|
ASPRS survey finds hiring in the geospatial industry continues despite high U.S. unemployment rates
|
|
December 19, 2011
|
|
BETHESDA, MD. — Despite an 8.6-percent unemployment rate in the United States, at least 57 percent of the Sustaining Member organizations of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) are currently hiring for jobs within the geospatial industry. ASPRS recently conducted a survey of 129 ASPRS Sustaining Member career websites, and determined that in the month of November, at least 73 ASPRS Sustaining Member companies/agencies had job postings on their websites that consisted of positions ranging from entry-level jobs to high-level executive positions. |
Read full article
|
|
U.S. Clean Water Act settlement in Chicago to reduce sewage overflows
|
|
December 16, 2011
|
|
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the state of Illinois announced a Clean Water Act (CWA) settlement with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) to resolve claims that untreated sewer discharges were released into Chicago area waterways during flood and wet weather events. Under the settlement, the MWRD will work to complete a tunnel and reservoir plan to increase its capacity to handle wet weather events and address combined sewer overflow discharges. The project will be completed in a series of stages in 2015, 2017 and 2029. |
Read full article
|
|
Proposed ASTM standard to cover testing of roller-compacted concrete specimens
|
|
December 16, 2011
|
|
W. CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. — Formalizing a method for making a cylindrical specimen of roller-compacted concrete in a gyratory compactor is the primary purpose of a proposed new ASTM International standard. Roller-compacted concrete pavements are made up of concrete materials but are constructed like asphalt pavement: the mixture is placed with a paver and then compacted with rollers. |
Read full article
|
|
ASCE issues analysis on economic impacts of deficient water and wastewater systems
|
|
December 16, 2011
|
|
RESTON, VA. — Aging water infrastructure will cost U.S. businesses $147 billion over the next decade, a new report from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) found. America’s water and wastewater infrastructure systems are aging and overburdened, with many of them built around the turn of the century. Unless new investments are made, by 2020 unreliable and insufficient water infrastructure will cost the average American household $900 a year in higher water rates and lower wages. American businesses can expect an additional $147 billion in increased costs and the economy will lose 700,000 jobs by 2020. |
Read full article
|
|
Partnership saved millions of taxpayer dollars
|
|
December 15, 2011
|
|
LEOMINSTER, MASS. — The city of Leominster and Veolia Water North America received a design-build recognition award from the Design-Build Institute of America, New England Region (DBIA). Leominster's partnership with Veolia Water was recognized for its use of the design-build project delivery system in the construction of the city's water filtration plant. |
Read full article
|
|
FARO Technologies announces first U.S. 3D Documentation Conference
|
|
December 15, 2011
|
|
LAKE MARY, FLA. — FARO Technologies, Inc. will host its annual 3D Documentation Conference at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 21-22, 2012. It’s the company’s first time holding the event on U.S. soil. The conference will feature visionary keynote speakers from many areas of 3D documentation delivering their thoughts on the current state and future of the technology. Workshops in a number of tracks including civil engineering, historic preservation, and forensic investigation will provide attendees with hands-on training opportunities from respected industry experts. |
Read full article
|
|
Baker awarded GIS asset management contract from New Jersey Turnpike Authority
|
|
December 8, 2011
|
|
NEWARK, N.J. — Michael Baker Jr., Inc., a unit of Michael Baker Corporation, was awarded an enterprise Geographic Information System (GIS) technical services contract from the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA). Under the contract, Baker will develop both mobile and Web-based utility asset management systems, provide GIS mapping, GIS system architecture, application development, database support, and field data collection to enhance NJTA’s existing web-based GIS portal. Work on the project will commence in December 2011. |
Read full article
|
|
Architecture students creating practical designs for proposed Galveston levees
|
|
December 8, 2011
|
|
HOUSTON — Galveston residents won’t soon forget the wrath of Hurricane Ike. Surge tides flooded portions of the island, displacing thousands of homeowners, destroying businesses, and leaving a lasting impact on the island’s coastline. Recently, researchers from the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center (SSPEED) proposed a levee system to protect downtown Galveston businesses and the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). For now, community leaders are pondering this prospective storm barrier, but University of Houston (UH) architecture students are actively demonstrating how it can be a functional aspect of the city’s landscape. |
Read full article
|
|
Maser Consulting P.A. merging with KZA Engineering P.A.
|
|
December 6, 2011
|
|
RED BANK, N.J. — Maser Consulting P.A., based in Red Bank, N.J., announced that it is merging with KZA Engineering P.A. KZA is based in Manasquan, N.J. As a result of the merger, Maser Consulting will employ 325 experienced and licensed professionals throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. |
Read full article
|
|
Construction spending increased for third straight month in October
|
|
December 5, 2011
|
|
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Construction spending increased for the third straight month in October 2011 as private activity strengthened while public spending shrank, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) reported in an analysis of new Census Bureau data. Association officials cautioned that further declines in public-sector activity may soon swamp gains in homebuilding and private nonresidential investment. |
Read full article
|
|
New Oregon streamflow assessment tool aids Clean Water Act compliance
|
|
December 5, 2011
|
|
PORTLAND, ORE. — The challenging task of determining if a particular stream is protected under federal and state fill and disposal regulations just became a little easier. The new Streamflow Duration Assessment Method for Oregon will help natural resource professionals, consultants, and regulators identify whether a fill or removal project with potential stream impacts must obtain permits. |
Read full article
|
|
IECA launches podcast series
|
|
December 5, 2011
|
|
DENVER — The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) announced the launch of its first podcast series entitled “Clearing the Waters.” The recording is saved in a MP3 format that allows the listener the choice of uploading it to any MP3 device or listening to it from a desktop or laptop computer. The purpose of the podcast series is to provide listeners with an inside look at IECA’s annual conference and expo, Environmental Connection 2012. |
Read full article
|
|
GreenSource ranks Gannett Fleming among top green design firms
|
|
December 1, 2011
|
|
HARRISBURG, PA. — Gannett Fleming was ranked 47 of the top 100 green design firms for 2011 by GreenSource, a magazine about sustainable design. The list is based on design revenue from registered sustainable projects. |
Read full article
|
|
Parsons Brinckerhoff appointed program manager for Qatar infrastructure improvements
|
|
December 1, 2011
|
|
DOHA, QATAR — Parsons Brinckerhoff has been appointed the program management consultant to Ashghal, the public works authority of Qatar, for a QAR 30 billion (US $8 billion) program focusing on the construction and upgrade of local road and drainage projects throughout the country over a five-year period. The award was announced by Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning Sheikh Abdulrahman Bin Khalifa Al-Thani. |
Read full article
|
|
Infiltrator Systems agrees to acquire Advanced Drainage Systems’ septic chamber assets
|
|
December 1, 2011
|
|
OLD SAYBROOK, CONN. — Infiltrator Systems Inc. has agreed to acquire the assets of the septic chamber business of Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. (ADS) and its subsidiaries. The transaction is expected to be completed within the next several months, subject to customary closing conditions and necessary regulatory approvals. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. |
Read full article
|
|
ACE Mentor Program of America receives 2010 Presidential Award
|
|
November 28, 2011
|
|
STAMFORD, CONN. — ACE Mentor Program of America is one of eight recipients of the prestigious 2010 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). In a White House press release, President Barack Obama said, “Through their commitment to education and innovation, these individuals and organizations are playing a crucial role in the development of our 21st-century workforce. Our Nation owes them a debt of gratitude for helping ensure that America remains the global leader in science and engineering for years to come.” |
Read full article
|
|
Central Valley water management planning software available for public use
|
|
November 28, 2011
|
|
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — The Bureau of Reclamation's Mid-Pacific Region and the California Department of Water Resources have made Central Valley water management planning software, CalLite 2.0, available for public use. CalLite 2.0 can be used to simulate the hydrology of California's Central Valley, reservoir and project operations, delivery allocation decisions, delta salinity responses to river flow and export changes, and habitat-ecosystem flow indices. |
Read full article
|
|
Wantman Group opens northeast Florida office
|
|
November 28, 2011
|
|
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. — Wantman Group Inc. expanded into the northeast Florida market with the opening of a Clay County office located at 414 Old Hard Road, Fleming Island. This marks the second new office opening in as many months for WGI, following last month’s opening in Tallahassee. The Jacksonville area office will offer full service consulting engineering, survey, environmental, and planning services to both public and private clients. WGI derives all of its revenue from Florida-based clients. |
Read full article
|
|
No evidence of cyber vandalism at Illinois utility
|
|
November 23, 2011
|
|
SPRINGFIELD, ILL. — According to the American Water Works Association (AWWA), an investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has found no evidence of a cyber intrusion into the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system of an Illinois water utility. They had been called in to investigate a pump failure at the Curran-Gardner Public Water District in Springfield, Ill. |
Read full article
|
|
IBM opens $50 million Smarter Cities Challenge grant program to 2012 applicants
|
|
November 21, 2011
|
|
ARMONK, N.Y. — IBM announced that it has opened the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant program to new applications for 2012. Smarter Cities Challenge is a three-year, 100-city, $50 million grant program in which IBM's top technical experts and consultants provide actionable advice to urban centers. |
Read full article
|
|
U.S. DOT awards $21 million to improve California’s intercity passenger rail service
|
|
November 21, 2011
|
|
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the award of $21 million for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for engineering to begin on three projects to improve Southern California’s Pacific Surfliner Corridor, one of the nation’s most popular passenger corridors. |
Read full article
|
|
Smith Seckman Reid opens Chicago office
|
|
November 21, 2011
|
|
CHICAGO — Smith Seckman Reid Inc. (SSR) opened a Chicago office. The office will be led by Laura Ludwig, P.E., QCxP, who has been named senior associate with SSR. SSR has been active in the Chicago market for many years and has more than 20 ongoing and recently completed projects. |
Read full article
|
|
EPA releases new DVD with videos on reducing runoff from urban areas
|
|
November 21, 2011
|
|
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released a new DVD called “Reduce Runoff: Slow it Down, Spread it out, Soak it in!” that includes four educational videos that provide an introduction to controlling runoff in urban areas. According to the EPA, the videos can help fulfill the outreach requirements for EPA’s Stormwater MS4 program as well as helping with outreach for other purposes. |
Read full article
|
|
Gannett Fleming expands into Toronto
|
|
November 21, 2011
|
|
TORONTO, ONTARIO — Gannett Fleming announced the opening of its Toronto, Ontario, office. The Toronto office will serve as the main hub for Gannett Fleming’s operations in Canada. Ongoing projects include transit design for the Toronto Transit Commission, the Pembina - Emerson Port of Entry Transportation Study for the Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation Department, and geospatial information systems (GIS) consulting for the Canadian National Railway Company in Montreal, Quebec. |
Read full article
|
|
New York State may soon suffer outsize effects from climate, says report
|
|
November 18, 2011
|
|
NEW YORK — In the first statewide climate change outlook for New York, scientists say that the state may suffer disproportionate effects in coming decades, compared with other regions, due to its geography and geology. The report paints a harsh picture, including possible extreme temperature and sea-level rises, downpours, droughts, and floods. The changes are projected to affect nearly every region and facet of the economy by the 2080s, from ski resorts and dairy farms to New York City’s subways, streets and businesses. |
Read full article
|
|
Merrick & Company names David G. Huelskamp as president
|
|
November 18, 2011
|
|
AURORA, COLO. — The Board of Directors of Merrick & Company announced that David G. Huelskamp has been selected as president of the firm, effective Jan. 3, 2012. Merrick & Company is a global, employee-owned, multidisciplinary professional services firm specializing in the energy, national security, life sciences, and sustainable infrastructure markets. The firm provides engineering, architecture, design-build, surveying, and geospatial technologies services. |
Read full article
|
|
New ASTM precast concrete standard provides septic system installation test
|
|
November 18, 2011
|
|
W. CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. — A watertight septic system ensures its integrity, and demonstrating that integrity is important because such systems have over time become more complex, expensive, and critical to both system owners and to the environment. A new ASTM International standard fills a need for an in-field installation test for septic systems. |
Read full article
|
|
ASCE announces Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement award finalists
|
|
November 17, 2011
|
|
RESTON, VA. — The five finalists for the 2012 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement (OCEA) award have been announced by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Established in 1960, the OCEA program recognizes projects for their contribution to the well-being of people and communities, their resourcefulness in planning and design challenges, and their innovative use of materials and techniques. |
Read full article
|
|
ABC predicts 2012 will be a slow year for construction
|
|
November 17, 2011
|
|
Washington, D.C. — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) released its 2012 economic forecast for the U.S. commercial and industrial construction industry. “ABC’s analysis of construction trends indicates 2012 will be a year of gradual progress as advances in private construction are partially offset by ongoing declines in publicly financed construction,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. |
Read full article
|
|
Hatch Mott MacDonald an Industry Partner for the Engineering Research Center
|
|
November 17, 2011
|
|
MILLBURN, N.J. — Hatch Mott MacDonald announed that it has become an Industry Partner in the Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Re-Inventing the Nation’s Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWit). The vision of the ERC is to develop sustainable and cost effective urban water infrastructures through technological advances in natural and engineered systems. |
Read full article
|
