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BUSINESS NEWS TRIMBLE GCESTIMATOR SUITE SELECTED BY TWO PREMIER NORTH AMERICAN CONTRACTORS Trim- ble announced that two premier general con- tractors in North America, DPR Construction and Mortenson Construction , have selected it as their standard cost estimating solution for commercial building construction projects. Streamlining the construction estimating pro- cess is crucial for improving responsiveness and efficiency on large-scale building projects. Trimble’s GCEstimator Suite unifies quantity takeoff, cost estimating, and knowledge man- agement for contractors working with 2-D plan sets, 3-D BIM models, or any combination of the two. The comprehensive approach to cost planning reduces administrative overhead and improves widespread adoption of company best practices in cost estimating. “The ability to seamlessly capture and lever- age our project cost history goes a long way in enabling us to better serve our customers. Providing ‘real-time’ cost information and bud-

gets in the concept phase is key to eliminat- ing waste and driving greater efficiency on the delivery of projects,” said Alan Watt, director of preconstruction technology of DPR Construc- tion. “Trimble’s estimating products enable model- based estimating and continue to advance Mortenson as a leader in virtual design and construction,” said Doug Heinrich, estimating director at Mortenson Construction. “With 80 estimators located across North America we needed a common software platform. Using GCEstimator we reduce the time spent on our estimates by simplifying the estimating pro- cess, allowing our estimators to concentrate on value added activities.” PRESCIENT DOUBLES SIZE WITH NEW 120,000 SQUARE FOOT HEADQUARTERS AND MANUFAC- TURING FACILITY Prescient will more than double its footprint when it opens its third facil- ity in the Denver area – a 120,000 square foot manufacturing facility with 10 acres of outdoor

storage – next month. Prescient provides the AEC industry with an innovative design platform that offers a faster, greener, and more cost-effective alternative to conventional building structures. The system is making significant inroads in the multi-unit building segment. With nearly 3 million square feet of orders under contract and an additional 4.2 million square feet in order backlogs, Prescient is in- creasing its manufacturing capacity to 5 million square feet annually with the new facility. This is more than a four-fold increase from the 1.2 million square feet manufactured this year from their two existing facilities in Denver. Prescient held a grand opening celebration of the new facility in January. Additionally, the company is set to open two expansion plants this year, one in the southeastern U.S. during the first quarter, and a Texas facility late in the year.

we move, how we use our land and the kind of goods we buy and consume – have ripple effects on natural, social, and economic ecosystems around the planet.” “The urban sustainability decisions we make in our cities – including the type of houses we build, the way we move, how we use our land and the kind of goods we buy and consume – have ripple effects on natural, social, and economic ecosystems around the planet.” While the prospect of creating a sustainable city can seem overwhelming. Determined leaders as well as influential ar- chitects, engineers, and civil society organizations can drive change.

URBAN SPACES, from page 3

Newell says that repurposing these neglected urban spaces produce benefits that include: ❚ ❚ An opportunity to improve ecosystem services by capturing stormwater and promoting better air quality ❚ ❚ Enhanced walkability

❚ ❚ Increased property values ❚ ❚ Greater food production ❚ ❚ More healthful surroundings

❚ ❚ Economic gains when vacant land is creatively redeveloped adjacent to commercial areas that stand to benefit from in- creased foot traffic and more attractive cityscapes “More than half the world’s population lives in cities, and in the U.S. that number is closer to 80 percent,” Newell says. “Therefore, the urban sustainability decisions we make in our cities – including the type of houses we build, the way

PROJECTS WITH A PURPOSE Here is a sampling of completed or in-the-work projects that are working to transform urban wastelands into usable community space: The High Line. Approximately one-and-a-half miles long, this New York City linear park, is built on an elevated section of a long-abandoned section of a no longer used New York Central Railroad section called the West Side Line. Under Gardiner. Abandoned and disconnected spaces under the Gardiner Highway in Toronto will be transformed into a network of public spaces – everything from farmer’s markets and concert venues to bike paths and summer camps. The first part of the project is predicted to be completed in 2017. 11th Street Bridge Park. The 11th Street Bridge Park proposal in Washington D.C., aims to connect parts of the city divided by more than just a river. Socioeconomic barriers need to be overcome, too. The park has four goals: ❚ ❚ To create a healthy community by establishing a safe place for residents to exercise and play. ❚ ❚ To connect the community with the Anacostia River. ❚ ❚ To reconnect the neighborhoods of Anacostia/Fairlawn and Capitol Hill/Navy Yard. ❚ ❚ To generate new jobs and economic activity.

THE ZWEIG LETTER February 8, 2016, ISSUE 1138

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