GSE provided clean agent, sprinkler, fire alarm systems and seismic support bracing for safety upgrades at several nuclear facilities operated by Duke Energy in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Connecticut, Virginia and Alabama. The upgrades were installed in response to new regulations by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the aftermath of the Fukushima incident. New fire protection systems were installed in concrete domes designed to house vital equipment and protect against extreme weather and seismic and blast conditions.
Service: Fire Protection Engineering
Airbus Military
Airbus Military NA (previously CASA NA) needed a maintenance repair and overhaul facility in North America to service its customers in the Western Hemisphere. The project included a 29,500-square-foot hangar and office building. The work was completed as a design/build project with Dunn Building Company. This award-winning structure came in on time and under budget. GSE provided all design services for the project, including civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, life safety and fire protection.
GE Facility
The GE mixing facility made an addition to its existing manufacturing plant. GSE provided the project’s fire protection design and fire protection updates of interior and exterior flammable and combustible liquid storage tanks. The full scope of work included tank protection, air aspirating detection, linear heat detection, fire alarm notification, foam water deluge, fire sprinkler, foam water monitor, fire hydrants, fire separation and fireproof testing and inspection.
Shaw Air Force Base
GSE provided engineering design and inspection services for all life safety and passive fire protection systems to retrofit fire protection in existing active Air Force Command Areas that provide Command Support for Air Force efforts in the Middle East. These services included underground water supply, mass notification system fire sprinkler, standpipe systems and seismic protection. Due to high security issues, GSE provided on-site daily oversight of changes necessitated by unknown variables.
Columbia Southern University
GSE partnered with McCollough Architecture, located in Baldwin County, to provide mechanical, electrical and fire protection design for the 3-story headquarters of Columbia Southern University. The 67,000-square-foot building houses offices, classrooms, and meeting rooms.
USM Marine Research
The $10 million structure serves as the marine operations and research facility for the University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Ocean Science and Technology. This unique two-story building encompasses nearly 18,000 square feet. Upon completion, it will be the principal marine operations and support facility for USM’s oceanographic research efforts. The building includes administrative offices, classrooms, laboratories and storage areas. GSE’s scope of work included fire protection and electrical design.
Cedar Lake Oncology
This 10,000-square-foot outpatient oncology center provides care for patients throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast. GSE provided this facility’s civil site, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection design. Services site utilities, paving and grading, drainage design, shallow foundations, lighting controls, fire alarm, deep foundations, HVAC systems, panel boards, data/telecom, low voltage, medical gas, transformers and a hazardous exhaust system.
Chili’s Restaurant
GSE partnered with ANF Architects to provide engineering design for various Chili’s restaurants. New restaurants opened in the following cities: Auburn, Madison, Mobile, Fultondale, Decatur, Gadsden, and Montgomery, AL, and also in Madison, MS. Each restaurant was a 5,500-square-foot new prototype restaurant for Chili’s. GSE’s scope of work included structural, mechanical, electrical, civil site and fire protection design. Services included master planning, shallow foundations, HVAC systems, plumbing, drainage design, fire alarm, data/telecom, low voltage, grading and paving, lighting controls, load-bearing masonry and load-bearing timber.
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux
GSE provided engineering services for multiple Walk-On’s locations in recent years, helping this once-local restaurant grow into a multi-state chain. Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical and Fire Protection design services were provided for the Site Plan Development. Other services included stormwater modeling, site utilities, ventilation systems, shallow foundations, steel framing, HVAC systems, medium voltage, fire alarm, plumbing, lighting control and data/telecom. A specialized HVAC design was also provided for a porch area with roll-up garage doors.
Lighthouse Condominiums
The Lighthouse Resort is an oceanfront condominium located on the beaches of Gulf Shores, AL. GSE’s scope of work included mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection design for this 25-story multi-family resort. Services included HVAC systems, ventilation systems, plumbing, low voltage, lighting controls, fire alarm, bid assistance, panel boards, fire pumps, transformers, data/telecom, water supply, construction inspections, lightning protection and stairwell pressurization.
