Final Thoughts: Spring Brings Baseball and Construction Seasons
Spring finally has arrived here in the Midwest (Chicago, to be specific): flowers are blooming, trees are budding out, birds are singing, and baseball is in full swing. But April 2018 was the fourth-coldest April on record; the Chicago Cubs home opening game on April 6th was postponed due to snow. Tulips are just now blooming, and the trees are a month behind in their growth. Another event that starts in the spring in our area is construction season: the time of year when a little more patien...
ReEngineering the Engineer: Written vs. Oral Communication: You Make the Call
I admit I haven’t really embraced the whole texting thing, and I don’t believe it’s an age gap. Although I communicate with our kids that way about half the time—out of necessity—I rarely do so with our clients (unless, of course, I’m running late for a meeting). It has nothing to do with the medium. Texting (and let’s broaden it a little to written communication) certainly has its place. A quick note from your kids letting you know they got to their destination safely or that they survived the...
Code Update: Provisions for Cold-Formed Steel Nonstructural Members Clarified in AISI S220
For most cold-formed steel framing projects, industry or manufacturers’ design tables are sufficient for specifying and constructing nonstructural partitions. But for projects where the requirements are outside the usual limits, design professionals and building officials now have a resource to address those challenges. Prior to 2011, designers consulted AISI S200, North American Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing—General Provisions, for both structural and nonstructural members. In an effo...
From the Editor: Old Habits Die Hard
I have a theory, and I wonder what you think about it. It has to do with ancient pyramids, spaceships, artificial intelligence, robots and self-driving cars. No, this doesn’t have anything to do with “ancient astronauts” or Chariots of the Gods; it's a bit more mundane and a lot more serious. The Other 1% Without getting bogged down in the numbers, many studies have found that since the 1950s, manufacturing (which includes automobiles, aerospace and electronics/microchips, along with nearly ev...
Thoughts From Engineers: Water 4.0: Time to Consider an Alternative Paradigm
Our present-day style of managing water hasn’t strayed much from the centralized approach employed by the Romans some 2,000 years ago. This was fine when cities first began to modernize, but the 21st century requires something different. This is the conclusion reached by David Sedlak in his book, Water 4.0: The Past, Present, and Future of the World’s Most Vital Resource, following an exhaustively researched and riveting history of humankind’s relationship with and management of water. Roman Wa...
Executive Corner: The R&D Tax Credit: Major Savings Available for Architects and Engineers
When it comes to taxes, the main focus for architecture and engineering firms of late has been the new tax law and the opportunities it’s providing companies to grow and reinvest in their businesses. Brian Aumueller, managing director with alliantgroup For this installment of “Executive Corner,” Russ Ryan, principal at Rusk O’Brien Gido + Partners (email: rryan@rog-partners.com) interviews Brian Aumueller, managing director with alliantgroup (email: brian.aumueller@alliantgroup.com). Acco...
Project Management Insights: Is Project Management a Weakness in the Armor?
When my consulting firm (Morrissey Goodale) works with clients to develop a strategic plan, several elements go into the effort well before we bring everyone around the table. Conversations with the firm’s leaders and top managers are one such component. In addition to discussing the firm’s competencies and market opportunities, we want to know about the threats standing in the way of future success. Asking “what do you see as the firm’s weaknesses?” draws out everything from the lack of a lead...
Final Thoughts: Engineers Also Deserve Awards and Recognition
I was among the millions of people who watched at least part of the Academy Awards show this year, and I couldn’t help but think about comparing the awards to our industry. The Academy recognizes outstanding performance in the film industry in 24 categories, and I believe engineers qualify for similar recognition. Perhaps you can envision some of the roles you may have played or awards you were qualified to receive. Or you can think of people you would nominate for some of the categories. Best...
ReEngineering the Engineer: What’s Ice Got to Do with It?
For some reason, I wasn’t much of a reader when I was young. Maybe it was the engineering gene; I don’t know many engineers I would consider voracious readers. However, through the years, I’ve come to enjoy reading a good book, mostly non-fiction. So when Christmas comes around, it’s not uncommon for one of our daughters to find me a good stocking-stuffer book. A much better choice than a tie ... One of the books I received this year particularly grabbed my attention: “How We Got to Now: Six In...
Final Thoughts: Many Changes in Engineering, but the Main Priority Remains the Same
In previous “Final Thoughts” columns, I looked back at the work environment when I began my career some 40-plus years ago, which included calculations with slide rules, drafting on mylar and working in an open-space office. Today’s office and “tools of the trade” now are very different. Some things are better; some are not. The following are a few of my observations. Time Off and Workforce Diversity I believe that everyone benefits from significant time away from work. Since I began working, t...
Stormwater Interview with Robert Page, P.E., Vice President, HNTB
Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail Expansion
February Issue 2026
