A decommissioned boiler house building is undergoing majoring redevelopment and reuse as Element manages the environmental risk associated with the safe removal of the boiler system and interior demolition on behalf of the client. Boiler replacements and demolition projects are great opportunities for us at Element, as both sides of our house get to work together showcasing our diverse areas of expertise. Our Shelter, or Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) team, conducts the inside hazardous materials investigation, collecting bulk samples for potential asbestos containing materials (ACM). They’ll also investigate suspect PCBs, mercury containing equipment and any other potential hazardous materials that may require special handling during construction activities.

The IAQ team will draft specification and drawings based on their findings, while the Earth/Water team, also known as the Brownfield-Site Assessment team, will prepare the specifications for the safe removal of underground storage tank(s) (UST) fueling the boiler system. Together, we’ll carry out the project through the bid phase and provide oversight as needed during the construction activities. This includes air quality monitoring during and after renovation to ensure that all airborne fibers have been removed.

During the tank removals, Element will collect the appropriate amount of samples required by the governing regulatory guidance and guide remediation if contamination is encountered in soil or groundwater. We often prepare our reports separately, but at the end of the day we’ll close out the project together.

On this Field Day Friday, we’re conducting an initial walk through to help us provide an accurate estimate for demolition and to develop the scope of work. You can’t always judge a book from its cover. This project site will be transformed into an amazing piece of architecture, but first the behind the scenes environmental, abatement, demolition, and construction work will need to take place. As you see here, our ever changing office doesn’t always have the best view, unless you have the right vision of the future.