Nikki M. Byl

Experience

Nikki Byl’s diverse background in construction and engineering is applied to the inspection, evaluation, and problem solving of new and existing structures. She works on a variety of projects ranging from roofing assessment and replacement, structural investigation and repair design, and facade inspections to water leakage investigation and testing. Ms. Byl is also the specification coordinator for WJE.

Ms. Byl started her career at WJE as an independent contractor, where she was involved with multiple projects focusing on structural investigations. Prior to joining WJE, she worked as a field engineer for Daniel O’Connell’s Sons, Inc. Ms. Byl then worked as a graduate research and teaching assistant at the University of Washington, where her research focused on evaluating the performance of steel-plate shear walls as a seismic force resisting system and is published in the Earthquake Spectra: Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute.

REPRESENTATIVE PROJECTS

Masonry Structures

• Omni Parker House Hotel - Boston, MA: Facade ordinance inspection, leakage investigation, and brick, limestone, granite, and stucco facade repair design
• Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel  - Boston, MA: Facade ordinance inspection; terra cotta, limestone masonry, and EIFS facade assessment and repair design
• GE Headquarters - Boston, MA: Condition assessment and construction documents for facade restoration of two 1907 mass masonry buildings
• 111 Westminster Street - Providence, RI: Difficult access survey of stone masonry facade for annual maintenance inspections; brick and limestone facade repair design

 

Facade Assessment

• The Gillette Company - Boston, MA: Condition assessment, facade ordinance inspections, and water testing of multiple masonry and concrete building enclosures; production of maintenance and repair recommendations
• Black Falcon Cruise Terminal - Boston, MA: Assessment of historic concrete facades, EIFS, and steel windows; concrete repair design and construction period services
• University of Rhode Island, Shepard’s Building - Providence: Assessment of historic cast-iron storefront
• 53 State Street - Boston, MA: Inspection of glass curtain wall and granite facades; joint sealant repair design and administration
• 245 Summer Street - Boston, MA: Condition assessment of more than 3,000 insulating glass units (IGUs)

 

Structural Evaluation

• GE Headquarters - Boston, MA: Structural investigation of pedestrian bridges, steel structure, timber decking, and masonry including performing in situ compressive and shear strength testing
• Major Nationwide Retail Chain: Inspection and analysis of existing roof truss joist welds
• Amherst College, Powerhouse Building - Amherst, MA: Condition survey of historic steel structure
• St. Luke’s Episcopal Church - Chester, VT: Structural investigation of the church tower

 

Building Enclosure Commissioning

• Harvard Fogg Art Museum  - Cambridge, MA: Enclosure commissioning, design-assist, and construction phase field observations
• Amherst College, Science Center - Amherst, MA: Enclosure commissioning, peer review, and construction phase field observations
• University of Massachusetts, New Laboratory Building - Amherst: Commissioning services for building enclosure

Professional Affiliations

Association for Preservation Technology (APT)
Construction Specification Institute (CSI)
Structural Engineers Association of Massachusetts (SEAMASS)

Registrations

Certified Construction Documents Technologist
Professional Engineer in MA
 

Education

University of Massachusetts Amherst
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, 2006

University of Washington
Master of Science, Structural Engineering, 2010