Structural engineers are an integral part of our communities and cities, in uncovering our history as well as building our futures. The structural engineers of today get to discover first-hand what it must be like to pop inside the workplace of a Charles Dickens or Elizabeth Gaskell novel, appreciating the now-historical buildings of factories, mills and manufacturing complexes utilized at the height of the industrial revolution. Though, not only are these engineers time travelers and historians, but they also evaluate buildings in light of potential plans of use, determine the status of remaining structures, and calculate how they might undertake a community’s proposal to remodel and repurpose an over a century old building. When taking on a project such as a 19th century manufacturing complex, many factors must be taken into consideration, such as questioning which historical elements should be kept intact without much interference, what structural changes need to be made to align with code requirements, what damages can be seen with the naked eye and what needs to be cautiously exposed in a non-destructive manner, and so on.
STRUCTURE Magazine published the following article by D. Matthew Stuart (P.E., S.E., F. ASCE, SECB) regarding a project that Pennoni Associates, Inc. was involved in. The structural engineering firm teamed up with developers of the old manufacturing complex, located in the Eastern US, and offered their services for the cause. Stuart goes through the process of the investigation of the site and the firm’s conclusions for this reuse project. To find out more, read the article here. Reuse projects are not only important for retaining history through the buildings around us, but they are also important in that they can reduce the impact of needing to bring in all new building materials by reusing what is already there, thus helping the environment by reducing waste. Looking for work in the field? We at Shepherd Engineering Search have you covered! You can find several job opportunities in structural engineering on our website.