Robert N. Roop, P.E., CBIE
Area of Expertise
Mr. Roop is President (and founder) responsible for operations and execution of all engineering projects at Lockatong Engineering, Inc. The focus of the firm is comprehensive investigations of site, mechanical, electrical, structural, roofing, life safety systems and environmental conditions of property and buildings. Mr. Roop has over 50 years of experience in facility and environmental engineering. His technical expertise and experience includes investigations, technical feasibility studies, prototype/pilot plant design and evaluation, final design and installation of processes and commercialization of product. He has conducted inspections of buildings and equipment for assessment of conditions, due diligence and compliance with Life Safety Code. Investigations also include environmental assessments and indoor air quality evaluations. He provides the design of repairs, improvements, and enhancements to improve efficiency, occupant comfort and life extension in existing structures. He has designed HVAC system upgrades and maintenance programs. Private residential, commercial (office, residential, light industrial) and institutional facilities such as schools and hospitals are the type of the properties where evaluations and design improvements have been provided. Property managers, real estate developers, condominium associations and institutional facility managers have found his services to be beneficial.
Qualifications
Mr. Roop has personally conducted many hundreds of transition studies, reserve studies, property condition and environmental assessments on a wide variety of buildings. For several healthcare facilities, he provides building condition assessments, facility inspections, forensic investigations, and HVAC design. He has designed heating/cooling systems and utility distribution networks for hospitals and conducted Life Safety Code compliance inspections for their accreditation. Mr. Roop is a frequent invited speaker on institutional facility inspections and improvements.
He has also conducted many hundreds of residential and building inspections for construction defects, deterioration and faulty maintenance. He has been a licensed New Jersey Home Inspector. Especially important in the Lockatong practice is evaluation of building envelope for water tightness and proper ventilation. Defects in envelope easily lead to rot, structural damage and poor indoor air quality. Repair designs from minor details to complete building reskinning have been prepared under his direction. Significantly, many construction defect remediation design projects employ Mr. Roop to perform construction monitoring to confirm the remediation design is faithfully executed.
For property developers, Mr. Roop has performed comprehensive environmental investigations and remediation at former industrial sites to allow their use for residential and commercial development.
Mr. Roop has worked as an expert in evaluating warranty claims for construction defects, and for a short time as a carpenter in residential and commercial construction projects. He has personally built two single-family homes for himself.
Currently, Mr. Roop provides construction quality assessments on new construction.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Roop conducted applied research and product development in waste water and waste water disinfection. He was responsible for the development of several state of the art chemical feed and analytical instruments widely used in public water supply systems. He holds several United States patents in water disinfection equipment.
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University
- Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from Villanova University
Affiliations
- Professional Engineer in NJ, PA, NY, MA
- National Society of Professional Engineers
- Council on Policy and Advocacy Committee
- Past President, Bucks County Chapter
- National Academy of Building Inspection Engineers – President
- American Society for Healthcare Engineering
- American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers
- National Fire Protection Association
- The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying
- Community Association Institute, New Jersey Chapter
- Construction Dispute Resolution Services – Certified Arbitrator
Published Articles
- NJ Clean Energy’s Required Benchmarking: Easier & More Beneficial than Expected, Community Trends, February 2024
- Best Use of Your Professional Engineer, Community Trends, January 2024
- Ask An Engineer – Their Top 5 FAQs, Community Trends, June 2022
- Technology in Engineering, Community Trends, January 2022
- Coming Attractions, Community Trends, November 2021
- What Should You Be Thinking About Right Now?, Community Trends, August 2021
- Perilous Neglection, Community Trends, May 2021
- X-Rated, Community Trends, August 2020
- High-Rise Condominium Deferred Maintenance, Community Trends, February 2020
- Play Nice in the Sandbox, Community Trends, May 2019
- Fit in a Fitness Center, Community Trends, April 2019
- Let’s Maintain Our Property Value, Community Trends, January 2019
- Getting Into the Weeds, Community Trends, November 2018
- To Bid or Not To Bid, Community Trends, April 2018
- It Was a Dark and STORMY Night, Community Trends, August 2017
- Thar She Blows, Community Trends, May 2017
- Call For Construction Monitoring, August 2016
- Sound and Your Fitness Facility, April 2016
- The Case for Invasive Transition Inspections, Community Trends, May 2015
- Flood Insurance Rates – Storm Warning, Community Trends, September 2014
- Radon Impacts Your Association, Community Trends, August 2014
- Firestopping in Construction, Community Trends, June 2013
Presentations
- Construction Management and Monitoring, CAI-NJ 2019 Homeowner Leader Best Practices Roundtable Discussion, September 12, 2019
- Disaster Recovery, NABIE Annual Conference, February 17, 2018