitude of unforeseen losses, not having an “Emergency Preparedness Plan” in place can be considered negligence. While insurance typically covers property losses, it likely does not cover lost revenue of affected tenants which can be much more than the cost to repair property damage.
• All actual tenants should be notified before winter threats, such as low temperatures, of steps to be taken to minimize losses to them and other tenants. This may include ensuring unheated spaces are either insulated and heated and/or the affected plumbing lines either drained or heated with heat tape and fire sprinkler lines heated with heaters or heat tape. Also, ensure heaters and heat tape are actually functioning correctly.
• On-Call Property Manager(s) should be identified and be available 24/7, including holidays.
• On-Call Service Provider(s) should be identified and available 24/7, including holidays. Service providers should be familiar with where all utility shut-offs are located.
• A current list of emergency contacts with backups for owners, managers, tenants, utilities, and on-call personnel should be made available and distributed to all tenants and owners.
• Keys for each tenant space should be kept by the property owner or manager and be available to the On-call Property Manager and service providers.

Read more about winter emergency preparedness on our website!

The IEI Advantage for Parking Structure Inspection

Innovative Engineering Inc. has been a trusted resource to some of the largest property owners and managers across the United States for over 25 years.

Our passion is showing real estate professionals how to self-inspect their facilities in order to reduce repair and replacement costs and know when to call in an expert. Our engineers are glad to walk your facility, including parking structure inspection, let you know the condition, what and when repairs or replacement are necessary, and provide reports with construction costs and recommend quality contractors to perform the work.

Contact us today to get started!

Indications You Need Parking Structure Restoration

Do you know how damaging water, ice melt and other moisture is to the structural integrity of your parking structure?

Because reinforced concrete is the primary material used for parking structures, water damage is a major concern, and is often hard to find until it’s too late. Water intrusion is one of the most detrimental issues to parking structures, typically leading to severe structural deterioration. Moisture can freeze and corrode reinforcing steel causing expansion and spalling of concrete.

According to our own Scott Weiland PE., SE., PCC.: “The top level of your parking structure not only provides possibly the least desirable parking spaces; it serves as the roof of the facility. Controlling water in the form of rain or melting snow at this level is the least expensive way to extend the life of your parking structure and minimize maintenance costs. Controlling the water runoff involves shedding water to drains as quickly as possible.”

• Water leakage: Water and parking structures don’t mix! Leaking water is a clear sign that your structure may need repairs. The longer leaks are left unattended, the more expensive the consequences can become.
• Ponding: Standing water is a huge issue in parking structures that can cause a tremendous amount of damage over time if not addressed early. Drain installation can prevent future, larger problems.
• Expansion joint failure: Detecting expansion joint problems and reacting quickly to make repairs is very beneficial in the long run. Failed joints provide another avenue for water to reach the reinforcing steel and connector plates.
• Horizontally or vertically cracked concrete: Concrete that has spalled or is cracking represents areas of potential structural damage that needs to be addressed. Cracks let water reach the structure’s reinforcing steel causing it to corrode and expand.
• Exposed rebar: If you can see rebar, it deserves immediate attention. Introduced to water, rebar corrodes and expands up to eight times its original size resulting in spalled concrete. This is due to water penetration into the concrete.

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Avoid Costly Repairs by Maintaining Your Parking Structure

Water is the number 1 cause of parking structure deterioration. Water-saturated concrete can freeze, expand, and spall. Combined with oxygen, water can also cause corrosion of the concrete reinforcing. Exposure to deicing salts accelerates this process. As reinforcing steel expands as it rusts, this process also leads to concrete spalling. Spalled concrete provides less cover or protection of the reinforcing which leads to further (and accelerated) deterioration if not repaired in a timely manner.

The IEI Structural Engineering Advantage

Our engineers at IEI specialize in parking structure restoration. We’ll walk your facility and let you know of any conditions that require immediate attention and what maintenance activities you can perform now to extend the life of your facility. Give us a call today!

Avoid Major Parking Structure Restoration Costs

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

Parking structures are unique in that the structure is directly exposed to the elements, unlike a building structure that is protected by a Building Envelope. Exposure includes moisture, freezing temperatures, deicing salts, thermal expansion and contraction, and dynamic vehicle loads.

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 before construction has even completed.

Read more here!

If routine parking structure inspection and maintenance is deferred for too long, the costs will add up exponentially, leading to a situation in which maintenance costs outprice those of demolition and construction of a new structure. This leads to a smaller amount of parking spots for your facility, and potentially unhappy visitors.

Our engineers at IEI specialize in parking structure inspection and restoration. We’ll walk your facility and let you know of any conditions that require immediate attention, require further investigation, and maintenance activities you can perform now to extend the life of your facility. Give us a call today!

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.

Most parking structures are constructed of reinforced concrete in a few forms:

• Pre-cast: Pre-stressed concrete members fabricated in a plant and erected on site.
• Cast-In-Place: Concrete placed into formwork on site and reinforced with mild steel reinforcement, post tension steel tendons, or a combination of the two. 
• Steel: This type presents a far lower initial cost and accelerated construction schedule as opposed to concrete structures, but the nature of the steel members can lead to corrosion/rusting issues, and therefore higher maintenance costs. Steel structures have a reinforced concrete slab.

Read more here!

If routine parking structure inspection and maintenance is deferred for too long, the costs will add up exponentially, leading to a situation in which maintenance costs outprice those of demolition and construction of a new structure. This leads to a smaller amount of parking spots for your facility, and potentially unhappy visitors.

Our engineers at IEI specialize in parking structure inspection and restoration. We’ll walk your facility and let you know of any conditions that require immediate attention, require further investigation, and maintenance activities you can perform now to extend the life of your facility. Give us a call today!

Best Practices for Snow and Ice Removal on Parking Structures

Do you maintain a parking structure or parking garage at your facility?

When winter hits, are you truly prepared to take care of the snow and ice buildup?

Before the snow hits, there are some items to add to your to-do list that will make snow clearing easier and will help ensure you avoid costly repairs when the snow finally melts.

1. Don’t use metal or steel snowplow blades in the garage! Use urethane or heavy rubber edges.
   
   
2. Only use de-icing agents that are parking garage-friendly! Sodium acetate, potassium acetate, and calcium magnesium acetate are good to use in advance of snowfall. Avoid sodium chloride (rock salt), calcium chloride, and ammonium nitrate in a garage as these accelerate corrosion of reinforcing!

Visit our website to read the entire list, and learn more about parking structure inspection!

Innovative Engineering Specializes in Parking Structure Inspection

Innovative Engineering has been helping owners with parking structure inspection since 1995. 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. Therefore, early and inexpensive parking garage restoration practices produce a ROI much higher than that of other building systems

Our engineers are glad to walk your facility and let you know of any conditions that require immediate attention and what maintenance activities you can perform now to extend the life of your facility. 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!

Prep Your Parking Structure for Snow and Ice

Is your parking structure properly prepped for any inclement weather?

Have you noticed in between snow clearings that your parking structure is starting to show spalls or leaks?

Before the snow hits, there are some items to add to your to-do list that will help ensure you avoid costly repairs when the snow finally melts.

Visit our website to read the full article about winter parking structure inspection!

Innovative Engineering Specializes in Parking Structure Inspection

Innovative Engineering has been helping owners with parking structure inspection since 1995. 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.

Therefore, early and inexpensive parking garage restoration practices produce a ROI much higher than that of other building systems

Our engineers are glad to walk your facility and let you know of any conditions that require immediate attention and what maintenance activities you can perform now to extend the life of your facility. 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!