1118

BUSINESS NEWS THORNTON TOMASETTI TO HOST AEC TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM, HACKATHON Thornton Tomasetti (New York City, NY), an international engineering firm, will present its third annual Architecture, Engineering and Construction Technology Symposium and Hackathon on Friday, September 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Baruch College’s Engelman Recital Hall, 55 Lexing- ton Ave., New York. The symposium will explore topics such as data- driven city planning, machine learning for building design, the benefits of open-source development, and state-of-the-art development in AEC research. The symposium will be followed by a two-day hackathon designed to challenge participants to generate new ideas and processes for the AEC community through data-driven design and web-based applications. The weekend also will include workshops covering topics such as Dynamo, Grasshopper, various APIs, and 3D printing. A reception will follow the AEC Symposium, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Hardings NYC, 32 E. 21st St. The Hackathon will be Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September, 27, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Grohe Live! NYC, 160 Fifth Ave. Participants can register for the event at eventbee.com/v/aectechnologysymposium 2015. Members of Thornton Tomasetti’s CORE studio will speak at the symposium, including Principal Robert Otani and Associate Justin Nardone. Other speakers include Dr. Constantine Kontokosta, deputy of the NYU Center for Urban Science and Progress; Christopher Connock of Kieran Timberlake ; Luc Wilson of KPF ; Andrew Heumann of NBBJ ; and Alex Lirtsman and Gareth Price of Ready Set Rocket. Additional speakers will be named in the coming weeks. The AEC Technology Symposium and Hackathon brings together professionals to discuss recent advances in computational design, analysis, construction and fabrication and to collaborate on new ideas and processes for the AEC industry. For more information, visit core. thorntontomasetti.com/event/aec -technology-symposium-2015. ENR RANKS BECKER MORGAN GROUP AMONG MIDATLANTIC DESIGN FIRMS Becker Morgan Group has been recognized by Engineering News- Record as a 2015 MidAtlantic Top Design Firm, ranking No. 62 in the region and No. 6 in Delaware, among many national and international design firms. The firm also ranked No. 6 in Master-Planned Develop- ment/Site Infrastructure and No. 19 in Education. This annual list of Top Design Firms includes architects, engineers, and other design profes- sionals doing business in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D.C., and West Virginia.

ment, BLT Architects (Philadelphia, PA), a 58-person firm, says that their recruitment strategy also includes outreach to target universities in addition to: ❚ ❚ Career fair attendance ❚ ❚ An annual design competition ❚ ❚ A comprehensive social media strategy In 2015, BLTa hired three new graduates that interned while in school. In any given year, BLTa has at least three interns. “Having interns helps us to better understand new technol- ogy and tools and infuses new energy and collaboration,” Thiede says. Interns at both CH2M and BLT are paid for their work and school credit varies based on the school’s program. If you’re looking for a strategy, network with other A/E firms to find out what’s working, and not working, for them. Your intern insight will be sharp in no time. “We are proud to have achieved LEED Gold,” shared Project Manager Stefan Kesler. “We are very happy with the low energy and water con- sumption. The energy use is lower than we expected – 60 percent less than a building built to today’s energy code. The library’s water use is also 40 percent less than the national standard.” The library has 24 public computers, Wi-Fi access and self-checkout stations to enhance users’ experiences. “Buildings are a prime example of how human systems integrate with natural systems,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair of US- GBC. “The Highland Hills Library project efficiently uses our natural re- sources and makes an immediate, positive impact on our planet, which will tremendously benefit future generations to come.” HIGHLAND HILLS LIBRARY AWARDED LEED GOLD CERTIFICATION KAI Texas (Dallas, TX) announced that Dallas Public Library - Highland Hills Branch has been awarded LEED Gold. The LEED rating system, de- veloped by the U.S. Green Building Council, is the foremost program for buildings, homes, and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained, and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. “Designing a LEED Gold library wasn’t just about earning the certifica- tion,” said KAI Texas President and COO Darren L. James. “We worked with city officials to create a sustainable library because smart design creates a healthy and environmentally responsible library for patrons. In doing so, this library also reduces operational costs for the city of Dal- las and taxpayers.” “The success of the Highland Hills library is a true testament of the hard work put forth by every member of the team,” said Pamela Todd, senior interior designer. “Earning this certification was due to the collective commitment from everyone on the team to earn the highest number of points, and follow through on our commitment to design a sustainable library.” The 19,500-square-foot building is one of the larger libraries built in Dallas and one of seven LEED Certified libraries in the Dallas Public Library system. The building is served by a geothermal HVAC system utilizing the energy from the earth to heat and cool the library. The mechanical rooms are centrally located at the transition from entry to circulation area and supply air through ducting systems concealed in a crawl space. The data and electrical outlets are flexibly located and can be adjusted because they are run in raised floor under the stack and seating areas.

INTERNS , from page 11

At CH2M, the intern program is viewed as an entry-level talent pipeline. “One of the many benefits of a summer internship is that it is really a three-month interview for both the student and our managers,” Pattillo says. “Managers really like having 10-12 weeks to ‘interview’ potential full-time hires. Other benefits include bringing renewed energy and ideas to the table.” And, Pattillo shares that retention of those who went through the intern program is higher than those who did not. CH2M’s global intern program is inclusive of all business groups. In the U.S., they hire around 140-160 interns each summer with around 80 percent falling into the STEM fields. Heidi Thiede, director of marketing and business develop-

THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 31, 2015, ISSUE 1118

Made with FlippingBook Annual report