Updated: November 2025
Medical building structural engineering provides specialized design services for medical office buildings, urgent care centers, outpatient surgery facilities, diagnostic imaging centers, dental offices, and specialty medical practices throughout Dana Point, San Clemente, Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano, and coastal South Orange County. Our licensed Professional Engineers (PE) with over 20 years of combined experience specialize in healthcare facility structural design, heavy medical equipment structural support, vibration-sensitive diagnostic room engineering, California Building Code healthcare occupancy compliance, infection control construction phasing, and OSHPD regulations for licensed facilities. Understanding medical building engineering requirements is essential for healthcare providers, medical real estate developers, and property investors planning new construction or facility renovations in California's strictly regulated healthcare environment.
Dana Point's thriving medical community, serving the coastal South Orange County population and supporting Mission Hospital's regional healthcare network, demands professional structural engineering that addresses unique medical facility requirements including heavy equipment loads, vibration isolation, accessibility standards, infection control, and stringent regulatory compliance. The City of Dana Point Community Development Department coordinates with state healthcare licensing agencies to ensure medical facilities meet all structural safety and operational requirements. Our team provides PE-stamped medical building structural plans accepted by Dana Point building officials, California Department of Public Health, and healthcare facility licensing agencies, enabling efficient permit approval and construction schedules that meet practice opening deadlines and patient care commencement requirements.
This comprehensive guide covers everything Dana Point healthcare providers and medical real estate investors need to know about medical building structural engineering, from initial facility planning through construction completion and healthcare occupancy approval.
What is Medical Building Structural Engineering in California?
**Direct Answer:** Medical building structural engineering is the comprehensive professional service that creates PE-stamped construction documents for healthcare facilities, including structural design for heavy medical equipment support, vibration-isolated diagnostic imaging rooms, accessible patient treatment areas, specialized foundation systems, seismic lateral force-resisting systems meeting healthcare occupancy requirements, and coordination with medical equipment manufacturers, infection control requirements, and healthcare regulatory agencies. In California, licensed Professional Engineers design medical facility structures addressing unique healthcare loads including MRI machines, CT scanners, X-ray equipment, surgical equipment, and specialized HVAC systems while ensuring compliance with California Building Code healthcare provisions, ADA accessibility standards, and OSHPD requirements for licensed facilities.
This specialized service addresses medical facility requirements fundamentally different from general commercial construction. Medical buildings demand heavy concentrated loads from diagnostic and treatment equipment often exceeding 5,000-10,000 pounds per machine, vibration isolation preventing equipment interference and ensuring diagnostic accuracy, floor flatness tolerances for imaging equipment and patient mobility devices, radiation shielding structural support for X-ray and imaging rooms, emergency power and life safety systems requiring structural coordination, and infection control construction practices maintaining patient safety during occupied facility renovations.
For Dana Point medical building projects, structural engineering must address Seismic Design Category D requirements critical for healthcare facility operational continuity after earthquakes, coastal South Orange County soil conditions and foundation design, coordination with healthcare equipment manufacturers for specific structural requirements, compliance with strict ADA accessibility standards throughout patient care areas, and integration with complex MEP systems essential for medical facility operations. Our engineers balance these technical requirements with healthcare operational needs, patient safety priorities, construction budgets, and practice revenue generation timelines.
Medical building engineering encompasses diverse project types: medical office buildings housing physician practices and outpatient services, urgent care and emergency clinics requiring 24/7 operational capability, outpatient surgery centers with specialized structural and environmental requirements, diagnostic imaging centers housing MRI, CT, and mammography equipment, dental offices with specialized equipment and sterilization areas, and medical tenant improvements converting general commercial space to healthcare uses.
What Types of Medical Building Structural Engineering Services Are Available in Dana Point?
**Direct Answer:** Medical building structural engineering services in Dana Point include new medical office building design for multi-specialty physician campuses, urgent care center structural engineering for emergency medicine facilities, diagnostic imaging center design supporting MRI, CT, and X-ray equipment, outpatient surgery center engineering meeting OSHPD requirements, dental office structural design for operatories and equipment, medical tenant improvement engineering converting commercial space to medical use, medical equipment structural platforms for heavy diagnostic machines, and medical facility expansion engineering for growing healthcare practices. Each service addresses specific healthcare facility scenarios from ground-up medical campus development to individual practice build-outs and equipment installations.
Medical Office Building Design
Comprehensive multi-tenant medical facilities:
**Medical Office Building (MOB) Structural Requirements**
- Moderate to heavy floor loads (100-250 psf) accommodating varied medical uses
- Flexible tenant demising wall support for changing practice configurations
- Exam room layouts requiring specific dimensional coordination
- ADA-compliant accessible routes throughout all patient areas
- Parking structure integration for patient and staff access
- Ground floor pharmacy or laboratory heavy equipment support
Our MOB designs provide structural flexibility enabling tenant turnover and practice expansion while meeting strict healthcare building codes and accessibility standards.
**Multi-Story MOB Considerations**
- Elevator systems sized for patient mobility devices and gurneys
- Floor-to-floor heights accommodating medical HVAC and infrastructure
- Vibration control between floors for diagnostic equipment
- Emergency power infrastructure structural support
- Specialized egress requirements for ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients
**Dana Point Medical Real Estate Market** Coastal South Orange County medical facilities serve affluent patient populations expecting premium healthcare environments. Our structural designs support high-end architectural finishes and patient amenities while optimizing construction costs for competitive lease rates.
Urgent Care Center Structural Engineering
Emergency medicine facilities requiring 24/7 operations:
**Urgent Care Facility Design Requirements**
- Examination room structural layouts with patient privacy
- X-ray room shielding wall structural support (lead-lined)
- Treatment room equipment support including procedure tables
- Lab and pharmacy areas with specialized equipment
- Secure medication storage structural requirements
- Waiting area structural design for high patient volumes
Dana Point's coastal location and tourism economy creates demand for urgent care facilities serving both residents and visitors with efficient, accessible emergency medical services.
**Operational Continuity Requirements**
- Seismic design ensuring post-earthquake operational capability
- Emergency power systems for continuous operations
- Redundant HVAC systems requiring structural coordination
- Backup water supply and medical gas systems
- Hurricane-rated design for coastal storm exposure
Diagnostic Imaging Center Design
Specialized facilities for advanced medical imaging:
**MRI Suite Structural Engineering**
- Heavy equipment loads: 6,000-15,000+ pounds per MRI scanner
- Vibration isolation: High-performance isolation systems preventing external vibration transmission
- Floor flatness: Stringent FF/FL tolerances for equipment leveling
- Magnetic shielding: RF shielded room structural coordination
- Equipment replacement: Floor and door openings accommodating future equipment changes
- HVAC coordination: Massive cooling systems for scanner heat rejection
Our MRI structural design coordinates with equipment manufacturers (Siemens, GE, Philips) ensuring specifications meet scanner installation requirements and manufacturer warranties.
**CT Scanner and X-Ray Room Engineering**
- CT scanner loads: 4,000-8,000 pounds including gantry and table
- Radiation shielding walls: Lead-lined or concrete walls requiring structural support (often 6-12 inches thick)
- Control room structural separation with leaded glass viewing windows
- Equipment anchorage for seismic forces
- Floor penetrations for cables and utilities coordinating with structure
**Mammography and Specialized Imaging**
- Mammography equipment structural support
- Ultrasound room layouts and equipment
- Nuclear medicine imaging requiring specialized shielding
- PET/CT combination scanners with extreme weight requirements
Dana Point imaging centers serve coastal South Orange County medical needs with convenient outpatient diagnostic services requiring sophisticated structural engineering.
Outpatient Surgery Center Engineering
Ambulatory surgery facilities with OSHPD oversight:
**Surgery Center Structural Requirements**
- Operating room structural design with overhead surgical lights and equipment
- HVAC infrastructure supporting critical air quality and pressurization
- Medical gas systems (oxygen, nitrous oxide, vacuum, compressed air)
- Sterile core and instrument processing areas
- Recovery bay structural layouts
- Emergency power and redundant systems
- OSHPD compliance for licensed surgical facilities
California OSHPD (Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development) regulates surgery centers requiring enhanced structural design, special inspections, and comprehensive documentation.
**Infection Control Design**
- Material selections for cleanability and infection control
- Seamless floor-to-wall transitions
- Positive/negative pressure room structural coordination
- Sterile instrument processing with specialized equipment
- Construction phasing maintaining infection control during renovations
Dental Office Structural Design
Specialized engineering for dental practices:
**Dental Operatory Structural Requirements**
- Dental chair and equipment structural support
- Plumbing rough-in for dental equipment (air, vacuum, water)
- Cabinetry and casework structural mounting
- Digital imaging equipment (panoramic X-ray, CBCT)
- Sterilization area with autoclave equipment
- Compressor room structural design
Dana Point's coastal community supports both general dentistry and specialty practices (orthodontics, periodontics, oral surgery) requiring tailored structural solutions.
**Dental Specialty Considerations**
- Orthodontics: Open bay layouts with multiple chairs
- Oral surgery: Surgical suite requirements similar to medical surgery
- Periodontics: Specialized treatment room configurations
- Pediatric dentistry: Waiting areas and operatories sized for children
Medical Tenant Improvement Engineering
Converting commercial space to medical use:
**Medical TI Structural Evaluation**
- Existing building capacity verification for medical equipment loads
- Floor reinforcement for heavy equipment if required
- Demising wall structural support meeting fire-rating requirements
- Accessible route verification and modifications
- Roof structural evaluation for medical HVAC equipment (often 2-3x general office loads)
- Infection control construction coordination if building remains occupied
Many Dana Point commercial buildings convert to medical use as healthcare demand grows, requiring expert structural evaluation and modification design.
**Code Compliance for Medical Conversion**
- Healthcare occupancy classification (Group B medical)
- Enhanced accessibility beyond general commercial standards
- Fire sprinkler and alarm system upgrades
- Specialized plumbing for medical equipment
- Emergency power for critical functions
Medical Equipment Structural Platforms
Heavy equipment support for existing buildings:
**Equipment Platform Design Services**
- Structural evaluation of existing floors for equipment weight
- Reinforcement design if existing capacity is insufficient
- Vibration isolation platform design
- Equipment anchorage for seismic forces
- Coordination with equipment manufacturers for specifications
- PE-stamped letters for building department and equipment vendor approval
Common applications include adding MRI, CT, or other imaging equipment to existing medical buildings where original construction didn't anticipate such heavy loads.
How Does Medical Building Design Process Work in Dana Point?
**Direct Answer:** The medical building structural engineering process in Dana Point typically takes 12-20 weeks from initial programming to permit-ready construction documents, depending on facility type, equipment complexity, and regulatory requirements. The process includes medical programming and functional design with healthcare consultants, schematic structural design establishing building systems, design development with medical equipment coordination, construction document preparation with PE-stamped plans, healthcare regulatory agency coordination (OSHPD if applicable), City of Dana Point building department submittal and plan check, and construction phase special inspection coordination. Our licensed Professional Engineers guide healthcare providers through each phase, ensuring medical operational requirements, equipment specifications, regulatory compliance, and timely project delivery.
Phase 1: Medical Programming and Feasibility (Weeks 1-3)
Initial phase establishes facility requirements:
**Healthcare Practice Needs Assessment**
- Medical specialty and services offered
- Patient volume projections and scheduling
- Examination and treatment room quantities
- Diagnostic equipment and capabilities
- Laboratory and pharmacy requirements if applicable
- Medical records and administrative space needs
- Staff requirements and support areas
**Equipment Planning and Structural Implications**
- Imaging equipment: MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound, mammography
- Surgical equipment: Operating tables, lights, booms, anesthesia machines
- Dental equipment: Chairs, compressors, suction systems, imaging
- Laboratory equipment: Analyzers, centrifuges, refrigeration
- Specialized practice equipment requiring structural support
Each major equipment item's weight, dimensions, utility requirements, and vibration sensitivity informs structural design.
**Dana Point Site Evaluation**
- Zoning compliance with medical use (typically permitted in commercial zones)
- Parking adequacy for healthcare use (higher ratios than general office)
- Accessibility from major roads for patient and emergency vehicle access
- Visibility and wayfinding for patient convenience
- Proximity to hospital and complementary medical services
- Environmental conditions affecting medical facility operations
Coastal Dana Point sites require additional consideration for salt air corrosion of HVAC systems and emergency power equipment.
**Regulatory Requirements Identification**
- OSHPD jurisdiction for licensed facilities (surgery centers, certain specialty clinics)
- California Department of Public Health licensing requirements
- DEA requirements for controlled substance storage
- Radiation safety requirements for imaging equipment
- Medical waste handling structural and systems requirements
Phase 2: Schematic Design (Weeks 4-7)
Preliminary design establishes facility configuration:
**Functional Layout Development**
- Patient flow from entry through check-in, waiting, treatment, and checkout
- Separation of clean and soiled areas for infection control
- Staff circulation and support functions
- Medical equipment room layouts with clearances
- ADA-compliant accessible routes and room configurations
- Privacy and HIPAA compliance spatial considerations
**Structural System Selection**
- Tilt-up or masonry construction for single-story MOBs
- Concrete or steel frame for multi-story medical facilities
- Long-span systems minimizing columns in patient care areas
- Floor systems accommodating heavy equipment and vibration isolation
- Roof structure supporting substantial medical HVAC equipment
**Medical Equipment Structural Coordination**
- MRI/CT scanner manufacturer specifications
- Required floor flatness and vibration criteria
- Equipment weight and footprint
- Utility rough-in locations and structural penetrations
- Installation access and future replacement provisions
**Code and Regulatory Framework**
- California Building Code healthcare occupancy provisions
- ADA accessibility comprehensive compliance
- OSHPD requirements if applicable
- Local Dana Point building department standards
- Life safety and egress for ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients
Phase 3: Design Development (Weeks 8-13)
Detailed structural engineering:
**Foundation and Structural Design**
- Foundation design for medical building loads and equipment
- Heavy equipment foundation design (isolated pads or thickened slabs)
- Floor structural design with enhanced capacity for medical loads
- Vibration isolation system design for imaging equipment
- Roof structure for medical mechanical equipment (often 50-100% heavier than general office)
- Seismic lateral force-resisting system for healthcare occupancy
**Vibration-Sensitive Room Design**
- Vibration criteria from equipment manufacturers (typically VC-C to VC-E)
- Structural isolation platforms or spring isolators
- Separation from vibration sources (mechanical equipment, traffic, elevators)
- Floor stiffness analysis preventing resonance
- Construction details minimizing vibration transmission
**Radiation Shielding Structural Support**
- Lead-lined drywall assemblies (typically 1/16" to 1/4" lead)
- Concrete shielding walls (often 8-12 inches for CT, higher for specialty applications)
- Structural support for shield weight (lead-lined walls add 10-30 psf)
- Door frames supporting lead-lined doors
- Ceiling and floor shielding coordination
**Accessibility and Life Safety**
- Exam room clearances for wheelchairs and gurneys
- Accessible patient toilets in medical suites
- Corridor widths for patient transport equipment
- Emergency egress accommodating non-ambulatory patients
- Elevator sizing for stretchers and medical equipment
**MEP Coordination**
- Medical HVAC with air changes, filtration, and pressurization
- Medical gas systems requiring structural supports
- Emergency power and critical system redundancy
- Specialized plumbing for medical equipment
- IT infrastructure for electronic medical records and PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System)
Phase 4: Construction Documents (Weeks 14-18)
Permit-ready PE-stamped plans:
**Comprehensive Drawing Sets**
- Architectural plans showing medical room layouts
- Structural foundation and framing plans
- Equipment foundations and isolation details
- Radiation shielding wall sections and details
- MEP plans coordinated with structural systems
- Life safety and egress plans
- Accessibility compliance documentation
**Technical Specifications**
- Materials meeting infection control requirements
- Construction methods for healthcare environments
- Vibration isolation system specifications
- Radiation shielding materials and installation
- Special inspection and testing requirements
- Commissioning requirements for medical systems
**Engineering Calculations**
- Structural analysis and member design
- Seismic design for healthcare occupancy
- Heavy equipment foundation design
- Vibration analysis and isolation design
- Radiation shielding calculations
- Roof capacity analysis for medical mechanical loads
Phase 5: Regulatory and Building Department Approval (Weeks 16-24)
Multi-agency coordination:
**OSHPD Review (if applicable)**
- OSHPD plan review (typically 4-8 weeks)
- Enhanced structural requirements and special inspections
- Comprehensive testing and documentation
- OSHPD inspections throughout construction
- Certificate of Compliance issuance
**City of Dana Point Building Department**
- Complete permit application submittal
- Plan check review (typically 2-3 cycles over 6-10 weeks)
- Code compliance demonstrations
- Specialized review for medical equipment
- Permit issuance and fee payment
**Equipment Manufacturer Approvals**
- Structural drawings submitted to equipment manufacturers
- Vendor approval of foundation and support designs
- Installation coordination documentation
- Equipment warranty validation
Phase 6: Construction Phase Support (Months 5-12)
Engineering services during construction:
- Special inspection coordination (OSHPD or standard)
- Shop drawing review for structural elements
- Equipment installation oversight
- Vibration testing and commissioning
- RFI response for field conditions
- Final inspection coordination and Certificate of Occupancy support
How Much Does Medical Building Structural Engineering Cost in Dana Point?
**Direct Answer:** Medical building structural engineering in Dana Point typically costs $85,000-$400,000 for complete architectural and engineering services depending on facility type, size, equipment complexity, and regulatory requirements. Structural engineering alone ranges from $45,000-$180,000, with medical office buildings costing $0.75-$1.50 per square foot, imaging centers with heavy equipment costing $1.25-$2.50 per square foot, and OSHPD-regulated surgery centers costing $2.00-$4.00 per square foot. Engineering fees for medical facilities typically run 30-60% higher than comparable general commercial buildings due to specialized equipment coordination, vibration isolation design, and enhanced regulatory requirements.
Medical Facility Engineering Fee Ranges
**Medical Office Building (5,000-20,000 sq ft)**
- Architectural services: $60,000-$200,000
- Structural engineering: $35,000-$90,000
- MEP engineering: $70,000-$180,000
- Civil engineering: $25,000-$60,000
- Medical equipment planning: $15,000-$40,000
- Total A/E package: $205,000-$570,000
Typical configuration: Multi-specialty medical office with 10-30 exam rooms, basic X-ray, lab.
**Diagnostic Imaging Center (3,000-8,000 sq ft)**
- Architectural services: $45,000-$120,000
- Structural engineering: $40,000-$95,000
- MEP engineering: $60,000-$150,000
- Imaging equipment coordination: $25,000-$60,000
- Radiation shielding design: $15,000-$35,000
- Total A/E package: $185,000-$460,000
Typical configuration: MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound, mammography suites with supporting spaces.
**Outpatient Surgery Center (6,000-15,000 sq ft)**
- Architectural services: $100,000-$275,000
- Structural engineering: $65,000-$160,000
- MEP engineering: $120,000-$300,000
- Medical equipment planning: $30,000-$75,000
- OSHPD compliance consulting: $40,000-$100,000
- Total A/E package: $355,000-$910,000
OSHPD-regulated facility with 2-4 operating rooms, sterile processing, recovery.
**Urgent Care Center (3,500-7,000 sq ft)**
- Architectural services: $40,000-$95,000
- Structural engineering: $30,000-$70,000
- MEP engineering: $55,000-$125,000
- Medical planning: $15,000-$35,000
- Total A/E package: $140,000-$325,000
Typical configuration: 8-15 exam rooms, X-ray, lab, procedure room.
**Medical Tenant Improvement (2,000-10,000 sq ft)**
- Architectural services: $25,000-$110,000
- Structural evaluation and design: $12,000-$45,000
- MEP engineering: $35,000-$140,000
- Equipment coordination: $8,000-$30,000
- Total A/E package: $80,000-$325,000
Converting existing commercial space to medical use.
Project-Specific Cost Factors
**Heavy Medical Equipment Integration**
- MRI suite: Add $30,000-$70,000 for vibration isolation and structural design
- CT scanner installation: Add $15,000-$35,000
- Multiple imaging modalities: Add $50,000-$120,000
- Radiation shielding extensive design: Add $20,000-$50,000
**OSHPD Regulatory Requirements**
- OSHPD plan review and compliance: Add 60-100% to structural engineering fees
- Enhanced special inspection requirements: Add $40,000-$120,000
- Comprehensive testing and documentation: Add $25,000-$75,000
- OSHPD inspector coordination: Add $15,000-$40,000
**Site Complexity**
- Hillside site with challenging grading: Add 25-40%
- Coastal corrosion protection design: Add $8,000-$20,000
- Environmentally sensitive area coordination: Add $10,000-$30,000
**Schedule Considerations**
- Standard 16-20 week design timeline: Base fees
- Fast-track 10-14 week design: Add 35-60%
- Phased design for early equipment procurement: Add 20-35%
Dana Point Specific Costs
**City Fees and Permits**
- Plan check fees: $8,000-$45,000 depending on valuation
- Building permit fees: $20,000-$120,000 depending on valuation
- Utility connection fees: $5,000-$25,000
- Traffic impact fees if applicable: $3,000-$15,000
Return on Investment
Medical building engineering provides substantial value:
- **Practice revenue optimization**: Efficient design increases patient throughput 15-25%
- **Equipment utilization**: Proper structural design prevents equipment operational issues
- **Property value**: Medical buildings lease/sell at 20-40% premium to general commercial
- **Regulatory compliance**: Avoiding violations and operational interruptions
- **Patient safety**: Professional engineering eliminates structural liability
Most Dana Point healthcare providers recover engineering costs within 6-12 months through efficient operations and premium healthcare real estate values.
Why Choose AAA Engineering Design for Dana Point Medical Building Engineering?
**Direct Answer:** AAA Engineering Design provides Dana Point healthcare providers and medical real estate investors with 20+ years of medical facility structural engineering experience, California PE licensure, comprehensive medical equipment coordination expertise, vibration isolation design capabilities, OSHPD regulatory compliance knowledge, established relationships with imaging equipment manufacturers, and proven success delivering operational medical facilities meeting strict healthcare regulations. Our healthcare-focused engineering combines technical excellence with practical understanding of medical practice operations, patient care requirements, and healthcare real estate economics—delivering successful medical facilities from concept through patient care commencement.
Medical Facility Engineering Expertise
Our team's healthcare specialization includes:
- 50+ medical facility structural design projects across Southern California
- All medical building types: MOB, imaging centers, surgery centers, urgent care, dental
- Heavy medical equipment structural support (MRI, CT, X-ray, surgical equipment)
- Vibration isolation design for diagnostic imaging accuracy
- Radiation shielding structural engineering
- OSHPD-regulated facility design and compliance
Medical Equipment Coordination
We excel at equipment integration:
- Direct coordination with equipment manufacturers (GE, Siemens, Philips, Canon)
- Vibration isolation specifications meeting manufacturer requirements
- Equipment foundation design supporting manufacturer warranties
- Future equipment replacement planning and provisions
- Installation access and logistics coordination
Healthcare Regulatory Knowledge
Comprehensive compliance expertise:
- California Building Code healthcare occupancy requirements
- OSHPD regulations for licensed facilities
- ADA accessibility standards for healthcare
- Department of Public Health licensing requirements
- Infection control design guidelines
- Medical gas and emergency power code compliance
Dana Point Local Expertise
Coastal South Orange County advantages:
- Familiarity with Dana Point building department review standards
- Relationships with local healthcare community and hospital systems
- Knowledge of coastal construction requirements affecting medical facilities
- Understanding of South County medical real estate market
- Efficient permit processing through local experience
Comprehensive Project Support
Beyond structural engineering:
- Medical facility programming and functional planning
- MEP engineering coordination for complex medical systems
- Medical equipment vendor coordination and approvals
- Construction phase infection control protocols
- Facility commissioning and operational readiness support
- Healthcare licensing agency coordination
Contact AAA Engineering Design for Dana Point Medical Building Engineering
Medical building structural engineering is essential for successful healthcare facility development, providing safe, code-compliant designs that support optimal patient care, accommodate sophisticated medical equipment, and meet stringent healthcare regulations. Whether you're developing a new medical office building, expanding an imaging center, converting commercial space to medical use, or installing heavy diagnostic equipment, expert structural engineering protects your investment and ensures successful healthcare operations.
**Call (949) 981-4448** to discuss your Dana Point medical building engineering needs. Our licensed Professional Engineers serve Dana Point, San Clemente, Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano, and throughout coastal South Orange County.
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*This article is part of our comprehensive Commercial & Industrial Structural Engineering Guide, covering everything business owners and healthcare providers need to know about medical facility structural engineering in Southern California.*