Executive Corner: How Private Equity Is Quietly Transforming the A/E Industry
Whether in nature, design, health or business, lasting and significant changes seldom occur quickly, but often steadily through time. You open your eyes years later to a new paradigm or landscape that has unfolded, which ultimately requires recognition and adaptation. For the A/E industry, the most-dramatic shift in ownership models is coming from a new class of outside investors: private equity. Ten years ago, the notion of a sophisticated financial coterie joining forces with creative and cere...
Infrastructure Outlook: ASCE Statement on House Passage of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Editor’s Note: The following statement was made on Nov. 5, 2021, when the infrastructure bill was passed by Congress. ASCE issued a follow-up statement (available on www.informedinfrastructure.com) on Nov. 15, 2021, when the bill was signed into law by President Biden. It is a great day for the nation as the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), fulfilling President Biden’s vision with a historic piece of legislation that will have monumental...
From the Editor: Finally! An Infrastructure Bill Passes!
“It always seems impossible until it is done.” That’s the quote from Nelson Mandela the The New York Times chose for its article about the infrastructure bill. As I write this column, the long-awaited infrastructure bill is reality. I’ve been rerouting my trips on highways; waiting in lines at airports; and standing in crowded, noisy, slow-moving subways for years now. (About as long as I’ve been writing about the need for an infrastructure bill.) I’ve only had time to read highlights of the b...
Thoughts From Engineers: Stepping Up Source-Water Protection
If a watershed was the subject of a play, this one could fill the house. Set in southwestern Wisconsin in a watershed known as Black Earth Creek, the plot has some interesting elements: a failing landfill; a Class 1 trout stream; development pressure from a bustling urban area nearby; and a cast of supporting characters that includes farmers, a few quirky residents, developers, local officials and more. But if you thought this play would be all downhill from here (no pun intended), you would be...
ReEngineering the Engineer: Times Change: Don’t Be the Cranky Old Neighbor
My wife and I moved into our current home about two years after we were married and, coincidentally, just as we found out she was pregnant with our first of two daughters. It was located at the end of a street outside Charlotte in a neighborhood of 25 homes. We were the “new kids on the block” then. Almost all the families living here had already done their time; their kids were grown, and they were enjoying their “golden years.” There was an active homeowners’ association. Although the communi...
From the Editor: Be Proud To Be a Civil Engineer
Through the years of writing this column, I’ve mentioned a few times the feeling an engineer may have (at least I have) of creating a project that has a lasting impact on society. I have asked you, the readers, to send some examples of projects you were proud to be part of. Some responses included work on the Brooklyn Bridge, rehabilitation of historic structures and designing amazing bridges over major waterways—all great projects I would’ve loved to work on. Humble Bragging Early in my caree...
Executive Corner: 2021 End of Summer Executive Outlook
As the disruption of the COVID-19 virus continues to factor into everyday decisions, A/E leaders across the country continue to take on the challenges of running their firms. We recently connected with two more CEOs to glean insights as to what they’re facing today. We asked how they’re handling office-reopening efforts, which client and business opportunities are emerging, and how the pandemic is shaping them as leaders. Gido: Tell us about FGM Architects and your capabilities and markets. Dz...
Thoughts From Engineers: Climate Report Issues Bleak Predictions
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the “Sixth Assessment Report” on the quantifiable science behind climate change on Aug. 7, 2021. Sponsored by the United Nations (UN), the report (found at bit.ly/3l4L4jQ) represents the collective effort of more than 200 climate scientists from around the globe who have used advanced analytical tools and complex models to develop the most-current assessment along with future projections. Since the report’s initial publication in 199...
Infrastructure Outlook: EPD: Green Goals with HSS
There’s a growing push for the building industry to reduce embodied carbon and greenhouse-gas emissions to slow global-warming effects. This is evident in the passing of the Buy Clean California Act (BCCA) requiring any projects entering contracts with the state of California use construction materials that fall under maximum embodied carbon thresholds. Those who don’t work in California may have breathed a sigh of relief, but this legislation has gained momentum in other states and potentially...
Transportation Troubleshooting: America Uses 50-Year-Old Guidelines To Inspect Bridges in 21st Century
Every government experiences a “feel good” moment upon announcing infrastructure spending plans. President Joe Biden’s proposed infrastructure budget, like previous infrastructure plans, includes significant funding for “transportation infrastructure” such as bridges. True enough, statistics point to an increasingly grave situation concerning the U.S. bridge network. The 2021 Bridge Condition Report produced by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) states that accord...
Stormwater Interview with Robert Page, P.E., Vice President, HNTB
Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail Expansion
February Issue 2026
