C+S July 2018

July 2018 Vol. 5 Issue 4

C E L E B R AT I NG T H E D E S I GNE R S OF T H E WOR L D A ROUND U S

NEW VIEW OF AN ALASKAN ICON 2018 BEST TALL BUILDINGS POSITIONING SMALL FIRMS FOR GROWTH RAIL GRADE SEPARATION SYSTEM LANDSCAPE RENOVATION AT THE ST. LOUIS ARCH

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CONTENTS

PAGE 22

THE COVER Visual and empirical data provide comprehensive documentation of historic Kennecott, Alaska — story on page 56. Photo: Frontier Precision, Inc. ON THE RISE 12 Awards, promotions, and new hires MANAGEMENT FILES 16 Learn from the best in the business 18 Building from strength CHANNELS SOFTWARE + TECH 20 Eiffel Tower restoration PROJECT DELIVERY 22 Design and construction disconnect 26 Transit-oriented development in Texas STRUCTURES + BUILDINGS 28 Standing tall 31 Rehabilitating vulnerable structures 32 Cross-laminated timber comes to Arkansas 35 Rockin’ use for helical piles 36 Code-compliant wood design WATER + STORMWATER 37 MS4 lessons 39 Sewer replacement increases capacity and reliability 41 Survey of drinking water infrastructure needs 43 Addressing aging dams ENVIRONMENT + SUSTAINABILITY 44 Monumental logistics 46 Water quality impacts of cured-in-place pipe repair

48 A windy future TRANSPORTATION 50 Spatial tools 53 Hyperloop feasibility study advances 54 Incorporating ABC techniques into the grade separation process UAV + SURVEYING 56 New view of an Alaskan icon 59 The right tool can elevate AEC CONTINUING EDUCATION 62 From field to C-suite 63 Move to modular departments 7 Civil + Structural Engineer Online

PAGE 32

14 Events 64 Specify

65 Reader Index 66 Benchmarks Columns 06 From the Publisher: Honoring engineers By Mark Zweig 08 Engineering Our Future: Leadership at all levels By Phil Keil 10 Engineering Front Line: Business development is for everyone? By H. Kit Miyamoto, Ph.D., S.E.

PAGE 44

July 2018

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VOLUME 5 ISSUE 4 csengineermag.com

publisher Mark C. Zweig | 508.380.0469 | mzweig@zweiggroup.com DIRECTOR OF SALES Beth Brooks | 479.502.2972 | bbrooks@zweiggroup.com Production & circulation manager Anna Finley | 479.435.6850 | afinley@zweiggroup.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bob Drake | 616.741.9852 | bdrake@zweiggroup.com EDITORial Chad Clinehens, P.E. | 501.551.2659 | cclinehens@zweiggroup.com H. Kit Miyamoto, PH.D., S.E. | miyamotointernational.com Will Swearingen | 479.435.6977 | wswearingen@zweiggroup.com Richard Massey | 479.856.6122 | rmassey@zweiggroup.com ART director Donovan Brigham | 479.435.6978 | dbrigham@zweiggroup.com

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CIVIL+STRUCTURAL ENGINEER IS A ZWEIG GROUP PRODUCT

MARK C. ZWEIG, CHAIRMAN, ZWEIG GROUP LLC

Civil + Structural Engineer (ISSN 23726717) is published monthly by Zweig Group, 1200 North College Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72703. Telephone: 800.466.6275. Copyright© 2018, Zweig Group. Articles july not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Zweig Group. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- addressed envelope. Subscriptions: Annual domestic print subscription rate is $15 for 12 issues or $30 for 24 issues. Annual digital subscription is free. All print subscribers receive digital editions in addition to print subscription. Call or write for international rates. To subscribe or update your subscription information, please visit our website www.csengineermag.com/ subscribe/; or mail subscription requests and changes to Circulation Dept, C + S Engineer, 1200 North College Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72703; or call 800.466.6275.

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July 2018

ACI University All-Access Digital Subscription

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Reported by ACI Committee 212

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

Honoring engineers Thanks to civil and structural engineers for making the world better.

Normally, the 4th of July is a time for celebration of the founding of our country in 1776. And as great as it is that we’ve made it 242 years, it’s not what I wanted to talk about in this month’s publisher’s message. Instead, I would rather talk about how much we love engineers here at Civil + Structural Engineer — and not just any engineers, but more specifically civil and structural engineers! There are so many reasons we love you all; here are a few: You take your work seriously — Lives are on the line. Everything you do evidences an understanding of that fact. An indication of just how diligent you are lies in the very low number of problems that are caused by civil and structural engineers that result in death or serious injury every year. You are creative — Some of the designs I have seen — for high-rise buildings, long-span structures, cable-stayed bridges, seismic retrofits, land development projects, and much, much more — are truly amazing. Strength, durability, aesthetics, cost to build — all of these are considerations. You are solid citizens — It’s amazing how few engineers are also criminals. In fact, I’m pretty certain that the rate of criminality amongst civil and structural engineers has to be lower than that of other professions. It is so nice to work with well-intentioned, honest, ethical people. I don’t think you can put a price on the value of that! You are trying to make the world a better place — Your work improves the lives of everyone in some way. Without your contributions to our society and the world at large, who knows what the quality of life on this planet would be? I’m sure life expectancies would be much lower than they are with your many contributions. So here at Civil + Structural Engineer , we honor you. We love you. We respect you. And most importantly, we thank you for all you do for us! Enjoy this July issue and, as always, please pass it forward when you are done with it!

MARK C. ZWEIG mzweig@zweiggroup.com

csengineermag.com

July 2018

C+S ENGINEER ONLINE

Civil + Structural Engineer provides news and articles online to supplement content in this print issue. Visit csengineermag.com daily for the latest news and check out the following articles posted online with the July 2018 issue:

Project Profitability: Troublemakers

KEEP YOUR PROJECT COVERED WITH CLEARSPAN STRUCTURES

By Howard Birnberg, Association for Project Managers

Answer a question: Could you or your business function without smart phones; powerful, fast computers; efficient, flexible software; communications capabilities such as text messaging and email; social media; and dozens of other similar tools? If your answer is no, just imagine working 40 years ago when none of that existed. In that long-ago time, the leading and most valuable companies in the United States were industrial firms. Apple, Google (Alphabet), Microsoft, and Facebook were either embryonic or did not exist. Indeed, some of these firm’s founders were still children at the time. Troublemakers, a book by Leslie Berlin, charts the development of the technology and capability that makes our modern world possible. As the front piece to the book notes, “At a time when the five most valuable companies on the planet are high-tech firms and nearly half of Americans say they cannot live without their cell phones, Troublemakers reveals the untold story of how we got here. This is the gripping tale of seven exceptional men and women, pioneers of Silicon Valley in the 1970s and early 1980s. Together they worked across generations, industries, and companies to bring technology from Pentagon offices and university laboratories to the rest of us. In doing so, they changed the world.”

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Diversions: A funny thing happened …

Read the entire article at http://tinyurl.com/projectprofit-july18.

By Andy Sciarabba, P.E., T.G. Miller, P.C., Engineers and Surveyors

I’m sitting in my favorite coffee shop on a gloomy Sunday, after a rainy Saturday, trying to come up with a good topic for an article. Behind me I hear someone say, “Something funny happened to me today.” Ah — light bulb! What’s the best way to change your mood? Enjoy a good laugh. They say that laughter is the best medicine. So, sit back and throw down a few funny pills. But be careful…these are For External Use Only. To control your blood pressure, take regularly. Do not discontinue unless directed by your physician or significant other.

Read the entire article at http://tinyurl.com/diversions-july18.

july 2018

csengineermag.com

engineering our future

We desperately need leadership throughout all levels of our organizations to elevate the industry and continue to adapt to the rapid transformation that is partially driven by ever-expanding technological advancement. In our experience with ownership transition, mergers and acquisitions, or strategic planning, there is a lack of leadership development that will lead to a gradual decline in the overall excellence of our profession. That is why it is important to encourage everyone at every level of the organization to think of themselves as leaders and hold themselves accountable. It will lead to an environment of safety, innovation, and experimentation required to achieve excellence and inspire the next generation of engineers to enter the profession. Hierarchies within our society are largely based around competence and arise naturally within organizations. The problem is, and you’ll see this reported frequently by CEOs, that we tend to develop an imposter syndrome, most noticeably in the mid to lower tiers within the firm. Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern in which people doubt their accomplishments and have a persistent, often internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud” when taking on a leadership role. There are a few simple things that you can do today to be seen as a stronger leader, no matter what role you currently fill. Things such as standing up straight, dressing well, and continuous learning are simple ways to begin. Take some time for self-discovery and perhaps consider a personality test to help you determine what your individual strengths and weaknesses are. That will set you up well for the more difficult task of developing leadership skills. Conventional wisdom is that potential leaders need to focus on different skills within different stages of their career development within an organization. This is partially true, but there are also a set of sills that are fundamental to every level and will not dramatically change as you move up the hierarchy. The number one skill to develop is high moral and ethical standards. This is more important than anything else you can do and requires some serious self-reflection. When combined with communicating clear expectations, it is about creating a safe and trusting environment for employees. In a safe environment, employees can access the brain’s higher capacity for social engagement, innovation, creativity, and ambition. The neuroscience is clear. If an employee doesn’t feel safe, what gets activated is the brain’s fight-or- flight response, where the amygdala registers a threat to our safety and arteries harden and thicken to handle an increased blood flow to our extremities. In this state, we lose access to the social engagement system of the limbic system and the executive functions of the prefrontal cortex, inhibiting creativity and the drive for excellence. Utilizing this perspective, making people feel safe should be the number one priority for any true leader. Other competencies that leaders frequently cite as having the greatest impact on success include: • inspires and motivates others, • solves problems and analyzes issues, • drives for results, • collaborates and promotes teamwork, • builds relationships, • develops others, • has the flexibility to change opinions, • takes initiative, • champions change, and • practices self-development. Continue to develop leaders within your organization. If you clearly communicate the expectation that every person within your firm is to perceive themselves as a leader, you will truly see transformational change.

Leadership at all levels Encouraging everyone at every level to think of themselves as leaders leads to an environment of safety, innovation, and excellence.

PHIL KEIL is director of Strategy Consulting, Zweig Group. Contact him at pkeil@zweiggroup.com.

csengineermag.com

July 2018

engineering front line

I am flying back from Washington, D.C., where our team and I spent a week together in business development meetings. It was intense. My schedule was jam-packed every waking minute meeting with international development banks, federal agencies, architects, and engineering contractors. At an international development bank, we met an officer who oversees establishment of global investment standards that include sustainability, resiliency, social and environmental impacts to human rights, and much more. It’s an incredibly complex program that applies to all countries within the bank’s global portfolio. The deadline of the program is within one year. It is a big task. The officer is under so much time pressure that our meeting was scheduled for 15 minutes, and he speaks rapidly. I asked him what his biggest challenge is, and how we might help to solve it. He and his team are responsible for a huge range of issues, but obviously they are not experts on all of these issues. We quickly identified and articulated issues and potential solutions in our area of expertise: resiliency. We don’t speak to what we don’t know about but focus on our specific specialty. As we discussed it, I saw his face light up — “light bulb moments.” He immediately gave us his team’s contact information to continue the discussion in more detail. Will we get a contract for this activity? I have no idea, but one thing I know is that he was glad to hear our perspective and we were able to help him. Soon after, we received an email from another D.C. client who we met over a lunch during our last trip here. Awhile back, we bid on a critical resiliency project together in Bangladesh, so we decided to get together for a lunch and a couple drinks to get to know each other better. We discovered that we complement each other well and learned about one another’s values and ways of working, and what we each can bring to the table to serve our clients. The email notified us that our team ranked No. 1 for a multiyear disaster risk reduction and resilience consultation program in Bangladesh! Because we got to know each other better, we have a good foundation to work together, even if remotely, to launch this exciting work. Relationship building matters. Some say that engineers are too boring and not good at marketing. I disagree. To me, marketing/ business development is to articulate a client’s issues and try to solve them. And engineers are good at problem solving! The key is developing personal relationships and sometimes even a deeper friendship. It is fun. Here are my thoughts: Frequency matters — You need to be at the right place at the right time with the right people. You can’t really time this, so you need to be out there often. Involve many — Engineers thrive on identifying issues and solving them and this is the basis of business development/marketing. Even young engineers can market to their counterparts in client organizations. Market within your comfort zone. This should not fall to just the principals. Frequency matters. I love business development/marketing. I feel I am helping others by identifying issues and finding solutions. At the same time, I get to build a relationship and possibly a lasting friendship. Isn’t it great? H. KIT MIYAMOTO, PH.D., S.E. , is the CEO and a structural engineer for Miyamoto International (http://miyamotointernational.com), a California seismic safety commissioner, and president of the technical nonprofit Miyamoto Relief. He specializes in high-performance earthquake engineering and disaster mitigation, response, and reconstruction.

Business development is for everyone? Engineers thrive on identifying issues and solving them.

csengineermag.com

july 2018

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july 2018

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Awards, promotions, and new hires

on the rise

Brian Clark, PLS , joined CALYX Engineers and Consultants to serve as survey group manager in the firm’s Charlotte, N.C., office. He was most recently the president and owner of Southeast Geomatics Group. Brian Yamamoto, P.E. , joined the transportation planning team at CALYX as senior project develop- ment engineer. He has 28 years of experience with the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Tighe & Bond promoted Principal Planner Tracy Adamski, AICP , to vice president. With 24 years of experience, she provides the firm’s clients with a broad range of planning expertise in regulatory compliance, environmental permitting, land use planning, grant writing, and public outreach. E. Danny Elsner, P.E., CPSWQ, CFM , joined Dew- berry as department manager for the water resources group in the Denver office. He will focus on supple- menting the water and wastewater services offered by the firm’s Denver office with stormwater services for the Colorado Front Range area. In support of ongoing expansion of engineering, architectural, and consult- ing services throughout Virginia, Dewberry promoted three staff members within the firm's Richmond, Virginia, office: Devin Keeler, P.E., LEED AP , and Brian Batten, Ph.D., CFM , were promoted to senior associate and Heather Campbell, P.E. , was promoted to associate. Steven H. Santoro , former NJ TRANSIT executive director, joined Dewberry as its director of rail and transit. Santoro spent 18 years with NJ TRANSIT where he most recently directed 11,000 employees and managed a combined annual operating and capital budget of around $3 billion. Ileana S. Iv- anciu, Ph.D. , a senior vice president at Dewberry who leads the firm’s environmental services practice, was recognized as one of the “Top 50 Women in Business” by NJBIZ, the New Jersey business journal. R&M Consultants, Inc.’s Group Manager of Site De- velopment Nicole Knox, P.E. , was inducted into the University of Alaska Anchorage College of Engineer- ing’s Alumni Hall of Fame. A native Alaskan, Knox’s work includes large and small, public and private site development projects throughout Alaska during her 15-year engineering career. CT Consultants selected Diane Oress, P.E. , and Shawn Aiken, P.E. , to be named division leaders. Oress leads the firm’s Lakeshore Division, including the Departments of Public Works (Mentor and Akron, Ohio), Planning Services, and Surveying. Aiken spe- cializes in water/wastewater and is a vice president

of the firm. As division leader for Northeast Ohio Water, he directs the Departments of Water Engineer- ing (Mentor, Akron, and Youngstown) and Collection Systems Management. Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA) promoted five individuals to senior associate. Danny Currit, P.E. , S.E. , is focused on the design of residential, high-rise projects throughout the U.S. and is heavily involved with MKA’s Performance-Based Design and Earthquake Technical Specialty Teams, and SEAW Earthquake Engineering Committee. Amy Haaland, P.E., S.E., is focused on the design of mixed-use proj- ects spanning the country and involved with MKA’s High-Rise and Masonry Technical Specialty Teams. Janet Ranf, P.E., S.E., LEED AP , is focused on the design of cultural projects and leads MKA’s Continu- ing Education program. Tyler Ranf, Ph.D., P.E., S.E. , is focused on the design of resilient aviation facilities in the U.S. and leads MKA’s Vibration Technical Specialty Team. Matt Streid, S.E. , is focused on the design of office developments, based in MKA’s Chi- cago office. Mary Bogart, P.E. , joined Thomas & Hutton’s Trans- portation Engineering team as a project engineer in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Prior to joining Thomas & Hutton, she owned Bogart Engineering, a transportation engi- neering consulting firm in northeastern Pennsylvania where she was named one of the Top 25 Women in Business in the region. William Lamb, Jr., P.E. , joined Thomas & Hutton’s Water Resources Depart- ment as a project manager III in Columbia, S.C. His experience covers a broad range of water resources engineering with an emphasis on watershed studies, stormwater quality design, complex permitting proj- ects, and managing multidisciplinary projects. Teresa Irby-Butler, P.E., CCM, PMP , joined Michael Baker International as Water/Wastewater Regional Construction Services Practice lead, serving the firm’s Southeast Region based in Orlando, Fla. She has more than 17 years of expertise in the design and construction of major water/wastewater projects. RETTEW hired Juli Wolfe as a transportation en- gineer, working from the firm’s Conshohocken, Pa. office. Wolfe has 24 years of experience in the trans- portation market sector and has worked on projects for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and other state agencies, managing consultants and highway designs.

Tracy Adamski, AICP

E. Danny Elsner, P.E., CPSWQ, CFM

Steven H. Santoro

Ileana S. Ivanciu, Ph.D.

Nicole Knox, P.E.

Diane Oress, P.E.

Shawn Aiken, P.E.

Danny Currit, P.E., S.E.

Amy Haaland, P.E., S.E.

Janet Ranf, P.E., S.E., LEED AP

Tyler Ranf, Ph.D., P.E., S.E.

Matt Streid, S.E.

Mary Bogart, P.E.

William Lamb, Jr., P.E.

Teresa Irby-Butler, P.E., CCM, PMP

Juli Wolfe

csengineermag.com

july 2018

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Connect and empower your team with ProjectWise. Learn how a connected data environment will help you achieve better project outcomes: www.bentley.com/ CONNECTwithProjectWise

events

JULY 2018 ENGINEERING SUMMIT July 8—San Diego

36th International Conference on Coastal Engineering July 30-Aug. 3—Baltimore Academic and technical exchange on coastal-related studies covering a wide range of topics, including coastal waves, nearshore currents, coastal structures, sediment transport, coastal morphology, beach nourishment, natural hazards, and coastal management. http://icce2018.com

Special sessions prior to the Esri User Conference. Explore how engineering firms are benefiting from a modern GIS and how building a bridge between GIS and BIM can change planning, design, and construction. www.esri.com/en-us/about/events/engineering-summit/overview

AUGUST 2018

Esri User Conference July 9-13—San Diego

2018 North Carolina Drone Summit and Flight Expo Aug. 5-7—Greensboro, N.C.

More than 1,000 sessions, including user presentations, technical workshops, user demonstrations, and industry presentations; more than 450 hours of hands-on training from Esri subject matter experts; and more than 300 exhibitors. www.esri.com/en-us/about/events/uc/overview International Conference on Transportation & Development July 15-18—Pittsburgh Discover the latest innovations and learn more about major technologies and their impact on transportation and development. Network with infrastructure planning, design, operation, and management professionals and get up-to-date information about federal and state policies and initiatives that are shaping the profession. www.asce-ictd.org Excellence in Project Management Tutorial and case study workshop sessions present critical areas every project manager should know from the perspective of architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firms. https://zweiggroup.com/seminars/excellence-in-project-management ARTBA Public-Private Partnerships in Transportation Conference July 18-20—Washington, D.C. Now in its 30th year, the conference is touted as the nation’s pre-eminent event about private-sector participation in transportation infrastructure financing. www.artbap3.org The Principals Academy July 19-20—Quebec City, Canada Oct. 25-26—Charleston, S.C. Intensive course in all aspects of managing a professional service firm, including business planning, marketing/business development, accounting, financial management, project management, leadership, mergers and acquisitions, ownership transition planning, and recruitment and retention. https://zweiggroup.com/seminars/the-principals-academy July 18—Boston Nov. 28—Atlanta

Keynote talks, panel discussions, and contributed presentations cover the spectrum of commercial and public safety UAS applications. A Flight Expo will showcase drone mission capabilities by flying demonstration missions onsite during the conference. www.ncdronesummit.com StormCon Aug. 12-16—Denver Billed as the largest event in North America dedicated to stormwater and surface water quality professionals. Includes a technical program and an extensive exhibition. www.stormcon.com Successful Successor Roundtable Aug. 14-17—New Orleans Discuss the highest-level issues facing newcomers to the C-suite and to individuals who are preparing to take on a CEO role in today’s AEC firm. www.zweiggroup.com/seminars/successful-successor-seminar Wetland Construction: Principles, Planning, and Design Aug. 22-24—Hillsborough, N.J. Introduction to the fundamentals of functional design, including the means to rapidly assess the distribution of hydrology on a site and create useable hydrographs for presentation of a wetland design. www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/eh0604ca.html

SEPTEMBER 2018

33rd Annual WateReuse Symposium Sept. 9-12—Austin, Texas

Learn what’s working, what’s new, and what’s next in water reuse at the nation’s only conference dedicated solely to advancing the policy, technology, innovation, and public acceptance of water reuse. https://watereuse.org/news-events/conferences/annual-watereuse-symposium

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july 2018

2018 Zweig Group Hot Firm + A/E Industry Awards Conference Sept. 20-21—Dallas Comprehensive business conference for leaders and aspiring leaders of AEC firms in the U.S. includes topics on technology, leadership challenges, business planning, marketing methods, recruiting and retention, and growth strategies, as well as success stories of Zweig Group award winners. https://zweiggroup.com/2018-hot-firm-conference Plastic Pipes XIX Sept. 24-26—Las Vegas Organized in collaboration with the PE 100+ Association, Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc., and The European Plastic Pipes and Fittings Association, a technical program will cover emerging innovations, case studies, key industry research, environmental aspects of the industry, processing, standards development, testing, and regional/country updates. www.ppxix.com WEFTEC and Stormwater Congress Sept. 29-Oct. 3—New Orleans Water Environment Federation annual water quality technical conference and exhibition, providing extensive educational opportunities and access to the field’s most cutting-edge technologies and services. www.weftec.org

WE 18 Oct. 18-20—Minneapolis

Organized by the Society of Women Engineers, the largest gathering of women engineers across all major engineering disciplines features the theme, Let’s Break Boundaries. Tracks include career management, entrepreneurship, leadership, and more. https://we18.swe.org ICC Annual Conference, Code Hearings, and Expo Oct 21-31—Richmond, Va. Education programs for building safety professionals at all levels of their career that cover the I-Codes, disaster response, leadership, new technologies, and more. www.iccsafe.org/conference Water Infrastructure Conference Oct. 28-31—Atlanta Program topics include asset management practices, aging and inadequate infrastructure, resiliency to climate events, emergency preparedness, cybersecurity, protecting critical infrastructure, controlling water loss, new technology, intelligent water systems, and more. www.awwa.org/conferences-education/conferences/water-infrastructure.aspx National Coastal Conference Oct. 30-Nov. 2—Galveston Island, Texas The theme of the 2018 conference, Resilient Shorelines for Rising Tides, focuses across the entire physical coastal and estuarine system to promote best management practices, while learning the latest science, engineering, and policy needed to maintain and improve the health of beach-front and estuarine shorelines and ecosystems. http://asbpa.org/conferences/future-meetings

OCTOBER 2018

Designing Cities 2018 Oct. 1-4—Los Angeles An expected 800 officials, planners, and practitioners will meet to advance the state of transportation in cities. https://nacto.org/conference/designing-cities-2018-los-angeles Newforma World User Conference Oct. 2-4—Tucson, Ariz. General and customer-led sessions include Project Center V12, Alternative ways to use workflow, Document control vs. document sets, Techniques to drive user adoption, Mobile apps, and more. www.newformaworld.com ASCE Convention Oct. 12-15—Denver Annual American Society of Civil Engineers flagship membership event offers a state of the industry and profession, professional development, multidisciplinary technical education, strategic issues/public policy discussion, and significant projects. www.asceconvention.org The Year in Infrastructure 2018 Conference Oct. 15-18—London Bentley Systems’ annual event featuring industry specific forums, keynotes, and technology updates. Plus, The Year in Infrastructure Awards finalist presentations showcasing more than 50 infrastructure projects worldwide and an awards banquet. https://yii.bentley.com

NovemBER 2018

Vectorworks Design Summit Nov. 4-6—Phoenix One-on-one sessions with Vectorworks software experts and breakout sessions exploring detailed workflows and best practices. www.vectorworks.net/design-summit

july 2018

csengineermag.com

MANAGEMENT FILES

Learn from the best in the business 2018 Zweig Group Hot Firm + A/E Industry Awards Conference

Knowledge Architecture. Responsible for research and development, sales and marketing, and corporate operations, Parsons is the executive producer of KA Connect, an annual knowledge management confer- ence for the AEC industry. He has been a technology leader in the AEC industry since 2002, including serving as chief information officer for Steinberg Architects and information technology director for SMWM (now Perkins+Will). Breakouts During four sessions, the following speakers will provide expert advice on a range of business topics relevant to AEC firms. Dawson Fercho , vice president of business development and co- founder of Corporate Tax Advisors, Inc., is also an IRS Enrolled Agent admitted to practice before the Internal Revenue Service and licensed by the U.S. Department of Treasury. He has more than 20 years of consulting experience, 15 years exclusively focused on the Federal Research Tax Credit, working with small to mid-size manufacturing, technology, engineering, architecture, and construction clients. James Swabowski , senior vice president, Wintrust ESOP Financial, is responsible for managing a portfolio of national, ESOP-owned and closely held, privately owned companies. He also supports new business growth by developing creative and competitive financing structures, as well as providing counsel to clients on a range of busi- ness decisions, including succession planning and other merger and acquisition activity. Patrick Stoltz , managing director, Wintrust ESOP Financial, leads the company’s national ESOP lending practice, providing competitive financing solutions to ESOP-owned companies. He has 26 years of commercial banking experience and a proven track record of develop-

The 2018 Zweig Group Hot Firm + A/E Industry Awards Conference, Sept. 20-21 in Dallas, is billed as the industry’s largest and most com- prehensive business conference for leaders and aspiring leaders of AEC firms in the United States. The conference agenda includes topics on technology, leadership challenges, business planning, marketing methods, recruiting and retention, and growth strategies. In addition, winners of Zweig Group awards will share their success stories. One keynote address will be presented by Jay Steinfeld, founder and CEO of Blinds.com, a Home Depot Company. Steinfeld was an early mover in e-commerce, in 1993 bootstrapping his website built in his garage for just $1,500 into the world’s top online window covering store. Home Depot acquired Blinds.com in 2014. Blinds.com has been awarded 50 Most Engaged Workplaces in America, Top 5 Workplaces in Texas, Houston’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work, and Best Customer Service Department of the Year, among other honors. He is an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, has earned a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Houston Technology Center, and writes a column for Inc. Magazine entitled Chief Effective Officer. Steinfeld is an advocate and frequent speaker on how company culture and authen- tic core values drive profitable growth. Another keynote speaker is Christopher Parsons, founder and CEO of

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july 2018

Mark Enos is a senior application specialist at Bentley Systems and is primarily focused on Bentley’s Solutions for Buildings and Facili- ties. He has spent almost 20 years at Bentley Systems, with 10 years previous industry experience as a project architect and CAD manager at several leading design firms. Duties at Bentley Systems include certified product demonstrations, training, deployment, and project coaching at a variety of design and engineering firms, owner operators, and government agencies. The Hot Firm + A/E Industry Awards Conference culminates Friday evening, Sept. 21, with a black-tie awards reception, banquet, and ceremony, recognizing firms and individuals for the following Zweig Group awards: • 2018 Hot Firm List (https://zweiggroup.com/2018-hot-firm-list), • 2018 Best Firms To Work For (https://zweiggroup.com/2018-best-firms- to-work-for-winners), • 2018 Marketing Excellence Award (winners not announced as of press time), • Top New Venture (winners not announced as of press time), • Jerry Allen Courage in Leadership Award (winner not announced as of press time), and • 2018 Rising Stars in Civil + Structural Engineering (https://csengineer- mag.com/article/2018-rising-stars-civil-structural-engineering). More information about the Hot Firm + A/E Industry Awards Con- ference and registration options are available at https://zweiggroup. com/2018-hot-firm-conference.

ing and building relationships, financial analysis and risk management, and staff development. Matt Doucet is managing director of Wintrust Construction, Engi- neering & Architecture (CE&A) Group. He leads the bank’s national CE&A lending practice, providing competitive financing solutions to the firms that support the construction industry. Doucet has spent the last 28 years working with CE&A firms in the surety and banking industry, partnering exclusively during the last 13 years with CE&A firms regionally and nationally, providing financing solutions to help achieve operational goals and objectives. June R. Jewell , CPA, president and CEO, AEC Business Solutions, is a business management consultant to the AE industry and author of the book, Find The Lost Dollars: 6 Steps to Increase Profits in Ar- chitecture, Engineering, and Environmental Firms. For more than 25 years she ran a successful business and Deltek consulting practice, and is now focused on working with AE firm leaders to help them improve their processes and systems, and give them the tools they need to be able to hold their employees and managers accountable to increase profitability. Matt Jordan , regional sales director for project delivery in North America, has been with Bentley Systems for 11 years, primarily fo- cused on the utility industry, working with clients in the generation, transmission, and distribution segments of electric, gas, water, and wastewater networks. Currently he leads a team of account managers in support of key partners within the engineering, procurement, construc- tion, maintenance, and operations industries. His team is responsible for developing and supporting digital transformation strategies through provisioning integrated project delivery applications.

Information provided by Zweig Group (www.zweiggroup.com), publisher of Civil + Structural Engineer.

july 2018

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management files

Building from strength Professional qualifications and niche expertise can position small firms for growth. By Christian Haring

“I tell young engineers, ‘You want to design your career. You want to design your life. You want to be in a position to make those decisions.’ I’ve seen people who don’t have a P.E. who are capable and competent, but they can’t do what they want to do because they don’t have the license,” McCaw said. Ultimately, licensure provides important quality controls to the public. “The whole point of registration is to protect the public,” she said. Firm licensing and business development At the firm level, licensure is also key to growth. “As a consulting firm, you generally either grow by adding service lines or adding geographic range to your practice,” McCaw said. “Yet to expand geographically, you often need another licensed engineer involved in the firm, and with a smaller family-owned firm that can be a problem.” Without a COA, firms are prohibited from offering services in 37 states, and many COAs require involvement of an in-state licensed professional. McCaw is currently licensed in Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma, and her firm is registered in Kansas and Missouri. “I’ve looked at a couple of other states where opportunities come up, but there are administrative paperwork aspects, and costs, too. A lot of firms are expanding through mergers and acquisitions (M&As). But we’re still small enough that M&As are not a viable strategy for us right now.” McCaw has also considered adding new services to the firm’s offerings, which currently include municipal engineering, project management, stormwater analysis and design, transportation, sanitary sewer design, water line design, and subsurface utility engineering. But adding a new licensed specialty, once again, would require bringing in a licensed professional. “Often, highly qualified professionals are interested in starting their own firms, rather than working for someone else,” McCaw said. “We have our strategies for expanding, but there’s no quick and easy path.” Developing a specialized niche To date, VSM has found growth and success in a challenging market by developing deep, specialized expertise within McCaw’s field — hydrology/hydraulics and utility coordination. “Specialty certifications

For small engineering firms, business development presents a unique set of challenges. With limited staffs and budgets, approaches such as mergers and acquisitions, adding service lines, or expanding into new states are not always feasible. So how can a smaller firm compete and grow in an increasingly consolidated and competitive industry? Valerie McCaw, P.E., CFM, DWRE, ENV SP, president of VSM Engineer- ing LLC, a civil engineering firm in Kansas City, Mo., believes that leveraging professional engineering credentials is key to growth, both for individual engineers and engineering firms. McCaw launched VSM as a solo venture. “When I first started, I didn’t have enough money to get a certificate of authority. It was just me,” she said. “I contacted the state board and asked what I could do that would be legal, and they let me know that in Missouri, you can hang out your shingle as a licensed engineer as long as the state can identify you by the firm name.” Following her first year in business, McCaw had enough work to apply for a certificate of authorization (COA) in Missouri.

Today, VSM provides planning, design, analysis, construction plans, and construction management for municipal infrastructure projects in Kansas and Missouri. McCaw credits the firm’s growth in part to her commitment to professional credentials, licensure, and qualifications- based selection (QBS). The P.E. license and career growth As a past president of the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Society of Professional Engineers and long-time member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), McCaw is a strong advocate for profes- sional licensure. “I’m very careful about licensure, especially given my involvement with the professional associations,” she said. “You have to walk your talk.” Yet McCaw also firmly believes in professional licensure as a means of managing your professional destiny.

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july 2018

are increasingly important lately,” McCaw said. “It helps with market- ing and enhances the value we can bring to our clients.” She holds specialty certifications including certified floodplain manager (CFM), diplomate - water resources engineer (DWRE), and Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP). Her specialized expertise has allowed the firm to work on groundbreaking projects such as designing the first blue roof in Kansas City for Gallerie, a mixed-use living space slated for completion in late 2018. QBS as a growth driver Another factor that has contributed to VSM’s growth is QBS. ASCE has advocated for QBS as a means of helping small firms compete by privi- leging their unique capabilities, niche market expertise, and knowledge of local regulations and business practices. For VSM, this has held true. “QBS does help sometimes by letting us demonstrate our niche market expertise,” McCaw said. Yet to compete in the QBS environment, a firm needs to be selective about opportunities and present a standout proposal. “There are so many intangibles in the QBS selection process; any firm has to be rigorous about the go/no-go decision to even participate,” McCaw said. “We need to make sure that the perception of our firm is correct before the proposal stage to ensure that QBS selectors will even open the proposal book. A flawless cover letter is extremely important. I see it as a ‘why you should hire us’ letter in one page within their specified format.”

QBS also provides an opportunity for the client and the firm to establish an accurate scope. “I think QBS is very important because the scope of a project needs to be defined, and clients come to you with different levels of engineering knowledge,” McCaw said. “With some of the larger cities, our clients are engineers; while in a smaller city, we might be working with a city administrator, and they aren’t experienced in writing scopes of work for engineering. The scope is essential to ensure that the client gets what they want and what they need.” VSM is a testimony to the value of growing a niche through expertise, credentialing, and pursuing projects through a process that puts qualifi- cations first. To McCaw, that emphasis on quality lies at the very heart of the profession. “People throw the word engineer around because they want credibility,” she said. “I’m very deliberate in how I use that word.” By emphasizing her firm’s niche expertise and professional qualifications, McCaw has positioned VSM for profitable, sustainable business growth. CHRISTIAN HARING is an account executive at Harbor Compliance (www.harborcompliance.com), specializing in professional licensing for engineering, architecture, and construction firms. With a focus on mid-sized and large firms, Haring understands the need for precision and clarity in managing multi-jurisdictional licensing. Contact Haring at 717-298-8128 or charing@harborcompliance.com. Note: Harbor Compliance is not an account- ing or law firm and does not provide tax, financial, or legal advice.

Research & Development Tax Credits Section 179D Energy Incentives Cost Segregation Studies

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july 2018

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software + TECH

Four architecture firms will use Autodesk’s 3D model to reimagine the area surrounding the Eiffel Tower.

also revealed the four teams that have been selected to compete to reimagine the area: • Gustafson Porter + Bowman and BIM Services; • AL_A and Quatorze-ig; • Agence ter and Arcadis; and • KOZ Architectes. During the next year, Autodesk will work with the teams to visualize their designs for the Eiffel Tower grand site, giving them access to a simplified version of the 3D model to use during the different stages of the competition process. The model will help illustrate visibility of project design components from various lines-of-sight and viewpoints, helping the teams to create individual proposals for the future urban space. Additionally, the model will be used by a jury panel during the final judging of the four proposals to better understand them. The four designs will be unveiled in spring 2019, and construction of the winning project will start in 2021. Renovation of the Eiffel Tower area, covering the Trocadéro Gardens and the Champ de Mars, will be finalized just in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics, and ahead of other major events including the 2025 Universal Exhibition and the 2026 Rugby World Cup. While the makeover will make the area more pleasant for visitors, the project isn’t just a cosmetic effort. The Parisian metropolis needs to address growing challenges relating to energy, greening, supply net- works, mobility, logistics, waste management, and security of the area. Not only that, but with Paris renowned for flooding and climate scien- tists expecting this to increase, the city is taking necessary pre-emptive measures to prevent future damage. Worldwide impact While this project may be taking place in Paris, Autodesk hopes its im-

A 3D model created by Autodesk will be used during restoration of the Eiffel Tower grand site — all 2.4 square kilometers of it. The model will be used by the Paris Council to engage with the public during the design and construction process, allowing Parisians and tourists to ex- perience the Eiffel Tower like they never have before — in virtual 3D. Autodesk is the sole technology provider collaborating with the City of Paris on this project and used Building Information Modeling (BIM) to create the largest urban model of its kind worldwide, complete with buildings, roads and infrastructures, pedestrian zones and crossing, urban furniture, and green areas. The sheer scale of the project has been an exciting challenge for the Autodesk team tasked with creating the data-set of the 3D model. Mapping the details of the 2.4-square-kilometer site required LiDAR scanning to generate 194 point cloud tiles, aerial photography that is precise to the nearest 2 to 5 cm depending on areas, and creation of 342 GB worth of point cloud data (10.3 billion points), all of which can be used to create models in both Autodesk InfraWorks and 3ds Max. Competing to reimagine the Eiffel Tower grand site At an event held in Paris’ City Hall, Jean-Louis Missika, deputy mayor of the City of Paris, in charge of urban planning, architecture, Grand Paris projects, economic development, and attractiveness; and Jean-François Martins, deputy mayor of Paris, in charge of all questions relating to sport, tourism, Olympic and Paralympic Games, Eiffel Tower restoration Four teams are using a detailed 3D model to reimagine a section of Paris in preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

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