Saunders Seismic Insights
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Expert guidance to help commercial and industrial property owners, facility managers, and investors understand earthquake retrofitting, structural repairs, and building safety.
Discover the Saunders Retrofit Advantage
In business since 1979, Saunders Seismic is a commercial industrial contractor that has specialized in seismic solutions since 1984. We perform seismic retrofits and structural repairs to existing buildings, making them more earthquake-resistant. However, when it...
SEL vs. SUL: Mastering Seismic Risk Assessments
Seismic events pose significant risks to structures, especially in earthquake-prone areas. Therefore, understanding seismic risk is critical to ensure buildings’ safety and financial viability. Lenders, insurance companies, and risk managers use risk assessments...
What Is a Seismic Retrofit? Understanding the Retrofitting Process
Despite advancements in building codes, older structures may still need to meet current seismic safety standards. Building owners, property managers, and investors must understand how an effective seismic retrofit process protects lives and commercial investments....
The Cold Storage Boom: 8 Trends Driving Demand
Cold storage is quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing sectors in commercial real estate. A recent Skyquest report shows demand is expected to grow from $43.2 billion in 2023 to $118.8 billion by 2031. This surge is fueled by changing consumer habits, new...
West Coast Seismic Risks: Protect Your Real Estate Assets
Last week, the Los Angeles Times reported multiple swarms of earthquakes along the California-Mexico border. Earthquake swarms are common in the Imperial Valley and can be a cause for concern, as major, damaging earthquakes have been known to follow. However, these...
Top Trends Shifting Retail in Commercial Real Estate
The forecast for retail in commercial real estate is undergoing significant shifts, influenced by various factors and trends. Retail Commercial Real Estate will surely be top of mind at the upcoming ICSC Las Vegas conference. ICSC Las Vegas is the largest commercial...
Client Profile: Marin Medical Center
Saunders Seismic recently completed a seismic retrofit for Marin Cancer Medical Center. One of our fortes is completing seismic retrofits and structural repairs in occupied spaces with ongoing tenant operations. This requires a lot of client communication and customer...
Top Takeaways from NAIOP’s I.CON West 2024
One of the best annual industrial events in commercial real estate is NAIOP’s I.CON West (& East). This year, in Long Beach, CA, a record-setting crowd of over 1,200 of the industry’s top industrial owners, developers, investors, and vendors attended for...
Reflecting on 30 Years Since the Northridge Earthquake
“What would have happened if the Earthquake struck during normal working hours?” Fortunately, it was a holiday in 1994, and the notorious Northridge quake struck at 4:31 AM PST. It was an earthquake magnitude of 6.7, and the shaking lasted 10–20 seconds. The quake’s...
2024 Top Predictions for Commercial Real Estate
Last year there was a lot of speculation regarding a recession on the horizon which could still holds true for 2024. The top factors in 2023 to influence commercial real estate are geopolitical issues, inflation and rising interest rates which would impact all asset...
Why Pre-Construction Planning Matters for Seismic Retrofits
We specialize in seismic solutions and provide efficient services from start to finish on each project. Our estimating bids set the standard for being precise, detailed, and technical with our specialized processes down to the phase of the final daily routine,...
Safety Training with American Scissor Lift and Guardian Fall Protection
Another year, another safety training! Thank you to American Scissor Lift Inc. and Guardian Fall Protection for hosting and providing equipment training, harness safety training, and boom/scissor and forklift training with the safety orientation. Their expertise and...
Insights from NAIOP’s Alternative Development Program & CREW’s Industrial Summit
Saunders Seismic attended NAIOP’s Alternative Development—Uses/Considerations Program and CREW’s Industrial Real Estate Summit last month. Each event shared insightful and informative information. The Alternative Development program explored new or alternative...
Value Engineering and Budgeting for Seismic Retrofits
Saunders Seismic has over four decades of experience performing seismic retrofits. We have completed thousands of projects on every type of building, with our top management logging thousands of hours of field experience. As a result, we have encountered countless...
What is Functional Recovery?
Functional recovery refers to a building’s ability to maintain or regain essential functions after an event like an earthquake. According to Ryan Kersting, Associate Principal at Buehler Engineering, it’s a post-event performance state where a building or...
What’s the Buzz in Commercial Real Estate’s Industrial Sector?
Since the pandemic, the primary factor that brought about hybrid and work-from-home flexibility, companies have been relying on special resources and building amenities to lure employees back to the office. However, industrial and warehouse building employees were not...
Saunders Seismic Sponsors SEAOSC Technical Summit & Luncheon
The SEAOSC Technical Summit on June 22 brought together industry leaders to explore three critical topics shaping structural engineering and seismic safety. Each session offered valuable insights into the challenges and innovations in the field. Functional Recovery: A...
Seamless Seismic Retrofits for Occupied Buildings
Performing seismic retrofits on a building can be a daunting project for commercial building owners and real estate professionals. Then, add to the mix that the building is occupied by tenant(s) operating thriving businesses. It is important to perform annual building...
Will AI Impact the Construction Industry?
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is expected to play an increasingly significant role. So yes, AI is expected to have a major impact on every industry, including construction. One of the key areas where AI is being used in construction is in project management. AI-powered...
Seismic Strengthening Methods for Soft-Story Buildings
A soft-story retrofit refers to a building that is a multi-story structure built with a first floor that is open in nature, much less rigid than the floors above. For example, multi-family apartment buildings with tuck-under parking or subterranean parking and retail...
The Future of Office Real Estate: Challenges and Trends
Office assets have been a sure thing in commercial real estate for a long time and are considered a reliable source of revenue for owners and lenders. However, since the pandemic, the future of the office sector in commercial real estate is unclear. While industrial...
Does Your Area Have Hazard-Resistant Building Codes?
HAZARD-RESISTANT building codes are designed for buildings to be constructed to withstand earthquakes, flooding, and high winds. According to FEMA, they conducted an analysis based on 18 million actual buildings, the frequency of hazard events in each area and the...
10 Insights from I.CON West 2023
The 2023 I.CON West conference brought together industry leaders to explore the latest trends and challenges shaping the U.S. industrial market, from labor and supply chain issues to sustainability and advanced manufacturing. 10 Key Takeaways from I.CON West 2023: The...
Important Factors to Consider when Deciding on a Structural Engineer
Your building needs to be brought up to Life Safety standards and reduction of PML (SEL and SUL now) for your peace of mind. It is time for a seismic upgrade and/or structural repairs. The first step is to find a structural engineer to complete the designs. There are...
2023 Commercial Real Estate Outlook
There is a lot of speculation regarding a recession on the horizon in 2023. If true, high interest rates and a potential recession will make 2023 a challenging year for commercial real estate. The top factors in 2023 to influence commercial real estate are...
SEAOSC Risky Business Breakfast: Key Insights for Engineers
Saunders Seismic proudly sponsored the Risky Business Breakfast hosted by the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California (SEAOSC). The event provided valuable insights into risk management and safeguarding engineers’ careers. The panel featured prominent...
Seismic Retrofit Budgeting for Buyers and Sellers
Saunders Seismic provides project budgets for acquisitions! Budgets come with estimate ranges of low, median, and high with many factors that affect pricing. Information to submit for a budget may include, leasing plan/tenant leasing plan (this helps determine access...
New Findings on Major California Coast Fault Line
After reviewing the seismic risks specific to California last month, there are new findings regarding the fault along the LA/ OC coast known as the Palos Verdes fault zone. According to scientists at Harvard University, this fault was previously thought to be a...
California Seismic Risk – Real Estate Assets & Earthquakes!
When people think of earthquakes, the first place that comes to mind is “California!” Therefore, the threats and risks associated with earthquakes have been a longtime hazard to Californians. In fact, California alone holds two-thirds of the nation’s entire earthquake...
Saunders Annual Safety Training with Guardian Fall Protection
At Saunders Seismic, safety is more than a requirement—it’s a core value. That’s why our team partners with Guardian Fall Protection every year for a day dedicated to safety training. This year’s event was packed with essential sessions designed to keep our field...