David M. Birenbaum, P.E.
Owner, Engineered Inspection & Consulting Services, LLC
Licensed Professional Engineer in Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa
St. Louis ASHI Affiliate Member (Oct 2018+)
Certified Inspector by American Society of Home Inspectors (through Sep 2018)
Mr. Birenbaum performs structural and forensic examinations to determine cause of damage/loss, discover defects, assess functionality, reveal safety conditions, and recommend restorative procedures for residential, commercial, church, and school buildings. Expert witness and litigation support work is his forte. Have completed many hundreds of evaluations of foundations for settling, wall shifting, mine subsidence, and deterioration of support structures. Perform impartial insurance loss investigations. Depth and breadth of knowledge of building envelope analysis and moisture propagation in buildings. Mr. Birenbaum provides consulting services with regards to structural matters, prepares plans and specifications for building modifications and repairs, and specifies materials for design and rehabilitation.
Perform inspections of residential and commercial structures. Conduct skyscraper façade inspections, and manufactured home foundation inspections to determine if they meet HUD standards. We partner with like-minded professionals to create nimble teams to accomplish goals.
Specializes using the correct tool from the toolbox including: building elevation surveys; endoscopy; 4k, infrared, and conventional photography; surface and penetration moisture meters; GPRS; Xray; dye testing; chemical analysis; microscopic examination; petrographic analysis; concrete testing; etc.
Deployed by FEMA as a structural assessment expert in the Florida Keys following Hurricane Irma October 2017. Packed to deploy for the next disaster.
Mr. Birenbaum has extensive knowledge of water, sewer, electric, natural gas, and telephone system issues from 40 years of consulting, industry, and regulatory experience. Extensive experience writing, reviewing, and defending testimony as an expert witness while working as Manager of the Engineering and Depreciation Department for the Missouri Public Service Commission, where among other things he was responsible for assessing lives and depreciation rates of all regulated utility assets in the state. Mr. Birenbaum served the Commission as senior staff arbitrator for cases related to open access and setting rates in the telecommunications industry and set state policy and directed investigations for all utility capital recovery matters. He has researched and testified regarding contemporary depreciation issues, including the nuclear decommissioning trust. He performed quality of service tests of 200 telephone exchanges and is co-author of Public Utility Depreciation Practices (1996).
Dave has served as resident engineer on several water reservoir, dam, sewer, and pipeline projects where duties included project management, surveying, construction inspection, coordinating work by contractors, and obtaining right-of-way. He has designed water and wastewater plants and infrastructure, sewage lift stations, wastewater laboratories, and telephone fiber optic and metallic cable projects. He has forecasted, planned, sized, and budgeted for telephone fiber optic and copper cable routes and remote switching center sites in numerous states. Other work has included performing strategic planning studies for telephone, electric, and water utilities.
Mr. Birenbaum has earned a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Missouri S&T, 1987, and Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Missouri S&T, 1978. He is a trained FEMA Disaster Inspector and Missouri Structural Assessment & Visual Evaluation (SAVE) inspector for rapid visual evaluation of damaged buildings. Dave frequently provides training seminars to the St. Louis home inspection and masonry community.
Dave is an active Affiliate member of the St. Louis Chapter of ASHI (American Society of Home inspectors), currently serving on the Education Committee and having served on the Board of Directors for 6 years including as President in 2009. Was judge for the Home Builders Association “Professional’s Choice” Award for several years. Volunteer engineer/consultant for several Central American civil projects for Engineers Without Borders – St. Louis Gateway, Washington University & MO S&T Student Chapters. Volunteer home inspector & engineering consultant for Rebuilding Together St. Louis. President of Housing Corporation for the MO S&T Chapter Sigma Tau Gamma social Fraternity, 2016 Distinguished Alumnus, Past President of the Alumni Association, and Most Outstanding Alumnus. Volunteer with HOPE Food Pantry in O’Fallon, MO. Trustee of Oak View Estates subdivision. Docent for the Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park in Kirkwood, MO. Caretaker & docent for the Pappas' Frank Lloyd Wright house in Town & Country, MO.
LIKES
Owner, Engineered Inspection & Consulting Services, LLC
Licensed Professional Engineer in Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa
St. Louis ASHI Affiliate Member (Oct 2018+)
Certified Inspector by American Society of Home Inspectors (through Sep 2018)
Mr. Birenbaum performs structural and forensic examinations to determine cause of damage/loss, discover defects, assess functionality, reveal safety conditions, and recommend restorative procedures for residential, commercial, church, and school buildings. Expert witness and litigation support work is his forte. Have completed many hundreds of evaluations of foundations for settling, wall shifting, mine subsidence, and deterioration of support structures. Perform impartial insurance loss investigations. Depth and breadth of knowledge of building envelope analysis and moisture propagation in buildings. Mr. Birenbaum provides consulting services with regards to structural matters, prepares plans and specifications for building modifications and repairs, and specifies materials for design and rehabilitation.
Perform inspections of residential and commercial structures. Conduct skyscraper façade inspections, and manufactured home foundation inspections to determine if they meet HUD standards. We partner with like-minded professionals to create nimble teams to accomplish goals.
Specializes using the correct tool from the toolbox including: building elevation surveys; endoscopy; 4k, infrared, and conventional photography; surface and penetration moisture meters; GPRS; Xray; dye testing; chemical analysis; microscopic examination; petrographic analysis; concrete testing; etc.
Deployed by FEMA as a structural assessment expert in the Florida Keys following Hurricane Irma October 2017. Packed to deploy for the next disaster.
Mr. Birenbaum has extensive knowledge of water, sewer, electric, natural gas, and telephone system issues from 40 years of consulting, industry, and regulatory experience. Extensive experience writing, reviewing, and defending testimony as an expert witness while working as Manager of the Engineering and Depreciation Department for the Missouri Public Service Commission, where among other things he was responsible for assessing lives and depreciation rates of all regulated utility assets in the state. Mr. Birenbaum served the Commission as senior staff arbitrator for cases related to open access and setting rates in the telecommunications industry and set state policy and directed investigations for all utility capital recovery matters. He has researched and testified regarding contemporary depreciation issues, including the nuclear decommissioning trust. He performed quality of service tests of 200 telephone exchanges and is co-author of Public Utility Depreciation Practices (1996).
Dave has served as resident engineer on several water reservoir, dam, sewer, and pipeline projects where duties included project management, surveying, construction inspection, coordinating work by contractors, and obtaining right-of-way. He has designed water and wastewater plants and infrastructure, sewage lift stations, wastewater laboratories, and telephone fiber optic and metallic cable projects. He has forecasted, planned, sized, and budgeted for telephone fiber optic and copper cable routes and remote switching center sites in numerous states. Other work has included performing strategic planning studies for telephone, electric, and water utilities.
Mr. Birenbaum has earned a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Missouri S&T, 1987, and Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Missouri S&T, 1978. He is a trained FEMA Disaster Inspector and Missouri Structural Assessment & Visual Evaluation (SAVE) inspector for rapid visual evaluation of damaged buildings. Dave frequently provides training seminars to the St. Louis home inspection and masonry community.
Dave is an active Affiliate member of the St. Louis Chapter of ASHI (American Society of Home inspectors), currently serving on the Education Committee and having served on the Board of Directors for 6 years including as President in 2009. Was judge for the Home Builders Association “Professional’s Choice” Award for several years. Volunteer engineer/consultant for several Central American civil projects for Engineers Without Borders – St. Louis Gateway, Washington University & MO S&T Student Chapters. Volunteer home inspector & engineering consultant for Rebuilding Together St. Louis. President of Housing Corporation for the MO S&T Chapter Sigma Tau Gamma social Fraternity, 2016 Distinguished Alumnus, Past President of the Alumni Association, and Most Outstanding Alumnus. Volunteer with HOPE Food Pantry in O’Fallon, MO. Trustee of Oak View Estates subdivision. Docent for the Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park in Kirkwood, MO. Caretaker & docent for the Pappas' Frank Lloyd Wright house in Town & Country, MO.
LIKES
- Anything related to famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright including traveling to visit his buildings across the country and educating others as a docent.
- Snorkeling, camping, spelunking.
- Canoeing fast water streams and hiking in the Ozarks.
- National Parks and the beauty of our country.
- Making things from a variety of wood species.
- Helping a number of not-for-profit organizations including Scouts, Order of the Arrow, HOPE Food Pantry, Engineers Without Borders, Rebuilding Together, and Angels Arms.
