Blue Nest Structural

One of our latest projects is moving into construction! We’re proud to be the structural engineers for the Skipwith-Roper Cottage and JXN Haus, working alongside Baskervill and The JNX Project to help bring this vision to life. This project is a powerful step in preserving and uplifting the history of Jackson Ward, the nation’s first historically registered Black urban neighborhood. Stay tuned for updates as this meaningful project takes shape! #StructuralEngineering #HistoricPreservation #TheJXNProject #JacksonWard #RichmondVA

When do we design for tornado loads? ??? Here’s what triggers the requirement! #StructuralEngineering #TornadoLoads

Team field trip! ??? On Wednesday, we visited Struc-Tec, a wood truss manufacturing plant, to explore the overlap between structural engineering, architecture, and truss design. Since we don’t often get to collaborate directly with truss designers, this was a great opportunity to improve our understanding and the quality of our work. Huge thanks to SMBW for the invite and to Struc-Tec for an awesome tour! ?? #StructuralEngineering #WoodTrusses #Collaboration #SiteVisit

Steel is up at the Porsche dealership! Progress is moving fast on this project, and we’re excited to see the structure taking shape. More to come as construction continues! #StructuralEngineering #SteelConstruction #BuildingProgress #PorscheDealership

What is Cold-Formed Steel (CFS)? Cold-formed steel (CFS) is a lightweight, strong, and non-combustible material made by roll-forming sheet steel into C-sections and other shapes without heat. It is the primary product for interior walls of commercial construction and is often used structurally in mid-rise buildings, dorms, hotels, and assisted living facilities. Why Use CFS? Durable: While CFS does not warp like wood, it has buckling concerns due to its thin profile. It is fairly comparable to wood when it comes to moisture resistance but, since it is steel, it can rust. Because CFS is thin, rust can quickly reduce its structural capacity. Efficient: Lightweight, easy to install, and reduces waste. Sustainable: Made with at least 25% recycled content, fully recyclable, and long-lasting. Cost-Effective: Saves material with wider stud spacing and can lower insurance costs. With pre-punched holes for utilities and factory-made panels, CFS speeds up construction while maintaining strength and versatility. #ColdFormedSteel #StructuralEngineering #SustainableConstruction

Almost finished at 1320 Summit Avenue. This future market and restaurant is getting ready to open and we’re glad to have contributed to the structural design. If you’re in the neighborhood, keep an eye out for our Blue Nest logo. ?? ?? #RichmondEats #StructuralEngineering #RVADevelopment

Trivia Time! ??????? Which of these spaces has the highest design live load according to ASCE 7-22? ?? A) Morgue ?? B) Hay & Grain Storage ?? C) Ice Skating Rink ?? D) Laboratories ?? Drop your guess in the comments! ?? We’ll reveal the answer soon! #StructuralEngineering #LiveLoads #EngineeringTrivia

The foundations are in, the wood structure is taking shape, and steel is going up for the Pamunkey Indian Tribe’s new Cultural Resource Center in King William County, VA! Exciting progress on a project that will serve as a hub for preserving and sharing the rich history of the Pamunkey people. #StructuralEngineering?#PamunkeyIndianTribe

?? New Project Announcement- Porsche Richmond Exciting things are happening in Midlothian, VA! We’re thrilled to be working with Menlo Architecture on the new Porsche Richmond project. From a sleek, modern warehouse to a stunning lobby with a curved glass wall, this space is designed to impress. Can’t wait to share more as the build progresses! ?? #PorscheRichmond #MidlothianVA #MenloArchitecture #NewProject #ConstructionUpdate

The SE2050 Commitment Program is setting a bold vision for net zero embodied carbon structural systems by 2050. ?? Stay tuned next week as we dive into actionable strategies SE2050 provides for reducing embodied carbon in structural systems! #SE2050 #Sustainableinfrastructure #StructuralEngineering