Innovation

Where Does the Water Go – Fenestration Edition

August 22, 2023 - This course will assist designers and facility managers with identifying the requirements and parameters of an effective cladding water management system. This course will also review the most available field-testing standards for fenestration and provide practical considerations for the design, specification, and administration of field-testing programs. Learning Objective 1: Understand the necessity of properly designed and…

Where Does the Water Go – Roofing Edition

August 22, 2023 - Design of an effective flat roof system can be challenging. With the complex transitions of today’s architecture and the ever-evolving materials in the market, it is imperative that the designer and specifier understand how to correctly fit the pieces of the puzzle together. For years, owners and design professionals have relied on roofing manufacturers to…

CASE STUDY: ICRI Article Rehabilitation of 60-Year Old Mitchell Water Treatment Plant

July 24, 2020 - SKA is excited and proud to have an article featured in the July-August 2020 edition of ICRI Concrete Repair Bulletin. A few of our extremely talented and dedicated engineers developed the article highlighting the structural rehabilitation and service-life extension of the filter house and concrete basins at the 60-year old Mitchell Water Treatment Plant in…

TECH NOTES | Brief Case Studies Deterioration of Concrete in Building Materials

December 04, 2018 - Concrete is a very durable building material when properly designed, proportioned and constructed. Unfortunately, deterioration can occur if attention is not paid to detail in the design construction phases of a project. One such situation is that associated with Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR). ASR is an expansive process in concrete between alkali hydroxides in portland cement…

TECH NOTES | Excess Salt Not Good for Our Bodies or Buildings

August 31, 2018 - Coastal environments are some of the most severe for building materials such as reinforced concrete. Winds can carry ocean-borne chloride-based salts considerable heights and distances for deposition on structures in their path. Together with moisture, chlorides soak into concrete and stimulate steel corrosion that tears it apart from within, skyrockets maintenance and repair costs, and…

TECH NOTES | You Can’t See What You Can’t See

June 22, 2018 - It’s almost inevitable, roofs and fenestrations are going to leak. Extreme weather conditions, normal wear and tear over time and environmental and foreign intrusions deteriorate and penetrate even the best building envelope solutions on the market. Water leaks not only damage interior finishes, they promote membrane deterioration and decrease the effectiveness of insulation. Often, the…

TECH NOTES | Not Just Another Day at the Beach

June 22, 2018 - Coastal structures have increased susceptibility to corrosion, concrete distress, leaks and safety hazards due to moisture and airborne salts from the ocean. Restoration projects at beach front condominiums can be complex, often necessitating intricate repairs and advanced preservation techniques for meaningfully extending the life of the building. These projects typically require specialty engineers and contractors…

Artisans at Work

November 14, 2017 - by: Mike Ranieri, PE What comes to mind when you see the word “artisan”?  I immediately think of a loaf of crusty bread, freshly baked in a wood-fired oven.  Of course, then thoughts of tearing pieces of bread for dipping in some half-filled dish of olive oil, balsamic, and Italian seasoning wash away any sensible…