Two of the core services that Orata Engineering provides are drainage planning and site grading design. Drainage plans and site grading work together to manage surface water run-off, preventing it from damaging buildings, infrastructure and the environment.
The role of drainage planning and site grading
Drainage planning and site grading rely upon each other in order to prevent moisture issues and structural damage from occurring to residential homes and commercial buildings. A building’s envelope is primarily responsible for shedding precipitation to the ground. It is the responsibility of site grading to ensure that both precipitation and rainwater can effectively flow away from the building in order to prevent it leaking into below-grade assemblies (foundations) and from accumulating into pools and puddles.
Site grading is imperative in the prevention of moisture issues and water damage. A poor grading plan can result in some of the following:
- Moisture damage to basement walls and floors
- Structural issues such as basement, drywall and cladding cracking
- Water and air leakage
- Condensation problems leading to the unwanted growth of mold and mildew
Proper drainage planning and site grading involves a lot of strategy and thought given that most homes and buildings have neighboring lots. Without sufficient planning, water would end up flowing away from one lot and into the next, creating significant water damage and surface water issues. By integrating site grading and drainage plans throughout neighborhoods, these issues are prevented.
The importance of surface water management and its impact on the environment
Surface water management plays an important role in the prevention of water damage, erosion and hazards. Its impact extends beyond residential homes and commercial buildings. Parks, roads, runways and recreational facilities such as baseball diamond and soccer fields are all affected by surface water management.
Surface water management is used to prevent improper drainage from creating serious physical damage to these types of facilities through erosion. Not only can poor water drainage cause long-term structural damage to buildings and facilities, it can cause water to accumulate and attract wild life. When water accumulation attracts wildlife such as birds, it can create a hazardous environment for airplanes and other vehicles.
To learn more about the importance of drainage plans in Calgary, please contact the envelope engineers at Orata Engineering. Start a conversation with us today by calling us at 403-512-6065 or by filling out a form on our website. We specialize in many envelope engineering services such as site grading, digital terrain modeling, envelope design and review. For the latest news and updates, follow Orata Engineering on LinkedIn and Twitter.