Resilience to Extreme Weather Events: Floods and Hurricanes

Join us for an in-depth discussion and presentation by two building envelope consultants, a structural engineer, and an architect, all actively working on a variety of flood and hurricane mitigation projects in New York City. We will start with a brief overview of Flood Zone and Wind-Borne Debris Region designations, regulations and building codes, followed by real world project applications and a selection of project specific construction details.

Speakers:
Daniel Kinsley, Associate, Gilsanz Murray Steficek LLP
Jessica Mandrick, PE, SE, LEED AP, Partner, Gilsanz Murray Steficek LLP
Edwin Tang, AIA, CFM, Founding Principal, Tang Studio Architect LLC

Moderator:
Leonidia M. Garbis, PE, Senior Project Manager, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH)

About the Speakers:
Daniel Kinsley is an Associate at Gilsanz Murray Steficek in the Building Envelope Consulting Group. Kinsley holds a B.S. in Architecture from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Kinsley has worked on a wide variety of projects including façade restoration, repositioning, over-cladding, as well as new construction in the commercial and residential markets featuring designs in curtain wall, precast, and masonry. His projects also include façade renovations throughout all phases of design and construction. His most recent projects include consulting services for the redevelopment, additions, and façade restorations at St. John’s Terminal and One Madison Avenue. Recently completed work also includes new construction envelope consulting for 35 Hudson Yards and 250 E 83rd Street

Jessica Mandrick, PE, SE, LEED AP, is a Partner at Gilsanz Murray Steficek LLP in New York City. Mandrick has provided structural engineering services for numerous buildings located in hurricane and flood hazard areas. She served on the ASCE 24 Urban Flood Study team after Hurricane Sandy, assisted with Sandy recovery efforts, and was a team member on the 2016 Earthquake Reconnaissance trip to Taiwan after the Meinong Earthquake. She is Vice Chair of the ASCE 24-24 Flood Resistant Design & Construction Committee, a member of the ASCE 7-22 Flood Load Subcommittee, and Vice Chair of the New York City Building Code Flood Resistant Construction Committee. She also serves on the Editorial Board of STRUCTURE Magazine. Mandrick holds dual degrees from Swarthmore College—one in Engineering and the other in Studio Art. She is a Professional Civil Engineer in New York, a Registered Structural Engineer in California, and a LEED AP. She enjoys sailing the not so high seas.

Edwin Tang, AIA, CFM, leads an architecture and consulting practice where he brings over 20 years of experience in building development involvement, including 7 years of service at the New York City Department of Buildings as the founding executive director of the “Hub” digital plan review and electronic filing process, where he oversaw zoning and code compliance review of citywide development projects, revamped the Department’s technical review standards, trained the Department’s technical review staff and issued thousands of code determinations. Tang sits on committees for NYC Construction Code Revision and ASCE 24, is a Certified Flood Plain Manager (CFM) with the Association of State Flood Plain Managers (ASFPM) and a registered architect in NY and CT. He received an architecture degree from UC Berkeley and a public administration degree from NYU.

Leonidia M. Garbis is a Senior Project Manager at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH), specializing in building enclosures. With over 10 years of experience, she designs and evaluates new and existing enclosures, focusing on custom curtainwall assemblies from design through construction administration. Her portfolio includes commercial, healthcare, high-rise residential, and infrastructure projects. She is also skilled in enclosure forensic engineering, including investigating curtainwall and custom glazing systems. Garbis has extensive knowledge of facade, roofing, and waterproofing systems. She actively participates in the Commercial Real Estate Women Network and the Association of Medical Facility Professionals. She leads the SGH Glass and Glazing Practice Area.