Homeland Security
Protecting Existing Buildings
Against Terrorist Blast Attacks
By Marc S. Caspe, P.E.

Architechnics is published to inform our clients and colleagues of issues and problems which we are addressing in our practice. By publication of technical articles and case studies, we hope to circulate information that will be helpful to practicing architects, building managers and others in the building trade and related professions.

Due to the unique nature of our practice, McGinnis Chen Associates Inc. is often the beneficiary of hindsight. That is, we are often asked to examine, analyze and repair failed building systems ?\ principally regarding the building envelope.

Having done this type of work for over thirty-five years, our office has accumulated a wealth of insight into the causes of many different types of building failures and how they might be rectified or avoided. We routinely work on buildings ranging from residences to highrises, commercial to governmental, and old to new.