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Commercial Building Design
NorthStar Engineering provides commercial building design services including code analysis, building design (floor plans, elevations, sections, etc.), specifications, engineering and energy calculations.
In our experience some clients that are just getting started find it helpful to get an overview of the process. In commercial building design there are several different disciplines that are necessary to provide a complete plan set. These include architecture, building (structural) engineering, site (civil) engineering, landscaping, mechanical (HVAC), electrical and plumbing. In addition, some clients choose to hire someone to assist with the interior design.
An architect will typically provide the architectural plans and an engineer provides the structural plans and calculations for the structure. These two disciplines can and do overlap at times. Please refer to the FAQ for the differences between architects and engineers. NorthStar Engineering does not currently have an architect on staff, however we can and do provide building plan sets (as described above). This allows the client to have the building plans, engineering plans and site plan all under one roof.
One of the first items that needs to be addressed on commercial projects is the code analysis. Code analysis issues that can present a challenge include:
- Occupancy classification
- Allowable building heights and areas
- Construction types
- Fire code issues
- Means of egress / exiting
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance
Click image above to see 3-D model (228 kB)
(Requires Autodesk DWF Viewer)
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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance can catch those new to the process
off guard. When “alterations, structural repairs, or additions” are made to an existing
building, the California Building Code section 1134B requires the building to be brought
up to the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This obviously can increase
the cost of the project, sometimes quite significantly. The client should be aware of this
as soon as possible in the process for budgeting concerns. Smaller projects do have a
limit on the amount that is required to be set aside for improvements. In this case, the
amount required is an additional 20% of the total cost of construction.
For additional information or help with your next project, please contact us directly at
(530) 893-1600 or send an email to mmain@northstareng.com. Ask for Michael Main,
PE.
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