Happy New Year
from the staff of Yarmus Engineering, P.C.
We hope that you had a wonderful Holiday Season,
and we look forward to continuing to assist you with
your engineering and inspection needs
in the new year.
We are grateful for your patronage of our firm.
What’s New
Effective January 1st, the NYS Fire Prevention & Building Code Council has adopted an update to the commercial provisions of the Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York State (ECCCNYS). The code establishes minimum requirements for energy-efficient buildings using prescriptive and performance-related measures. Additional information isavailable online from the NYS Department of State, Division of Code Enforcement and Administration.
Recent Projects
- Consultation and evaluation of the failure of a plumbing flange connection during the construction of a Queens, NY facility
- Retained to evaluate and design repairs for structural deficiencies and deterioration at 51 units of a condominium complex located in Rockland County, NY
- Arbitration support for a case involving the failure of a marine structure in Long Island, NY
Insurers dogged by claims of slanted Sandy reports
On December 27th the Associated Press reported that a Federal judge has ordered insurance companies to turn over records that could show whether they had improperly denied certain damage claims filed in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. According to the AP, a group of about 1,500 homeowners are alleging that structural engineers charged with assessing the claims gave insurers “bogus” reports, falsely attributing Sandy-related damage to things like “poor construction or long-term settling of the soil.” Investigations into the claims have been launched by New York’s attorney general and FEMA’s inspector general, the AP reported.
Yarmus Engineering, P.C. has been working with home and building owners, contractors, and NYS government agencies since this historic storm to inspect and evaluate storm damage, design needed repairs, consult on issues related to water intrusion and mold growth, etc. We have a long and proven track-record of working objectively both “for” and “against” insurance companies, and are available to work with any parties who believe they may have similarly been taken advantage of by such unscrupulous entities. Please contact our office if we can be of assistance to you or your clients regarding such matters.
Missing Ingredient in Energy-Efficient Buildings: Trained People
On December 2nd Washington University reported that more than one-third of new commercial building space includes energy-saving features. However, according to a paper published in the journal Building and Environment, without training or an operator’s manual many occupants are in the dark about how to use them. Kansas State University assistant professor Julia Day started her research after a visit to an office supposedly designed for energy efficiency where she noticed that the blinds were all closed and numerous lights were turned on. The building had been designed to use daylighting strategies to save energy from electric lighting. Cabinetry and systems furniture throughout the building blocked occupants from access to the blind controls. Day then looked at more than 50 high-performing buildings across the U.S. Often, she found that sustainable building features were simply mentioned in a meeting or in a brief email sent to everyone, and people did not truly understand how their actions could affect the building’s overall energy use.
Yarmus Engineering, P.C. is available to consult with you on your energy efficiency needs and goals. We have experience in both designing structures and systems to assist our clients in achieving energy efficiency, as well as in the inspection of existing facilities which might help in identifying such “shortfalls” in occupant use. Please contact our office if we can be of assistance to you or your clients regarding such matters.