Terrorist protection for the built environment
Protection Engineering Consultants provides services to government, military and commercial clients to protect the built environment against terrorist-related extraordinary events. Our engineers provide on-site and remote support for:
Vulnerability assessments. Whether satisfying military force protection requirements such as those in UFC 4-010-01 — the DoD "Minimum Antiterrorism Standards for Buildings" — or generating threat scenarios, protection schemes and preliminary costs for protection, Protection Engineering Consultants brings significant vulnerability assessment experience at a wide variety of facilities.
Our on-site support typically begins with a walk-around and walk-through with a knowledgeable representative of your facility. We then collaborate with that facility representative, an operations representative and a security representative to discuss threat scenarios. These may include vehicle-ramming threats, weapons and ballistics (handgun, rifle) threats, bomb and improvised explosive device threats, and forced-entry threats inside and outside the facility. After threats are identified, facility vulnerability can be determined and recommendations made for threat mitigation. A variety of analytical tools may be used to support these vulnerability-assessment activities. Preliminary costs of retrofits can also be determined.
Retrofit design. Vulnerabilities, threats and probability of occurrence factor into a definition of risk. Based on a client’s accepted level of risk, existing facilities can be retrofitted to significantly improve performance. Often, the first improvement is to blast-generated glass hazards. Protection Engineering Consultants can develop attached polyester film retrofits, supplemental glazing panels, frame and curtain-wall improvements and window-replacement schemes. We routinely use the latest versions of the Government Services Administration WinGARD program and the Department of Defense HAZL program to define glass hazards and determine the effectiveness of retrofits.
New facility conceptual development and design. The best time to incorporate protective features into building sites, structures, landscaping and roadways is during conceptual development. Appropriate standoff, shielding and hardening can be incorporated into designs, often with little cost and operational impact. Protection Engineering Consultants is well-versed in government and industry design requirements and guidelines, including the Interagency Security Criteria, the DoD and GSA progressive collapse guidelines and US Marshal Service Criteria. We can develop design recommendations in partnership with other trades and disciplines and support the design at any level of detail from conceptual sketches to updates, modifications and markups of CAD drawings and specifications. And we will monitor implementation of security measures and features through all phases of your project, including construction administration activities.