Contractors are staggering shifts and crews are cleaning tools, handles and hands in cities where projects continue. Zurich North America Construction crews in many cities continued to raise cranes and swing hammers as much of the world shut down to stem the…
Now is the Time to Increase Investment in America’s Critical Infrastructure
The scope of the coronavirus pandemic is something we haven’t experienced in our lifetime. Each of us has been recruited to fight an unseen enemy that…
Infrastructure Outlook: Power Distribution Networks Must Perfect Data Quality and Governance
The electric utility industry is undergoing a major transformation driven by new sources of energy generation (solar and wind power), consumer demand…
Project Management Insights: Delivering on Brand Is Integral to AEC Marketing and Management
How you deliver projects either supports or hurts your branding. At a rudimentary level, the role of marketing is to create awareness and generate demand for a company’s product or service. The brand is the link to the buying marketplace, and it’s the…
Executive Corner: What’s a Good Outside Board Director Worth?
So you’ve finally decided to add an outside, independent director to the board of your privately held A/E firm. You’ve even identified several candidates. Now the question is what (if any) compensation to offer them. For an independent party to take on…
Thoughts From Engineers: A River Runs Through It: When Green Infrastructure Is More Than a Bit Player
Urban water management is on course to complete an evolutionary circle. When cities began to modernize more than 100 years ago, the goal was to dispose of wastewater as quickly as possible. Engineers studied the physics of natural systems with an eye toward…
From the Editor: Witnessing Engineering’s Evolution from the 1970s to the 2020s
It’s the beginning of a new decade, which is a good time to look back and ahead. I had the opportunity to visit with some friends recently; colleagues I worked with at the Indiana Department of Highways back in the 1970s. All of us are retired now and are…
ReEngineering the Engineer: Do You Have a ‘Plan B’ for the Totally Unexpected?
I try to take some time over the holidays to reflect on the previous year. What good things happened? Were there any things we could have done better? Do our employees have the proper skill sets for their current positions? Is there any software we’re missing…
Infrastructure Outlook: Analytics Must Drive Next-Generation Infrastructure
There’s no question that America’s infrastructure is antiquated and in vital need of modernization. If we want our infrastructure to be more efficient, cost-effective and secure, however, we must prioritize mathematical and analytical insights that enable…
Code Update: EC-017: The Evaluation Criteria for Field-Applied Fire-Protective Coatings
During seven months from 2006 to 2007, three firefighters—in three separate fire-related incidents—died from injuries sustained after falling through the floor on which they were walking. Each tragedy had one thing in common: the floors were constructed…
