It’s been one year since the first issue of this newsletter and the first public declaration of 
Sullivan Engineering’s commitment. This milestone is a good opportunity to examine that commitment, see how we are doing and make sure we stay on course.
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New York City Local Law 85 of 2009, which became effective July 1, 2010, established the New York City Energy Conservation Code (ECC) and ensured that the NYCECC was at least as stringent as the New York State ECC (2007 edition). When the 2010 NYSECC was released, Local Law 66 0f 2010 was enacted to incorporate the new state code and became effective December 28, 2010.
Amongst other mandates, the ECC requires that roof replacement projects on all multi-family and commercial buildings provide a new system with an R-value of 20, when all insulation is above the deck, or an R value of 38 when including insulation below the deck, in attic or ceiling spaces (i.e. batt insulation).
At the end of February, Mayor Bloomberg announced the NYC Department of Building’s new use of Quick Response (QR) codes on new building permits issued in the city of New York as well as all renewed permits. These codes (see photo right) will appear in the form of a square on the upper right hand corner of the permit. With the use of a smartphone equipped 
with one of several free downloadable apps, any passerby can scan the QR code and be linked directly to the DOB’s Building Information System website. They will be directed to the page with the specific information related to that permit. From there, the property owner’s information, applicant of record, job description, prior complaints and violations as well as a host of other information is available. Furthermore a link is available to file a complaint on the city’s 311 system. With the installation of these codes on all new permits and all existing permits as they are renewed, the DOB hopes to have a QR code on all work permits by 2013.
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The official start of spring is just 3 weeks away, and for me it’s not a moment to soon. For the past 4 months. subfreezing temperatures, elevated wind speeds and significant snowfall have abused the building envelope. The resulting deterioration will soon be compounded by the typically heavy rains of spring. So it’s time for building Owner’s to perform a seasonal building envelope inspection to assess any damage resulting from this winter’s particularly harsh weather and prepare for the April showers. I recommend getting out there on the first sunny, 60°+ day and taking a 1 – 2 hour walk around the building. Bring a camera, binoculars and of course pen and paper. Read the full article…
As the weather continues to improve we all enjoy spending more and more time outdoors. Residents of apartments with balconies and 
terraces are no exception to that rule. So now is a great time to make sure that the balconies and terraces are secure. Railings around the perimeter as well as the topside and underside of the balcony surfaces should be inspected. Read the full article…
A Special Weather Statement issued by The National Weather Service on January 30th read:
“After several significant snow storms over the last couple of weeks… A deep snowpack remains across a large portion of the tri- state area. A general 10 to 30 inches of snow depth remains on the ground… With the deepest snow depth values across Connecticut.”
“3 to 5 inches of snow water equivalent is in the current snowpack across the area. This results in a tremendous amount of weight per square foot.”
“There have already been reports of collapsed roofs due to the weight of the snow… And with the threat of yet another significant storm system expected during the middle of this week… Now is the time for residents and building owners to take preventative action to safely remove snow from flat roof tops and decks.”
The weight of snow varies greatly depending on the density and volume of water within the snow , with most estimates at approximately 7 lbs per cubic foot for light, dry snow to 20 lbs per cubic foot for heavy, wet snow. Based on The National Weather Service’s statement of “3 to 5 inches of snow water equivalent”, the weight of this particular snow fall could be as much as 26 lbs. per square foot. Read the full article…
Effective January 28, 2011 Rule 103.04 of the City of New York will replace the previously issued rule 32-03. While several of the differences between these two rules are trivial; two significant changes involve the increase in fines for late and\or unsafe filing and the introduction of an initial filing fee.
Fines
The civil penalties associated with late and\or unsafe filing have increased significantly. The penalty for failure to file is $1,000 per year. The late filing penalty is now $250 per month and failure to correct an unsafe condition is $1,000 per month.
The substantial increase in these fines underscores the DOB’s emphasis on facade safety and is a clear sign of their intent to continue to penalize building Owners that do not abide by the requirements of New York City’s facade ordinance. Read the full article…
At Sullivan Engineering we look ahead confidently that our steady increased growth will continue through 2011. The professional relationships that we have established throughout the year have lead to repeat business and new referrals that will undoubtedly grow and thrive.
If the state of the economy has any part to play in our growth than several recent articles support our optimistic viewpoint including two by the Wall Street Journal (12-23-10 and 01-03-11) and one by Reuters (12-22-10). Of course we can find just as many, if not more, pessimistic predictions but you’ll have to look elsewhere for those.
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The dawn of a new year is always a great time to reflect on the year past and look toward the year ahead. Below is just a sampling of the major news from 2010.
Our World
Several of our biggest news stories this past year were heart breaking, like the earthquakes in Chile and Haiti as well as the gulf oil spill. Others were heart warming; the Chilean mine rescue is certainly an unbelievable tale that had the whole world watching.
Some new handheld devices entered the market this year. The iPad is one that I am a big fan of, although my cautious side won’t let me buy one until the second version is released. A new device to the US market that I am not thrilled with is the vuvuzela. Anyone that went to a high school football game this year recognizes that Vuvuzelas are not just a menace at African sporting events anymore. Continuing on the sports theme, LeBron James’ “The Decision” was possibly one of the worst individual PR efforts of the decade. while the off the field issues of my beloved Jets, can be described as a joint effort PR debacle.
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Winter weather is here and as stated in our blog on November 15th, NOAA has predicted heavier than usual snowfall this year.
The following are a few tips to help protect your facility during the cold, harsh winter weather:
Roof
Perform a thorough inspection of the roof at the onset of winter. Pick a mild day, when the sun is shining and the wind is calm, and spend a few hours walking the entire roof surface.
Note the quantity and locations of roof equipment that could be concealed by snow and may need to be accessed quickly (i.e. roof drains, scuppers), identify all potential tripping hazards that would be concealed by snow (i.e. curbs, HVAC lines, etc.) You may want to take plenty of photographs as well.
Inspect your roof for signs of stress, particularly at slope transitions (i.e. flat roof to vertical penetration). During the fluctuating daily temperatures in the fall, building movement can wreak havoc on the roof system near expansion joints, equipment and pipe penetrations, as well as, parapet and bulkhead walls. Metal coping covers and edge termination details also experience a significant amount of movement and should be inspected for damage at all joints. Read the full article…