CONSULTING

Consulting

General Consulting Assistance

Not all clients seek traditional design services. In many instances, tailored services are necessary, or unique and special services are required. With more than 30 years of experience, RAFI has learned how to resolve these needs quickly and economically.

General Consulting services include:

Capitalizing projects through strategic planning, marketing and feasibility studies
Assisting with planning and zoning entitlements
Building code analyses and working through complex ordinances and regulations
Facilitating jurisdictional and community meetings
Providing peer reviewed plans
Preparing renderings, specialized drafting packages, color studies and material selections
Analyzing property to identify what makes a potential new site work best
Choosing the best tenant location and space possible

RAFI also helps with Special Assistance Needs including:

Negotiating with insurance adjusters over property losses
Helping clients lower current demands for energy and water
Incorporating natural day-lighting
Using shade to reduce air-conditioning loads
Reducing outdoor temperatures using the heat island effect
Eliminating dangerous VOC’s indoors
Incorporate solar and wind energy for electrical power and hot water heating
Repairing and extending the useful lives of roofs

Development & Feasibility

Strategic Economic Development and Feasibility Investigations

Private sector, public sector, and non-profit clients frequently need assistance with a range of strategic planning and economic development studies as well as investigations that focus on the financial feasibility of capital investments towards real property improvements. Strategic plans evolve from a thorough Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis, where clients already possess a strong vision and mission statement, along with goals and timely objectives.

At the community development level RAFI strongly supports uncovering ways to expand and build upon a community’s existing values, culture, strengths, resources, and economic environment rather than expending valuable resources to attract external interests that ultimately shifts profits and local wealth elsewhere. Growing local businesses to broaden the market’s access to goods and services keeps profits at home where they translate to greater local economic sustainability, more jobs and recirculating money.

For non-profit organizations, life and sustainability relies upon the organization’s ability to raise funds and resources for local programs and services that fill the gaps between goods, services and employment the private sector offers and services and assistance government provides. Remaining sustainable often requires obtaining new sources of income to meet the community’s needs.

We conduct each investigation with our client's specific needs in mind. This includes:

Identifying the project background, demographic and market characteristics, those the investigation serves, the issues the investigation addresses, and other relevant task related information
Defining the study’s purpose, vision, mission, any partners
Conducting a SWOT analysis performed by representatives of all parties to assess current conditions and how the project moves forward
An initial action plan, timeline, list of resources to address needs, a process for how to manage and monitor progress, and how data will be used to drive decision making and financial feasibility
Identifying a revised, more clearly defined vision, that includes a mission, goals, strategic priorities, timeframes, financial obligations, objectives, and how the project will be monitored and managed
Thoroughly addressing the project’s accountability, rewards, and consequences

Forensic & Attorney Assistance

Forensic Investigations and Assistance to Attorneys

Having worked with public agencies, building officials, codes, ordinances, and regulations for more than 30 years, RAFI is often contracted for assistance with resolving design and construction issues. The firms’ experience is strengthened through its service to the Nevada State Board of Architecture, Interior Design and Residential Design (NSBAIDRD), the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB,) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) where Dr. Fielden has acted as both a Board Member and chair of state. These regional and national committees oversee professional licensure, competence, practice and professional conduct for licensed architects in the United States and Canada.

Dr. Fielden was also instrumental in helping China structure architectural education, training and examinations equivalent to those administered by the NCARB in the US and Canada. In addition to helping local jurisdictions revise and develop contemporary planning and zoning ordinances, Dr. Fielden has served on state and national code committees dealing with the intricacies of adopting code changes.

RAFI's experience with complex Forensic investigations includes:

Foundation settlements and exterior wall separations
Uncovering roof leakages, insect Infestations and the outbreak of mold
Tracing fire damages, structural wall and roof failures, and uncovering the use of improper construction materials and methods
Restoring severely damaged buildings and structures

Investigations and findings are described in highly comprehensive, detailed reports supported by graphics and expert testimony when required. Most reports are used by clients or their attorney’s in negotiating or arbitrating losses with insurance companies.

In other instances, defense attorneys engage RAFI and its professional staff for assistance with investigative research, documentation, findings, reports, depositions and testimony pertaining to litigation associated with design and construction cases. We can help with clarifying statutory professional practice issues, appropriate licensing and registration, professional conduct, standards of care, and complex details relative to incompetent professional performance and negligence.

In terms of construction defect litigation, RAFI is called upon to provide interpretations of statutes, regulations, ordinances, procedures, and codes relating to the construction process. With their consulting assistance, RAFI performs site investigations, document reviews, interim and final reports, and collaborates with other expert consultants associated with the case to help strengthen the defending attorney’s arguments. Past cases include trials in state and federal courts.

RAFI’s assistance with forensic investigations date back more than two decades.
Our experience includes:

Helping to negotiate and arbitrate with insurance companies
Addressing construction negligence litigation in Nevada, Colorado and Texas
Helping to defend the City of Mesquite, Nevada in federal court
Defending licensed design professionals in several instances in Nevada.

In every circumstance but three, negotiations between attorneys using documented evidence from RAFI’s reports have led to resolving litigation prior to trial.

In the first instance where negotiations failed the case went to trial in federal court, the City of Mesquite prevailed.
In the second instance, the attorney RAFI assisted defending a licensed Nevada architect prevailed, with the architect receiving a significant financial judgement from the jury.
In the third case, the District Judge ruled against the attorneys prior to trial and dismissed the case in favor of the defendant. This case was appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court where the lower judge was overruled in favor of the client and attorneys. In the court’s rulings, it referred to evidence contained in RAFI’s report. Prior to retrial in District Court and directions to the judge, attorneys for both parties negotiated a mutually agreed upon undisclosed settlement for the client.

With each new engagement assisting attorneys or in performing a forensic investigation, RAFI builds upon its professional knowledge, skills, abilities and experience to provide highly valued contributions.