Matthew Roblez: Structural Engineers Invest Heavily in Building Rehab

PHILADELPHIA, PA, April 30, 2013

Matthew Roblez, a board certified and licensed structural engineer and the part owner and principal of McNeil Engineering, recently responded to an article published by Finance & Commerce regarding the role that existing structures play in the world of structural engineers. While many individuals outside of the industry assume that these professionals create new structures, it is true that they call upon existing buildings to solve client needs; oftentimes, structural engineers focus not on designing a new building but on rehabilitating one that is already in existence. Here, Roblez explains how he believes this role will fit into the future of the structural engineering field.

According to the article, "The rehab business is good, accounting for 75 percent of the work at some Twin Cities firms. It also generates some of the toughest assignments [...] Where new construction operates on accurate plans and predictable budgets, reuse and preservation projects hinge heavily on guesswork. Over time, original schematics are lost, what is sealed inside walls is forgotten, and weather and people cause unseen damage."

The most difficult aspect of a rehabilitation project, the article explains, is keeping it on budget. According to a study conducted in a 2005 Brookings Institution Study, a reuse and preservation project that does not entail demolition can run between 12 percent less and 9 percent more expensive than a new construction initiative. Roblez points to the guesswork that is involved in the rehabilitation process as a source of numerous unforeseen expenses, as engineers and construction professionals may run into damage they did not anticipate that needs repair. On the other hand, they may find that a structure is in better condition than they assumed and actually come out under budget when the initiative is complete.

Regardless of the costs and challenges associated with rehabilitation, Roblez believes that it is going to continue to serve as an important aspect of the structural engineering industry. "I feel that the future of structural engineering is in the restoration, preservation, and repurposing of existing structures," asserts Matthew Roblez. "I also believe that the true measure of a structural engineer is not how they can design a new structure, but how they can use their experience and intelligence to provide an economic and safe design for the rehabilitation of an existing structure."

Matthew Roblez encourages engineers to continue to innovate new ways to approach rehabilitation projects and to call upon the technology that is available to them to better streamline these initiatives and enhance the results that they achieve.

ABOUT:

Matthew Roblez is part owner and principal of McNeil Engineering, which is based in Sandy, Utah. Roblez holds a bachelor of science in civil engineering from the University of Utah and has earned credentials as a board certified and licensed structural engineer. Roblez has published several technical articles and is a lecturer.

For more information about Roblez and McNeil Engineering, visit www.mcneilengineering.com.