definition
strict definition
structural engineering
Companies which calculate and optimize the framework which supports and reinforces a structure.
Companies responsible for designing the framework of the building and calculating all gravitational and lateral loads which the building must withstand.
The design concerns the building's framework and the loads it must resist. Gravitational and lateral loads are both included, rather than limiting the engineering to vertical support alone.
Facade engineering is confined to structural requirements of the outer wall. Shell construction builds the framework, while structural engineering provides its design and load calculations.
Related definitions
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BREEAM certification
A consultant that helps to ensure that a building project will achieve BREEAM certification. -
DGNB certification
A consultant that helps to ensure that a building project will achieve DGNB certification. -
LEED certification
A consultant that helps to ensure that a building project will achieve LEED certification. -
MEP engineering
A company which designs mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in a structure. -
acoustics consultant
A firm or individual that engineers interior acoustic conditions, especially protection from unwanted noise. -
antenna site management
A company that provides engineering, development, and administrative management for rooftop antenna sites. -
aquatics consultant
A firm providing expertise in the design and construction of swimming pools and other bathing facilities. -
attraction planning
Technical designers of rides or major entertainment attractions built within or as part of a building. -
building physics
A company which maintains the structural and mechanical systems of a building. -
certification auditor
A company which reviews a built object's qualifications to receive an official certification. -
check engineering
A company which double-checks the work of other engineers on a construction project. -
civil engineering
A firm that designs roads, access ways, landforms, drainage, and utility infrastructure on a building lot. -
communications engineering
A company that designs a building's telecommunications infrastructure and associated IT spaces. -
damper consultant
An engineering firm that designs dampers with moving or flexible parts to stabilize a structure against sway. -
electrical engineering
A firm that calculates requirements for electrical systems and pathways and usually helps design them. -
elevator consultant
A firm specializing in elevator technology that plans or assists installation of a building's elevator systems. -
elevator engineering
A company that calculates elevator loads, maneuvering space, possible speed, and other building requirements. -
energy consultant
A company which provides expertise on energy-efficient design for a structure. -
engineering association
An organization to promote common causes among various enrolled engineering firms. -
engineering company
A company involved in an unspecified engineering role with regard to a structure. -
environmental consultant
A company which provides expertise in factors affecting the living quality in a building. -
explosive engineering
A company which calculates the force and placement of explosive charges in a structure's demolition. -
facade consultant
A company which provides expertise on requirements and options for building facades. -
facade engineering
A structural engineer which calculates the loads and requirements of a structure's facade. -
fire alarm system planning
A company that designs, plans, or engineers the fire alarm system for a particular building or structure. -
fire protection engineering
Engineers who design building fire protection, including sprinklers, alert systems, and fireproofing. -
foundation engineer
A company which designs the foundation structures needed to anchor a structure in the ground. -
geotechnical engineering
A company which calculates soil conditions and foundation requirements for a structure. -
ground surveyor
A surveyor whose role is limited to preparing precise maps of a building site. -
helipad consultant
An engineering firm that calculates requirements for constructing and locating helicopter landing pads. -
lighting consultant
A company which designs and directs the arrangement of lighting fixtures in or on a structure. -
mechanical engineering
An individual or firm that designs a building's mechanical, climate-control, and building automation systems. -
planning consultant
A firm which provides expertise in guiding a construction project through the planning process. -
plumbing engineering
An engineering firm specializing in water or liquid-chemical distribution systems within a structure. -
quantity surveyor
A company which calculates or forecasts the cost per element of a construction project. -
sanitary engineering
A company which designs mechanical systems which clear waste from a structure. -
security system consultant
A company that plans and designs building security systems to protect inhabitants and property. -
site agent
Technical staff who monitor construction on site and make corrections when problems arise. -
surveyor
A firm or person that prepares technical drawings of a building's site and structure for engineering or construction. -
sustainable design consultant
A company providing expertise in achieving environmental efficiency in the construction and retrofitting of buildings. -
traffic consultant
A company which designs routes and systems for traffic in or around a structure. -
traffic research
A company which prepares information and projections on traffic flows in and around a structure. -
wind surveyor
An engineering consultant that assesses and diagrams site wind conditions affecting a building's design.