Strike a Balance: Moving from Smart Grids to Smart Operations
As computing technology became more mainstream, smaller and more connected in the early years of the 21st century, the opportunity for a smart grid became achievable. More information accessed more quickly could only improve situational awareness and lead to improved safety, reliability and efficiency. Program names varied (e.g., smart grid, advanced distribution system and grid modernization), but all had the same goals: Deploy intelligence into the field. Better manage distribut...
Managing the Model: Five Major Benefits of Using Modeling for Construction Projects
Building Information Modeling (BIM) software has changed the way many companies work—there are extreme benefits to using BIM for construction projects and design. You likely know that BIM is an “intelligent” model that offers more-efficient collaborative workflows and value to the entire lifecycle of building and infrastructure jobs. What might be news is that according to the “BIM SmartMarket Report” published by McGraw-Hill, BIM use within the construction industry has exploded from 28 percent...
Structural Engineers Readily Adopt BIM
Structural engineers from large organizations, multinationals and SMBs feel that BIM is not just an option but a requirement. Unlike architects, designers, contractors and fabricators, structural engineers are likely to use structural BIM modeling services beyond just the documentation or constructability aspect for simulations and structural analysis. Structural engineers also experience the need to stay abreast of new contractual structures, particularly integrated project delivery (IPD). Thi...
EPA Guidance Provides New Options for Meeting TMDL Goals
The goal of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program is arguably simple - to develop watershed level conservation plans designed to restore impaired waters and attain applicable water quality standards – but its development and implementation has not been simple. In an attempt to bring new clarity to the process of incorporating TMDLs into stormwater permits, the EPA issued a revised guidance document last November entitled “...
Infrastructure Outlook: What’s New in Reality Capture?
New reality-capture technologies are gaining ground as firms realize that the flexibility offered by new tools can improve designs, reduce clashes and eliminate expensive site rework. Construction companies now use reality capture to monitor building projects as they’re constructed. Reality capture can answer the question “do the objects in real space match the design specification?” Previously, it would take highly specialized scanners to capture images with enough precision to use as the ba...
Executive Corner: The Engineering Industry Equity Drain: Crisis or Opportunity?
While Wall Street wrings its hands over how the markets will be impacted by the Baby Boomers cashing in their 401(k)s and pensions as they leave the workforce, a generation of engineers is similarly worried about what will happen to their companies as aging owners look to retire and cash-out. Some will see it as an insurmountable challenge, others (hopefully) will see it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Demographic Trends To better understand the situation, it’s important to have some pers...
Structural Solutions: Minding the Gap in Technology
Reworking a line from a 1970s Saturday Night Live sketch: technology has been “berry berry good” to the design and construction industries. I remember my first day as a budding engineer, fresh out of college, as if it was yesterday. The firm I started my career with just terminated its contract with a mainframe computer system and was ceremoniously ditching the teletype machine that had been its link to computing horsepower in an office building in downtown Charlotte, N.C. One of my first...
Managing the Model—Wanted: More Models in Action
There has been a lot of talk about the benefits of 3-D modeling for the infrastructure industry, and anecdotal evidence of such benefits is ubiquitous. However, it’s always refreshing and encouraging to hear firsthand from professionals actually putting these models into action on real-world projects. One example is Jamie M. Bordelon and his colleagues at 3D Sitework Services, who are literally getting their hands dirty working with engineers, contractors and developers to take advantage of t...
How To Design Building Structures That Can Survive Earthquakes
Earthquakes are natural disasters where most of damage is caused due to collapse of buildings and other such man-made structures. Earthquakes do not kill people, buildings do. Buildings that lack structural stability collapse and they cause irreparable damage to life and property. Why Buildings Fail During Earthquakes When an earthquake happens, the ground shakes, and all the buildings respond to these vibrations and tremors, at varying degrees. Greater mass and exertion of more lateral forc...
Managing the Model: Pay Once, Learn Forever
A few years ago, a city not far from our office built a beautiful new high school. No expense was spared to ensure it was a state of the art facility, ready to meet the needs of a burgeoning community. From city council to community to school board, everyone was pleased, and funding was approved with little resistance. It was a victory for everyone, and construction proceeded smoothly. It wasn’t until close to the completion of construction when a problem arose. This wasn’t a small problem ei...
Stormwater Interview with Robert Page, P.E., Vice President, HNTB
Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail Expansion
February Issue 2026
