Alvin P. Tabar, P.E. has almost three decades of hands-on experience in structural design ranging from large scale construction projects in Hong Kong and around Asia to high-rise residential buildings along the Florida coastline, New York City and its metropolitan area, as well as numerous academic facilities around the United States. Alvin has always demonstrated his dedication to inventive and cost-effective solutions to complicated structural challenges. His wide-ranging experience reaches over all project phases – from conceptualization through construction documents and construction services and support. He recognizes the importance to a collaborative approach to design and as a value-added member to a team that effectively respond to clients’ goals in terms of aesthetics, performance and functionality, cost, and schedule. His sincere commitment to the team concept in responding to the complex requirements of the clients has earned him long-standing relationships with the rest of the project teams and clients alike.
Earlier in his career, he worked for almost a decade as a Structural Engineer in Hong Kong between Maunsell Consultants Asia – Building Engineering Group (now AECOM) and Stephen Cheng Consulting Engineers, a subsidiary of Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd, where he was responsible for the analysis, design, detailing and conceptualization of multi-function (mixed-use) high-rise building structures. His several large scale projects design experience in Hong Kong include some of the prominent early applications of structural design concepts and techniques using advance computer modeling technologies. These include the overall building analyses of multiple 40+ stories towers connected by a single common concrete transfer plate for Tung Chung Crescent using PAFEC the 33-stories Sky-Garden apartment building, the first high-rise building design concept approved by Hong Kong Building Authority that utilized concrete flat plates as part of the overall lateral structural system using ETABS the 66-stories towers at The Grand Promenade high-rise development, one of earliest buildings in Hong Kong with sky gardens at multiple levels whose buildings’ floor flat plates also form as parts of the overall lateral structural systems designed fully using ETABS. For the almost two decades since moving here in the United States, he continued to demonstrate his success in responding to different levels of structural design challenges. A working example was his unwavering determinations of coming up with structural solutions on even the most daunting challenges in a project such as the Loyola Science Center laboratory facilities at The University of Scranton with structural complexities ranging from ground-borne train vibrations, potential sinkholes due to abandoned coal mines, and fast track project delivery. His article detailing his design approaches to these structural challenges entitled “Structural Design Ingenuity – A Critical Component for a Sophisticated Science Building” was published in March 2012 issue of STRUCTURE magazine, the official publication of Structural Engineering Institute (SEI).
Alvin always believe that advance technologies will permanently play major roles in the ever evolving practice of structural engineering. Capitalizing on his knowledge and experience in implementing cutting-edge technologies in his structural engineering practice, he founded Ai-Alt in 2018. His relentless pursuit in the development and future acceptance of AI-driven structural design coupled with the strength of his decades long structural design experience serve as the core foundation of Ai-Alt. Ai-Alt provides integrated structural engineering services on all facets of building designs, from primary structures and foundations to facade and construction engineering. Alvin has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from the University of San Carlos, Philippines. In 2000, he achieved an equivalent Institution of Structural Engineers (IstructE)-approved Structural Engineering degree through British Engineering Council Part 2 Examinations. He was granted the certification by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) on his academic credentials for equivalency to Engineering Education Standard in the United States. He is currently a Registered Professional Engineer in the States of New York, New Jersey and Florida. He is a Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), a Charter Member of Structural Engineering Institute (SEI), and a Member of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC).
