AIR to Collaborate with the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design

Boston-based AIR Worldwide Corporation announced that it will be collaborating with the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (BIAD) in an effort “to better understand the vulnerability of buildings in China.”

BIAD, a leading design firm in China, has researched and analyzed seismic response of building types common to China. The findings will be used to enhance AIR’s China earthquake model.

“Through structural performance studies, we will quantify the relative vulnerability of various classes of engineered buildings throughout China,” explained Dr. Qisong Miao, director of the research department at BIAD. “Our team of experts will analyze the design of these commercial buildings to determine how various factors such as the seismic fortification levels and the age of the building impact their earthquake vulnerability. We are excited to work with a leading catastrophe modeling firm like AIR on this project.”

As part of the project, BIAD will create a database of China-specific building characteristics and their seismic performance.

“We are very pleased to work with such a well respected institute as the BIAD,” stated Uday Virkud, P.E., senior vice president at AIR Worldwide. “BIAD’s engineering-based approach to understanding the vulnerability of building structures throughout China will enable us to further enhance our industry leading model, which is used by the top property insurers in China to manage earthquake risk.”