Wind Study

To provide an unparalleled living experience, developers for Lied Place Residences hired Cermack Peterka Petersen, Inc. (CPP) to complete a wind study for the structure. Based out of Windsor, Colorado, the CPP wind consultant firm offers a wide range of expert services to increase material efficiency, protect indoor and outdoor air quality, and ensure an enduring building design.

Wind engineering was pioneered in the early 1950s by Dr. Jack Cermak to study the unique impact of wind in both natural and built environments. He initially co-founded Cermack Peterka and Associates with Dr. Jon Peterka in 1981 to meet the emerging industry’s need for a wind tunnel testing facility. In 1984, Dr. Ron Peterson joined the company as a meteorology and pollution dispersion expert, and CPP was born. Over the past 30 years, the company has completed thousands of international projects.

CPP began their work with Lied Place Residences by building a model of the downtown sector within the Lied Place footprint. They included a finished structure and placed it inside the CPP wind tunnel to study the flow of wind channels around and between buildings. A specialized smoke machine was used to visualize the angles and movements of potential wind gusts around Lied Place Residences.

In early November, CPP consultants visited the site to measure building movement with portable frequency meters. Winds of 15mph are necessary for a test to be successful, and that particular day recorded 17-20mph gusts. While a wind study was not required by architects or specific building codes, it was an important tool to engineer a sturdy design for Lincoln’s tallest non-government building.