Karim Allana
Karim Allana is a sustainable building construction expert based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has more than 40 years of experience in the construction industry.
Mr. Allana is licensed as an engineer in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington State. Since the 1980s, he has worked on nearly 100 major new-build and remedial construction projects in North America. He specializes in building enclosure disciplines, including exterior façade, roofing, and waterproofing.
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Early career
Mr. Allana earned his Civil Engineering degree from Santa Clara University. While there, he worked in his first building enclosure job, for a San Jose-based company called Precision Roofing.
After graduating from Santa Clara University, he worked on ground-up construction projects for Turner Construction Company until 1985, when he returned to Precision Roofing to work as an operations manager.
Allana Buick & Bers
In 1987, Mr. Allana founded Allana Buick & Bers (ABB) as a multidisciplinary construction company.
He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of ABB. The firm performs new and remedial construction work in several states, with new-build projects valued around $6 billion annually and remedial work around $120 billion annually.
As CEO, Mr. Allana is responsible for high-level strategic planning as well as day-to-day administration of departments with a total headcount of about 225. He supervises all aspects of ABB’s project activities and takes the lead on energy efficiency and renewable energy system upgrades, condition assessments, engineering design, design build services, and remedial construction management. Over the years, he has honed ABB’s reputation as the go-to firm for clients seeking innovative engineering and building solutions, complex project management services, and conflict resolution capabilities.
ABB’s clients include private companies, institutions, and government agencies in industries such as local and federal government, industrial, multi-family residential, healthcare, insurance, and education.
During Mr. Allana’s tenure, ABB has earned two International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC awards) for documented excellence and repeatedly has been named “best firm to work” by Zweig White.
Consulting & industry development work
In addition to his role at ABB, Mr. Allana has served as an expert witness in nearly 1,000 construction defect cases, with a focus on forensic investigations of building failures.
He also develops and delivers technical seminars and presentations for audiences composed of engineers, architects, and other construction professionals. His lessons focus on general risk reduction in construction, improved building performance, longer building life expectancy, and energy efficiency.
Certifications & memberships
Mr. Allana is a member in good standing of:
- The International Facility Management Association (IFMA)
- The International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC)
- The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA)
- The Community Associations Institute (CAI)
- The International Code Council (ICC)
Karim Allana is a Registered Roof Consultant (RRC) and a Registered Waterproofing Consultant (RWC).
