Project Highlights

ACEC/TN Engineering Excellence Award

S&ME, Inc. was contracted to provide environmental assessment, geotechnical engineering and construction testing services on a commercial property that was to be developed as a four-story financial center and a potential commercial outparcel.

S&ME performed a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and additional services beyond the ASTM Phase I scope. The additional services included a utility study, a preliminary subsurface investigation and preliminary wetland assessment.

The subject site was identified as having a solid waste management unit on a portion of the subject property. S&ME confirmed removal of the waste material from the subject site by others and collected confirmatory samples to document lack of residual contaminants. Also, former heating oil USTs were encountered and removed. S&ME provided oversight for these tank removal activities and abatement of impacted soils.

S&ME collected wetland delineation on the property and prepared state wetland permits to enable development of the new facility. S&ME demonstrated to state and federal regulatory agencies that the wetland alteration should be permitted under a State of Tennessee General Permit with no permit requirement from federal regulators. The wetland permit did not require any mitigation activities to compensate for loss of wetlands where the new facility and infrastructure were to be located. S&ME also prepared the Construction Stormwater Permit. Wetland and Construction Stormwater permitting were conducted simultaneously with design of the new facility in order to minimize delays for the start of construction.

S&ME performed the final subsurface investigation and provided recommendations for grading, building foundation design, retaining walls, and pavement design for the development. S&ME has provided soil testing services pertaining to site grading activities as well as additional construction testing services during the project.

The design builder of the complex was HBE, Corporation. Alley & Associates, Inc. provided surveying and Test America, Inc. provided laboratory analytical testing services, under subcontract to S&ME, Inc.

Our innovative approach on this project of conducting statistical analysis and background sampling allowed our client to avoid potential costly regulatory response requirements such as added site assessment or corrective action.

With S&ME’s creativity, it served to save the client time, money, and preserve a wetland.