As defined by the American Society of Civil Engineers in its “Project Peer Review Guildlines”, “Project peer review is an independent evaluation of design concepts and/or management procedures. Project peer review is not intended for all projects but only for those projects where it is believed that a greater degree of quality assurance is necessary than under normal circumstances. Project peer review can help a public or private owner, a designer, a private developer, or a governmental regulatory agency.”
When Threshold Reviews became required by law in Connecticut in July 1989, the professional liability insurers were advising structural engineering firms to avoid this work due to uncertain liability. GNCB persuaded the two major insurance providers that design peer reviews would reduce liability overall and the Engineer of Record would retain the liability, not the reviewer.
GNCB then, working with other structural engineering firms in Connecticut, developed peer review guidelines in an effort to establish a standard of care. This became the published standard of the Structural Engineers Coalition of Connecticut. GNCB took this leadership position because of project review experience prior to the Connecticut Threshold Law.
In 1991, GNCB met with structural engineers from Massachusetts to assist them in developing similar legislation.
GNCB has performed more reviews than any other firm in Connecticut. To qualify for this work a firm needs to be experienced in the design of large, complicated structures, and to believe in the benefits of peer review. The process requires diplomacy and judgment in addition to technical knowledge. GNCB had been successful in performing reviews because of these skills.
GNCB has also provided Building Code and Fire Safety Code project peer reviews on major projects. This work has been done mostly to supplement the limited staff of municipal building departments. The process used is very similar to the structural reviews described above.
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Structural Project Peer Review
Threshold Law Reviews in Connecticut
Peer Reviews in Massachusetts
Owner Requested Reviews
Code Peer Reviews
Building Code
Fire Safety Code
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