Welcoming his experience and perspective, the Lancaster County Conservation District appointed Matt Mack, PE, LEED AP as Associate Director. Associate Directors "serve a vital role in bringing new ideas, energy and direction to the District" states Don McNutt, District Administrator. Mack is really looking forward to serving the District during his two year term.

Additionally, Mack was also named Chair of the Berks Lancaster Green Building Association for 2011 & 2012. The Berks Lancaster Green Building Association ('BLGBA') formed as a branch of the Green Building Association of Central Pennsylvania in the Spring of 2008 in an effort to establish a growing network of resources and educational opportunities for those interested in reducing the environmental impact of buildings -- from design and construction to ultimate use and occupancy.

CONGRATULATIONS MATT!

In Early Spring 2011, Habitat for Humanity of Berks County will embark on its most ambitious project - the creation of four new townhomes in the Hyde Park Neighborhood of Muhlenberg Township.

Habitat needs all trades and aspects of this project - plumbing, framing, HVAC, excavation, etc. They will accomodate assistance of any size, shape or form.

Habitat will supply lunch on each day and promotion of the event with local print, television and radio media. Any company who sends volunteers during the build will receive recognition on the Habitat website and in the quarterly newsletter.

If you'd like more information regarding this project, please call Jack Williams, Director of Construction at 610-373-3439 or contact him via email at [email protected].

VOLUNTEER! DONATE TIME OR MATERIALS! GIVING FEELS GOOD!

Ludgate Engineering is pleased to provide Habitat for Humanity with engineering and surveying services.

 

Earlier this year, Senior Structural/Civil Engineer, Ed Nordahl, PE was engaged by a manufacturer of pre-cast concrete products. The assignment was to provide engineering needed for some architectural panels to be used as the outside faces of several buildings. Although the panels are 'ordinary', the buildings are not.

The buildings to be erected will house the new public water treatment plant to serve a city of over 8 million people.

They must be built to be secure from any foreseeable weather activity, earthquake, or terrorist attack. Consequently these buildings not only have to meet city and state codes, but also added requirements for security and extreme loading conditions.

The concerns for absolute 'fail-safe' design extended to all related details, such as how will the panels themselves be shipped and erected so as to avoid even the most minute fractures, most invisable to the naked eye.

Ed analyzed multiple load conditions from wind, earthquakes, blasts, shipping, handling and erecting. His analyses and calculations had to prove the panels, some parts as slim as 2 inches thick, would not be cracked if the shipping truck hit a bump in the highway. Additionally he had to design for special inserts where erection cables could be fastened to allow cranes to lift and twist the panels into place. Furthermore, he analyzed the fittings cast into the receiving structure so as to be sure the panels could be absolutely securely fastened.

With the reams and reams of structural engineering calculations also came reviews and approvals by several layers of oversight, including the client manufacturer, rigging contractor, structural sub-contractor, general contractor, construction engineer, design engineer, and the state and city building permit reviewers.
(Exhausting just typing it!)

Upon obtaining all these approvals for the design calculations, shop drawings were produced by Ludgate Engineering. After these drawings ran the same review process, the pre-cast concrete manufacturer was finally able to build the panels.

Three years ago I was challenged by former Borough Council President, Larry Schmidt, to analyze the Borough downtown and come up with a way to attract more business to the Borough. From that date forward I have worked diligently toward that goal. I most certainly did not work alone, but this writing is a personal note.

After spending a day on the ground in downtown Sinking Spring,

I became convinced that we could not bring about the kind of revitalization which Larry understood the Borough to need unless we could somehow alleviate the severe traffic congestion at the Route 422 - Route 724 intersection. Fortunately, ... to read more click here.