Troy-based G2 Consulting Group has been awarded a contract to provide geotechnical and construction materials testing and engineering services on the recently announced multimillion-dollar streetscape project on Old Woodward Avenue through the heart of downtown Birmingham… READ MORE.
Category: Media
Troy-based G2 Consulting Group provided a geotechnical investigation and is currently providing construction engineering services on an 850,000-squarefoot Amazon distribution center in Romulus. The company has also been contracted to provide similar construction engineering services for another Amazon distribution center currently underway in Shelby Township… READ MORE.
In December 2016, the Country Club of Detroit completed a major renovation of its historic Tudor-style clubhouse, but not without some clever geotechnical and structural engineering… READ MORE.
As Amazon weighs where to build its second North American headquarters (H2Q), Troy-based G2 Consulting will provide construction engineering services for an 850,000-square-foot Amazon distribution center currently underway in Shelby Township… READ MORE.
G2 Consulting Group, Troy, a nationally recognized geotechnical, engineering and environmental services firm, is participating on another major MDOT assignment, this one for services on the Rouge River Bridge over I-75 and Fort Street in Detroit… READ MORE.
Citing strong business growth and anticipated continuing gains, especially in its growing environmental services business, Troy-based G2 Consulting Group call 2016 a yar of steady…[Read More]
If drones can deliver burritos for Chipotle and goods for Amazon, what other business uses might these unmanned aircraft serve in today’s world? One local business that’s been an early adopter of drone technology is finding out.
G2 Consulting Group, a Troy-based geotechnical and environmental services firm, has been flying drones over and around its clients’ construction sites to provide a clearer, more comprehensive view of a project’s scope and progress.
G2 Consulting Principal Noel Hargrave-Thomas is an FAA licensed drone pilot who started flying drones “just for fun” in 2014 and soon recognized how helpful they could be in providing overhead visual inspections of potential and actual job sites. As a result, G2 Consulting became one of the earliest businesses to use drones to assist clients in visualizing their projects.
“We’ve used our drones on projects like telecomm towers and commercial buildings to improve job safety. We can fly close to existing structures and audit them for a number of issues without having to send a climber up,” Hargrave-Thomas says. “This enables significant cost savings to building owners while helping to determine the exact scope of work required.”
In addition to documenting construction projects, the drone footage also gives clients a much better understanding of work site progress because they’re actually able to see everything that’s occurred, Hargrave-Thomas says. (Click HERE to watch drone video of a new auto supply building ‘from dirt to delivery.’)
He describes mapping construction sites on a daily basis to provide a 3D model of the site and creating scaled 2D mosaic imagery that contractors use to document progress and material usage. New 3D cameras can provide aerial 360-degree access footage to show clients what their project will look like and how it will fit into the surrounding environment. There are also drones with upward pointing cameras that enable project managers and their clients to visually inspect the bottoms of bridges, overhangs and indoor roofing, as well as, thermal imaging cameras for roof inspection and facility energy audits.
Drone technology is evolving so quickly that Hargrave-Thomas believes their future uses are almost limitless. On a recent site, he programmed a drone to follow an exact flight grid. By repeating the same flight weekly, G2 was able to create a detailed time-lapse video of the construction process.
“All of these innovations will enable us to better serve our clients’ needs by giving them a more complete understanding of their projects while also reducing costs and improving outcomes,” Hargrave-Thomas says. “Drones are becoming an increasingly important tool in the construction engineering business. I’m glad we’ve developed this expertise.”
Other Publications: CAM Magazine September 2017
The Country Club of Detroit (CCD) has completed a renovation of its historic clubhouse, including the addition of a new fitness and bowling center as part of a long-range plan to offer current members a resort-like experience. The club was founded in 1897.
Located on 212 acres in Grosse Pointe Farms, the new fitness and recreational spaces occupy a former bowling center originally built as a natatorium wing of the Tudor-style clubhouse. To create the 13,100 square feet of new facilities, the building basement was lowered by seven feet to provide taller ceilings and larger interior spaces in the basement and on the main level.
“We used the language of the original architecture so the new spaces look like they have always been there, while updating and modernizing the interiors,” says Michael Poris, principal of McIntosh Poris Associates in Birmingham, which oversaw the renovation and interior design.
He adds that the design team drew on the Tudor Revival-style aesthetic of the clubhouse for the updated trim profiles, wall treatments, lighting fixtures, and other details. Originally designed by Albert Kahn in the early 1920s, CCD was destroyed in a fire and replaced in 1927 with a new clubhouse designed by Detroit-based Smith, Hinchman, and Grylls (known today as SmithGroup) in a Tudor style to match the original.
“McIntosh Poris Associates stood out in the interview process because they understood the Country Club of Detroit’s vision to take a big step forward while paying due respect to its storied past,” says Craig Cutler, CCD’s general manager. “The result was the transformation of an underutilized wing of the clubhouse that effortlessly combines with the existing architecture.”
To preserve the building’s historic structure, 120 steel piles were installed to shore up the building during excavation. Sensors were also installed to monitor any displacement of the foundations, which only moved 1/100th of an inch throughout the entire construction process. The steel piles were kept in place.
Throughout the renovation, the club sought to repurpose older materials into the new design. For example, while the original metal windows were replaced on the main floor, the trim was fitted with mirrors and installed in the lower level bowling alley. In turn, wooden planks from the original bowling lanes were repurposed into tables, benches, and an antique chalkboard.
The structural changes allowed for a new six-lane bowling alley in the basement level with a bar, buffet, and casual dining facilities. Additionally, the fitness clubs were updated to include new exercise machines and programs, including stationary bikes and yoga and aerobics classes. Sound absorbent surfaces were also included to minimize noise transference.
In addition to McIntosh Poris Associates, the renovation team included McCarthy and Smith, Peter Basso Associates, Desai/Nasr Consulting Engineers, Soundscape Engineering, and G2 Consulting Group. In 2011, the club renovated its 18-hole golf course.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Tuesday, May 17th for a new 39,000 square foot early childhood center to serve the Port Huron Schools community. TMP Architecture is providing architectural services for the $10.5 million project, which is scheduled for completion in time for the 2018-2019 school year… READ MORE.
Kirco Manix Construction LLC recently delivered 350,000 square feet of construction for American Axle & Manufacturing Inc., Detroit. American Axle & Manufacturing enlisted the construction services of the Troy-based firm to convert one of its vacant former manufacturing facilities into a…Read More
G2 Consulting Group, a nationally recognized Troy, Michigan-based geotechnical environmental and construction engineering services firm, is part of the construction team that earned two separate industry awards for the Downtown Fenton Streetscape and Road Reconstruction project.
Downtown Fenton retains much of its historical charm while offering modern shopping, dining and lifestyle experiences. The city was looking to improve portions of its streetscape and hired Champagne & Marx as general contractor and OHM Advisors as project engineer.
G2 Consulting managed all aspects of geotechnical exploration during the design phase of the project and provided quality assurance materials testing during project construction. Eastlund Concrete Construction performed the site concrete work and Modern Concrete provided the concrete materials.
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) SE Michigan branch named the project the “James F. Bliskey, P.E. Quality of Life Project of the Year” winner at its annual meeting. Also, the Michigan Concrete Association recognized the team in its “Municipal Flatwork” category with an award during its annual meeting.
In both cases, the significant enhancements to the downtown area, including work on the water mains, sanitary and storm sewer, roadway pavement and sidewalks, now fully ADA compliant, were noted as exceptional. As a result, there is an improved quality of life for residents and visitors to Fenton. It’s hoped that the improvements will encourage more development in adjacent neighborhoods.
Three years after opening its Ann Arbor office, G2 Consulting Group has completed work on more than 150 public and private geotechnical projects, quadrupled its employee count and is nearly tripling its office space including expanding its full…[Read More]