معلومــة

By Mary Scott Nabers Cities and counties throughout the U.S. are benefitting from funding that is readily available for transit-oriented development (TOD). Economic development teams have seen the boost of economic vitality that this type of initiative brings to local communities, and the result is that private sector developers and public officials nationwide will be delivering housing, retail and new communities located near public transit stations for the next several years. TOD projects, supported by federal funding, focus on building housing and mixed-use communities near public transit stations to encourage public transportation. This type of new commercial development with housing, retail, parkland and community gathering spaces is often linked to parks, trails and bicycle infrastructure. Some of the newly created communities have libraries, community centers and schools. Federal funding support is available because TOD projects result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions, the...

By Looq AI  Addressing the Challenges of Utility Vegetation Management Managing vegetation around America’s electric transmission and distribution infrastructure is crucial for ensuring uninterrupted power delivery. Utility Vegetation Management (UVM) is highly complex and represents a significant cost burden on utility operations and maintenance (O&M) budgets. This includes essential tasks such as tree trimming near power lines, which are critical for service reliability, grid resiliency, and operational safety. Research from Texas A&M University highlights that vegetation management is one of the largest O&M expenses for utilities, demanding substantial resources and posing logistical and safety challenges.  Each vegetation encroachment area requires specialized crews and equipment capable of working near live power lines, often involving planned de-energization, arborists, and traffic control. Electric utilities rely on external contractors who must adhere to...

By Balaji Sreenivasan, CEO, Aurigo One of the toughest jobs city managers face is getting buy-in from the public on infrastructure projects. These projects, such as highways, roads, and bridges, are often essential for economic growth and development but can be met with fierce opposition from residents. Projects such as Boston’s Big Dig have become notorious for their soaring costs and vociferous objections from the local community, resulting in long delays. While almost everyone agrees on the need for good public transportation for urban areas to thrive, the what, how, where, and when of these valuable projects can easily become contentious issues. The success of public infrastructure projects is inextricably linked with effective public engagement. However, public trust is at an all-time low thanks to the uncomfortable truth that most city construction projects are delivered over budget and over schedule. Timely dialogue with concerned constituents is often hindered by outdated pu...

By Mark Zweig, Chairman & Founder, Zweig Group From The Zweig Letter This is the math that firm owners who pursue mergers and acquisitions use to create a lot of value in their businesses. People talk about “synergy” in mergers and acquisitions of AEC firms, and for some, the word sounds like a cliche. Cynicism keeps many firm owners out of the business of pursuing M&A as a strategy, but they are missing out. Aside from the client and talent sharing that can and should occur between the buying and selling companies – which certainly can be real as long as earnouts or internal accounting or reward systems don’t work against it – the real synergy shows up in the valuation of the combined entities. Consider this example: Firm “A” is a $20 million revenue company that makes a 10 percent profit and is growing by 10 percent a year. They want to buy or merge with Firm “B,” which is a $4 million revenue company that also makes a 10 percent profit and is growing by 10 perc...

By Chad Coldiron, Principal & Director of Development, Zweig Group From The Zweig Letter Takeaways from Zweig Group’s 2024 ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala. From September 17-19, 2023, Zweig Group hosted the  2024 ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala  in beautiful Tampa Bay, Florida. This year’s event was a fantastic gathering, bringing together some of the best performing firms in the AEC industry, along with other industry leaders committed to improving their workplaces and those who support these efforts. With a sell-out crowd of more than 400 attendees, the energy at the bayside venue was palpable, filled with inspiration and excitement for the future. Throughout the conference, the crowd engaged in numerous learning sessions and roundtable discussions on important topics such as recruitment and retention, operational excellence, professional development best practices, and the impact of AI and technology. The theme for this year’s conference was “Return ...

BOSTON, MA  – STV, a leading professional services firm that plans, designs and manages infrastructure projects across North America, today announced it has played a key role in securing a $472 million  MPDG Mega grant  from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). This historic federal award, the largest in MBTA’s history, will fund the replacement of North Station’s Draw One Bridge over the Charles River. STV provided technical assistance in developing the comprehensive benefit-cost analysis that demonstrated the value of this project, as well as advice critical to federal requests for information post-submission.  “STV’s deep expertise in transportation and grant advisory was key to securing this transformative grant for the MBTA,” said Patricia Macchi, national director of infrastructure economics and grants advisory at STV. “This grant will help fund replacement and modernization, enhance resilienc...

McIlheran will assist with leading raSmith’s team of site planners, civil engineers, & landscape architects whowork on projects across the U.S. BROOKFIELD, Wis. — raSmith, a multi-disciplined civil and structural engineering and surveying firm, has announced the promotion of Paul McIlheran to assistant director of site design services. Previously a senior project manager, McIlheran brings nearly three decades of site planning and design expertise to his new role. In his new position, McIlheran will work with David Mortensen, director of site design services, to lead the division’s 38 employees. His responsibilities will include business development, project management, standardization, and employee development. In addition to his role as assistant director, McIlheran will also continue to serve both existing and new clients. “Paul contributes a unique skill set to the site design services division,” said Mortensen. “He is a very talented engineer who has built lasting client ...

THE 2024 ALEXANDER D. WILSON MEMORIAL AWARD WASHINGTON, DC  – The Steel Bridge Task Force, which is comprised of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) and American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Steel and Metals Technical Committee, has named David Stoddard, senior steel applications engineer of SSAB Americas, as the recipient of the 2024 Alexander D. Wilson Memorial Award. The annual award recognizes individuals who have made significant industry contributions to advance steel as the material of choice for steel bridge supply, production, design, fabrication or construction. It was instituted in 2022 to honor Alexander D. Wilson, a major contributor to the research and development of new technologies for the bridge industry, who served as chairman of the Steel Bridge Task Force for more than two decades. The award was presented to David Stoddard at a Steel Bridge Task Force meeting on September 25 ...

Staten Island, New York By JoAnne Castagna, Ed.D. During the intense winds and flooding of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Joseph McAllister, an electrician, was driving around South Beach, Staten Island, New York trying to help his neighbors stranded in the dark. “I went into my home to get a flashlight and when I left, I couldn’t believe what I saw. The wind pushed the roof off a large catering hall behind my house and it came crashing down, almost landing on a kid, almost killing him!” he said. Joseph McAllister doesn’t want to witness this again and today he’s using his role as the President of the South Beach Civic Association, along with his wife and Vice President, RoseAnn McAllister, to ensure that their community is going to be better prepared for future coastal storms that are becoming stronger and more frequent. They are pleased that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District has a coastal storm risk management plan in place that will help reduce coastal impacts along...

Legislation streamlines design, construction for renewable energy initiative California Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed a bill allowing the Port of Long Beach to streamline the design and construction of Pier Wind, a proposed 400-acre terminal to facilitate the assembly and deployment of floating offshore wind turbines. Assembly Bill 2235, authored by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, will reduce costs and accelerate the timeline to complete the proposed Pier Wind project, which would be the largest facility of its kind in the United States and would help California meet its goals for renewable energy sources. “We now have the ability to plan and build Pier Wind in a way that is smarter, faster and more cost-effective, thanks to Gov. Newsom, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire and Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal guiding this critical legislation to approval,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “I would also like to thank our labor partners from ...

Dallas, TX — Tangram Interiors, a leading provider of curated furniture and technology solutions, proudly announces the completion of a dynamic new office space for Altruist, a rapidly growing digital brokerage platform for Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs).  Located in Dallas, this office is designed to be the primary hub for Altruist’s customer support operations, fostering a productive and engaging work environment. Altruist partnered with ENTOS Design and Tangram Interiors to furnish key areas of their new office, including the reception, café, conference rooms, huddle rooms, open workspace, and a rejuvenation room. Tangram’s mission was to create a versatile and welcoming space that supports a growing workforce, encourages in-office presence, and caters to the needs of a high-volume phone operation. Key Features: Open Work Area: Equipped with Steelcase Bivi benching systems, the open work area promotes collaboration while maintaining individual focus. Privacy Soluti...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. & WESTMINSTER, Colo., —  Florida A&M University (FAMU) and Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB) celebrated the grand opening of the new Trimble Technology Lab at the Tallahassee campus on October 2. This event marks a major milestone as FAMU becomes the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to host a Trimble Technology Lab (TTL). The lab at FAMU is set to revolutionize the learning experience for students in architecture and construction engineering by providing access to state-of-the-art technology and software solutions. “Trimble’s generous support will equip our students and faculty with state-of-the-art technology, while setting a historic precedent,” said Andrew Chin, Assoc. AIA, dean, FAMU’s School of Architecture & Engineering Technology. “We are honored by a gift that demonstrates a commitment to cultivating a diverse and technologically proficient generation of architects and engineers.” In addition to the donation of software and hardwa...

Five-story, 102-bed tower and maternal health overbuild will bring increased capacity and services to Gloucester County facility  Mullica Hill, New Jersey –  O’Donnell & Naccarato  (O&N), a leading and employee-owned structural engineering firm headquartered in Philadelphia, is pleased to announce the groundbreaking of a new five-story, 102-bed tower as part of a planned expansion to Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill.  The $157 million project, which also includes a separate, one-story overbuild to house Inspira’s maternal health services, will boost the hospital’s overall bed count by nearly half and increase Inspira’s footprint to more than 600,000 square feet on the 100-acre Gloucester County campus.  A longtime partner of Inspira, O&N provided structural engineering services for the 467,000 square-foot main hospital building, which opened to patients in late 2019. At the time, O&N’s engineers outfitted Inspira’s state-of-the-art fac...

Cost effective pump engineered to meet rigorous demands Erie, PA —  Finish Thompson Inc. (FTI) , an international leader in the corrosive chemical transfer industry, highlights its line of air-operated double diaphragm (AODD) pumps under its FTI Air division. These state-of-the-art pumps are engineered to meet rigorous construction and utility demands, providing versatile application capabilities, material compatibility, and ease of use. FTI Air AODD pumps are available in both metallic (aluminum and stainless steel) and non-metallic (polypropylene and PVDF) materials, catering to a broad spectrum of applications. This material flexibility ensures compatibility with a wide range of chemicals and fluids, making these pumps ideal for construction and utility applications. The pumps’ innovative design includes features such as efficient solid passage, gentle shear sensitivity to protect delicate products, and a bolted construction that ensures leak-free, safe fluid handling. Additi...

Increases energy efficiency, operational integrity, and safety in a facility’s steam distribution system  American Plant Maintenance (APM Steam) , a leading provider of steam systems maintenance services, highlights its  steam trap survey  services, which can be used to create a full inventory of steam traps in a facility’s steam system, identify failing traps, and uncover steam trap station issues that negatively impact the delivery of thermal energy through the steam system and the proper removal of condensate. As cold weather approaches, APM Steam urges facilities to prepare their steam systems for increased demands with these surveys, which are crucial for maintaining energy efficiency, operational integrity, and safety in steam distribution systems, especially during the colder months. APM Steam experts conduct steam trap surveys to test and document operational status using ultrasound and temperature differentials. Survey data provides a complete trap inventory an...

WSP was the prime designer for a section of roadway in this phase, supporting planned economic growth and improved mobility of the greater Raleigh area.  RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA  — The first phase of the Complete 540 extension of North Carolina’s Triangle Expressway is officially open, with the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) opening the new highway to traffic at 6 a.m. on Sept. 24.  WSP, a leading engineering, environment and professional services firm, teamed with Lane-Blythe Construction Joint Venture, played a significant role as prime designer for the 8.6-mile segment from east of U.S. 401 to east of Interstate 40 (I-40), which included construction of new interchanges at Old Stage Road, N.C. 50, and the turbine interchange at I-40.  The opening of Phase 1 marks a crucial step in expanding the transportation infrastructure of the greater Raleigh area. This phase represents an investment of approximately $1.3 billion and includes construction of five ...

By Kristin Kautz, CPSM From The Zweig Letter Six skills to succeed for the next five years in an AI-driven world. As our AEC industry runs the marathon toward an AI-dominated future, the skill set required for firm leaders is evolving at an unprecedented pace. The next five years will bring challenges and opportunities that demand a radical shift in leadership approaches. The integration of AI into everyday business processes will not only redefine how firms operate but also who leads them. Leaders who can adapt, innovate, and inspire will thrive in this brave new world. To prepare, today’s leaders must cultivate several essential skills that will become non-negotiable in the near future, including:   Openness to difficult conversations.  One of the most significant challenges AI brings to the AEC industry is the disruption of established norms. From automating tasks once thought to be the sole domain of human expertise to introducing ethical quandaries around data use a...