To: Sylvester Turner, Mayor of Houston, Texas
Mary Benton, Director of Communications in Houston,Texas
Tantri Emo, Director of Finance Department in Houston, Texas
From: Catherine Lu, Mechanical Engineering Major at CCNY
Alam, Mechanical Engineering Major at CCNY
Andrew, Mechanical Engineering Major at CCNY
Chris, Mechanical Engineering Major at CCNY
Shak, Computer Science Major at CCNY
Date: May 1, 2022
Subject: City Hall Renovation
______________________________________________________________________________
This memo is a proposal from our company 2nd Entourage who has a team of exceptional engineers who are interested in taking on the project of renovating City Hall; specifically, we will be focusing on installing flood gates as well as restoring the electrical system of the building which were damaged from flooding. The floodgates will be installed into separate locations, specifically between the basement and the annex and between the Tranquility Parking Garage and the basement. Additionally, for the purpose of this project the focus for the electrical system repair will only include damaged areas in the basement.
In August of 2017, Hurricane Harvey, a natural disaster labeled as a Category 4 hurricane, caused devastating damage on the coast of Texas due to flooding and strong winds. The costs of the damages that occurred amounted up to $125 billion leaving it as the second costliest hurricane to occur in the US.
This damage caused by Hurricane Harvey tarnished the City Hall building in Houston, Texas; leaving the basement completely flooded, electrical circuit damages, and a stoppage in the productivity of the government officials. The project we would like to conduct would assist with renewing the City Hall and overall prevent the state’s and its citizens’ morale from dropping at the sight of a destroyed City Hall.
In order to conduct this project, a team of mechanical, civil, electrical, and computer science engineers would be recruited. The size of the team will be about 10-12 people. The computer science engineer would be utilizing software such as MATLAB in order to determine what materials would be needed for our project. The other team members will be in charge of other work such as collecting measurements and installations and repairs.
Our company 2nd Entourage is dedicated to the restoration and renovation of the Houston, Texas City Hall. We have the team and work ethic that’s needed for completing this project. If there are any questions or need for further consultation on our plan concerning the restoration of City Hall, you can contact us through our email: 2ndEntourage@gmail.com.
City Hall Restoration – Houston
Proposal, Technical Project
Plan Group 2
to be presented on May 3, 2022
Group 2: Catherine, Alam, Andrew, Chris, Shak
2nd Entourage
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2. Proposed TECHNICAL APPROACH
3.Expected Project Results
4. Schedule 6
- Introduction
Each year, an average of ten tropical storms form over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. Many of these storms will remain where they formed in the ocean, but a portion of them, usually six of these, will turn into hurricanes. Over the course of 3 years, an average of 5 of these hurricanes touch the coastline of the United States. A state that these hurricanes usually touch upon is Texas. One incident occurred in August 2017, when Hurricane Harvey hit Houston and destroyed the City Hall, and left it in bad condition. This damaged the politicians and the civilians, morally and financially. The purpose of the City Hall is to serve as a link or connection between the government and the people, addressing their concerns as well as problems. To make history not repeat itself, our team is issuing this proposal which entails the installation of flood gates alongside a few renovations.
1.1 Problem Statement
The problem our team is working on in this project is the restoration of the electrical system and the installations of floodgates in the basement to minimize possible future flood damage to the City Hall building in Houston, Texas. With the current damage sustained to the City Hall many sections of public sermoning, court hearing and general public discussion system is deeply flooded which damaged several electric outlets. This has turned into a halt of public gathering, court summoning, and various Town Hall meetings. Our initiative will fix several electrical outlets, by that we mean the entire reconstruction of the City Hall’s natural disaster defense mechanism from the floodgate to the electrical structure of the building. Reinforcing the structure of the building not only affects its physical beauty or its defense mechanisms, the construction will also mitigate positive morale among its citizens.
1.2 Background
The project is a government project aimed at restoring the electrical systems and installing floodgates in the Houston, Texas City Hall. The basement of the building along with the electrical systems were badly damaged from the flooding from Hurricane Harvey. The project is open to bidding to the public and plans are submitted and reviewed to find the most suitable one. Our team will focus on evaluating the extent of the damage to the electrical system on the building and reinstall burnt out circuits and faulty wiring. Additionally we will install flood gates at two locations, between the basement and the annex and between the Tranquility Parking Garage and the basement, to prevent possible future damages.
1.3 Needs STATEMENT
We are currently short staffed, due to the current COVID-19 protocols. This is a concerned matter as most of our team members are stuck in New York (NY) with the exception of our five-side crew. We will be posting job recruitments ASAP!
1.4 OBJECTIVE
Upon the completion of this project the electrical system in the building, specifically the basement will be properly evaluated to reach standards required for government use. There will also be flood gates that will keep water out of the basement and serve as protection to any unwanted damage from anything that may get into the basement.
2. Proposed TECHNICAL APPROACH
Our Technical Approach in fixing Electrical Outlets and Installing a Floodgate of the basement of the City Hall in Houston, is that first we will evaluate the floor design from the texas local government building layout blueprint then fixate on our positions on the issue.
First we will implement [fig.1] flood gates in the basement so that we can prevent all future natural occurrences that can be rancid and fatal to all its inhabitants. According to our counting and general knowledge of the issue we also found out many of the circuit breakers and wiring of the basement are very outdated so we will touch upon that issue as well.
| Fig 1. “ Dam Easy Flood Barriers” |
- The circuit breakers we are going use are listed below : Klein Tools Miniature Circuit Breaker:
2.1 Requirements
2.2 Architecture Design
The software that we used while planning out our level diagram is “CAD” and “Planner 5D”, with the help of our Computer Engineer and Architectures we were able to make critical layouts of the interior that we would be working on. The following images and descriptions specify our Architectural Approach:
Flood Gate:
The doorway water barrier outperforms sandbags in flood protection because it is built to bear the weight of rushing water and is long-lasting. These devices are also considerably easier to handle and install, and they allow users to preserve access to their doorway while in place if necessary. The Flood barriers can also be changed to provide a specific fit and a watertight seal. They are the more expensive option in water-retaining systems, but they will last considerably longer and provide more adaptability than alternative choices.
The following serves us the floodgate water flow system. Each of the 4 end points serves as a holder of each pair of floodgates in the basements. Even though sandbags were considered a convenient choice
Exposure to UV radiation, humidity, severe temperatures, and persistent contact with flood water are all factors that can cause sandbags to degrade and become less effective over time. Flood barriers are simple to remove and will retain their protective characteristics if properly stored. The only alternative that provides a totally water-tight anti-flood solution with no gaps, holes, or hinges to allow water in is a doorway water barrier
Features :
- Entryway flood protection for up to 26 inch high
- Maintains entryway access while in use
- Expandable steel jack & frame adjusts to fit openings from 25 into 50 inch
- The outer neoprene sleeve creates a watertight seal
- Installs in minutes with no alterations or equipment needed
- Use indoors for overflows, construction & sprinkler mishaps
- Use outdoors for storm prep & protection
- Patented & Kitemark Tested & Certified
- Use Floodgate Cart or storage & quick deployment
The Flood Gate provides compact flood protection for quite a wide range of applications, including high rainfall, tropical storms and hurricanes, swollen rivers, and more. These are suitable for usage by property managers, corporations, hotels, and others, and they can even prevent seawater without compromising their integrity. These include a silicone sleeve that makes a watertight barrier to keep liquid out up to 26″ tall. They are made of a 1-inch steel tube frame and steel plates that hold the gate while bearing the weight of the oncoming water. On the rear, an extendable steel scissor jack may be adjusted to provide a secure fit for entryways. Once placed, you can step over the gate to retain entrance access without removing the barrier.
Electrical Circuits: The electrical circuits serves as a fundamental point in this project since the damage output was severe on the electrical outlets too. With the help of our Architectures and Electrical Engineers we used “ Sketch it”, “CAD” and “MS SpreadSheet” in making our proposed diagrams.
The proposed layout focuses on 100-amp panels across the 12,000 ft. area of the basement . The circuit breakers will be implemented alongside the fixation of the wiring of the area. The dotted symbols represent circuit grids where the amplifier board will accommodate and serve as subsection to the main grid lines.
2.3 Implementation DESIGN
Flood Gate Installation: Placing It
Inward Opening Door:
The Flood Gate should ideally be situated on the property’s exterior, in the reveal. The amount of reveal available and the surface type of each building vary; it is advised that you inspect your wall and floor surfaces to verify that water cannot infiltrate under or around the barrier, nor into the side walls or framework. As needed, apply silicone caulk between the Flood Gate and the reveal.
Outward Opening Door:
A substantial amount of reveal is required for the Flood Gate to grab the wall. 2″ (50 mm) of reveal is ideal, but 114″ (32 mm) – 1″ (25 mm) may suffice as long as the Flood Gate can grab tightly. This should be measured from the farthest outward point on the door (often the frame, but look for a threshold at the bottom of the door that frequently protrudes into the reveal space).
The 5 important steps in installing the floodgates:
- In preparation for placing, ensure that your entry is smooth and free of dust and dirt at the vertical and base areas.
- Place the barrier in a solid reveal with its face facing the flood hazard and as close to your entry as feasible.
- Keeping the unit in an upright position, apply downward pressure to the unit, while adjusting the horizontal scissor jack.( Diagram 2)
- Hand tighten each of the 4 downward pressure bolts to a maximum depth of ¼” (7 mm) to compact the sleeve along the ground (Diagram 3)
- Silicone caulk may be used (see Diagram 4), in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, on the exterior edges of the frame to ensure a complete seal. The use of added neoprene strips may be used to increase the water tight seal.
Installation Of Circuit Breakers:
Tools Required
- Flashlight
- Needle-nose pliers
- Pliers
- Utility knife
- Voltage tester
- Wire stripper/cutter
Materials Required
- Circuit breaker
- Cable clamp
- Electrical Staples
Method to be enforced:
1.Check the Breaker Panel to see if everything is inside the breaker:
- A: Main lugs. They’re always live — even when the main breaker is off. NEVER TOUCH THEM.
- B: Main cables. The black ones are always live. And although they’re insulated, avoid touching them.
- C: Main breaker. Always switch it off before removing the panel’s cover.
- D: Breaker. The hot wire (usually red or black)
- E: Breaker bus.
- F: Neutral bus.
- G: Breaker space.
2. Power Down, Then Remove The Cover
3. Test to Make Sure it’s Dead
4.Insert a Cardboard Safety Shield
5.Run the Cable Through the Clamp
6.Push Until the Jacket Enters the Clamp
7.Route the Cable and Install the Breaker
8.Strip and Clamp
9.Ground and Pigtail go to the Neutral Bus
10.Test the Installation and Finish the Job
2.4 Quality Assurance Plan
Some potential risks in this project lies with the quality of the materials. These will be checked multiple times before installation of both the floodgates and the electrical wires and circuits. The Floodgates will be tested using computer simulations for certain weather conditions and will also be tested in reality to ensure there are no problems. The electrical system requires installation and replacement of circuit breakers and wire respectively and will be tested by section. Each area where a new circuit breaker is installed will be tested with current over the set amount by the breaker and under to see if the mechanisms are functioning properly. If there is a problem with any of these components, the electrical engineers and computer science engineers will extract the installed pieces and test them in a controlled setting to determine the problem.
3.Expected Project Results
- The floodgate will prevent severe flood damage of the basement and make any damage made more manageable and easier to fix.
- The work done on the electrical system will provide a more stable supply of electricity for the building and if anything were to happen, the circuit breakers will prevent an all out power outage in the building.
3.1 MEASURES of SUCCESS
The project itself values the core changes that we are implementing on the City Hall’s structure that will change its course making it a proficient modern day equivalent building. The following changes that outvalues all other small changes:
- Restoration of the Northern and East Wing Electrical Outputs.
- Installation of in built circuit breakers to help prevent wire outage.
- Installing flood gates and improvements on the basement.
3.2 Costs
| Requirements | COST |
| Mechanical Engineers (4) | $57,000-$101,000 Per Year |
| Electrical Engineers (2) | $60,000-$116,000 Per Year |
| Architects (1) | $50,000-$101,000 Per Year |
| Construction Workers (5)Electricians (5) | $35,000-$40,000 Per Year$38,000-$42,000 Per Year |
| Tool rental | $250,000 |
| Safety EquipmentMiscellaneous | $15,000$1,300,000 TOTAL COST: $2,449,000 – $2,943,000 |
- NOTE: This is a city funded project and these figures will be submitted to the local government for review and approval
4. Schedule
| Date: | Work to be done |
| 5/29/2022 | Reach out to relevant government officials about noise control and working hours as well as building accessibility. Documents will be submitted and any approval will be in progress. The estimated wait time is 15 days and the project will start. |
| 6/13/2022 | We will officially start work on the basement according to the blueprints. The entire team will be divided into 2 to 3 smaller teams where personnel will get assigned sections of the basement to focus their work on. Over the course of the next 2 months, we will purchase needed materials and tear down walls in areas where the electrical supply will pass through to examine the flood damage. Additionally, our team will start working on replacing damaged wires after confirming a schedule for power outages with the relevant officials. Circuit breakers will also be added/ reinstalled for safety measures. |
| 9/19/2022 | The work on the electrical systems is on track to be wrapped up and before new dry walls are installed, the system will go through a week of check-ups and tests run by our software engineers as well as our data analysis. |
| 9/27/2022 | We will prepare to install the floodgates at the 2 designated areas. Measurements and inspections of the area will be made before we plan out the course of installation. Then our team will reallot personnel into 2 teams to continue checking up on the electrical system to make sure we didn’t miss anything while the other team will install the floodgates over the course of 2 weeks. |
| 10/10/2022 | The electrical system and floodgates are complete and now final checks are run for 1 month while the team will clean up the project areas before we completely wrap up the project. |
- NOTE: This is NOT a rigid schedule; if any team members need to take time off or problems with communication or the project come up, the schedule will be readjusted to meet the needs of the team/project progress.
References
About the Director,
http://www.houstontx.gov/finance/about_the_director.html
Departments and Directors,
Editor. “Mary Benton.” Top 30 Women, 31 July 2018,
(2022). Bizjournals.com. https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2021/04/07/city-hall-renovation-repair-harvey-damage.html#:~:text=Houston%20officials%20have%20kicked%20off
Adams, W. (2022, February 11). Breaker Box Safety: How to connect a new circuit. Family Handyman. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/breaker-box-safety-how-to-connect-a-new-circuit/
Chainsaw Journal. (2021, August 15). Reviews : Best flood barriers for doors / prevent home flooding. Chainsaw Journal. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.chainsawjournal.com/best-flood-barriers-for-doors/
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Flood Protection Products. Flood Panel. (2021, March 10). Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.floodpanel.com/flood-protection-products/
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Herrera, J. (2015, October 12). Manuel Flood Gates. Quick Dams. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://quickdams.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/FloodGate_Manual_20180711_WEB_rev2.pdf
Twitter, Twitter, https://twitter.com/IAmMaryBenton?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor.
