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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 1 csengineermag.com
publisher Zweig Group media manager Chad Coldiron | 479.200.3538 | ccoldiron@zweiggroup.com Editor Luke Carothers | lcarothers@zweiggroup.com
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Civil + Structural Engineer (ISSN 23726717) is published monthly by Zweig Group, Fayetteville, AR. Telephone: 800.466.6275. Copyright© 2023, Zweig Group. Articles 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 digital subscription is free. To subscribe or update your subscription information, please visit our website www.csengineermag.com/subscribe/ or call 800.466.6275.
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CONTENTS
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THE COVER 32 Cairo: the past, the present, and the future From the Publisher THE ZG-SUITE 4 Pride and Practice: Elevating the AEC Industry Chad Clinehens LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD 5 The Little Golden Gate Bridge Luke Carothers INDUSTRY INSIGHTS 6 From the 2024 ElevateHER Symposium Luke Carothers AEC Highlights 13 Events Calendar 14 Up next: 2024 Engineering Drone Video of the Year CHANNELS STRUCTURES 17 Elevating Education: the E.S. Witchger School of Engineering 18 Mass Timber Supporting Groundbreaking Architectural Design: Wisdome Stockholm 20 The Transformation of University Hall at the University of Alabama 23 UCSD’s New Campus Gateway: The Pepper Canyon West Project 26 AO’s Mark in Riverside TECH & INNOVATION 28 Scion Innovation Hub ENVIRONMENTAL & SUSTAINABILITY 38 Climate Change Imperils Some Wastewater Treatment Plants – And Their Workers 42 A History of Material & Place: Ellis Preserve 44 Investing in the Future of Communities: Amplify GR’s H.U.B. ‘07 46 Secrets of Environmental Permitting Solar Farms INFRASTRUCTURE 50 Moving Quickly: Northaven TrailBridge 54 The Old Bridge and the Reef: Skanska Leading the Charge with Environmental Restoration and Sustainability Benchmarks
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58 AEC Compensation Trends 59 Zweig Research Participation 60 Reader Index
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csengineermag.com
In 1999 I was nearing graduation. While I was searching for where I would start my first full-time job in the AEC industry (as an engineering intern), I traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas, to interview for an opportunity to work with the transportation team of an Arkansas-based engineering firm. I didn’t know it at the time, but this is the firm where I would ultimately start and spend the majority of my career to this point. On my journey to pursue this opportunity, I left my college town of Fayetteville in Northwest Arkansas and traveled to Little Rock via Interstate-540, now I-49. This 40-mile stretch of interstate bypassed US-71, which was once known as one of America’s most dangerous highways. The opening of I-49 was a huge event for the people in Northwest Arkansas; it drastically improved the region’s accessibility to its south by connecting it to I-40, a major east-west interstate in the United States. Perhaps more important than accessibility, this stretch of interstate highway drastically improved the safety of Northwest Arkansas’s rapidly growing population at the time. On my travels to Little Rock on that day in 1999, my car passed through the confines of the Bobby Hopper Tunnel–my first time ever driving through a highway tunnel. This is the first and only interstate tunnel in the state of Arkansas, and consists of two bores at 1,595 feet long, 38 feet wide, and 25 feet tall. Admittedly, although this was certainly my first time driving through the Bobby Hopper Tunnel, it was not my first time seeing it. Some time before, as a part of a tour group with the Arkansas Society of Professional Engineers, I had the opportunity to visit and tour the tunnel, which was then around 40 percent completed. Of all the things that color my experience that day, I remember there being tons and tons of mud. Getting access to the site was extremely difficult, but once we got there it was a fascinating experience. The tunnels were mined, not bored, through the 1,800-foot high mountain. The sounds of blasting, drilling, and the excavation of native shale and sandstone rocks filled my ears. Alas, this memory exists in a time before cell phones, so the only reminders left to me are the memories of the tunnel that day. And, driving to the potential start to my engineering career, I took pride in the fact that I was interviewing with the very firm that had produced the feasibility study for this immense project way back when I-49 was still just a conceptual plan. My visit to the Bobby Hopper Tunnel stoked my fascination with tall bridges and tunnels, and, knowing these projects take years and often decades to finish, I was proud and excited to begin working on projects of this scale and magnitude–projects that define the future outcomes for places and people. Now, with decades of experience in the AEC industry–from building sites to boardrooms–I can reflect on the poetry of that moment in 1999, Pride and Practice: Elevating the AEC Industry By Chad Clinehens The ZG-Suite
and what lessons can be gleaned from the wisdom of hindsight. As I left Fayetteville, rising quickly and traversing some of the tallest interstate bridges west of the Mississippi River, I had the swirling ambitions of any passionate young professional, but in the moments when my car passed through that interstate tunnel, these ambitions seemed to solidify. I was struck by my immense pride in stepping into an industry that so concretely drives people and places forward. I could feel the culmination of those 10 years of work from civil and structural engineers, along with geologists, surveyors, and contractors represented in my physical progress to a budding career. I wanted to be a part of that larger feeling of pride and accomplishment. For me, reflecting on this moment in time, now decades past, reminds me of the weight of the work undertaken by our vital industry. For communities, towns, neighborhoods, cities, regions, and everything in between–across the globe–improvements and innovations to the built environment represent substantial positive change in human lives. We have a tremendous duty to serve the populations in which we work, and we should take immense pride in our role as drivers of change. Extending my experience on that day in 1999 to the subsequent years that followed, I have learned that, for AEC firms to most effectively execute their work, this sense of pride must be a central and defining feature of their operations. Notably, this pride means having courage to engage in processes of self-examination, to be constantly searching for new ways to innovate, and to always be looking for ways to include more voices in the conversation. At Zweig Group , we are committed to this sense of pride through our commitment to Elevate the Industry. Through our different service areas, we are committed to supporting AEC firms along their journey to building a better future around us. I can’t help but think about projects like the Bobby Hopper Tunnel, which ushered in a new era of safety and accessibility for Northwest Arkansas, and what that work meant for the future of a growing region. With all this in mind, what such a project meant for my mom, and for so many people, was that she could sleep better at night, knowing that the many trips on I-49, starting with that job interview, would be safer and easier.
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looking back, moving forward
The Little Golden Gate Bridge By Luke Carothers
Tucked deep within the peaks and folds of the Ozark Mountains sits a unique engineering curiosity dubbed the “Little Golden Gate Bridge” by a small handful of local residents. This historic suspension bridge is the last of its kind to carry vehicular traffic in the state, helping Arkansas Highway 187 cross the White River at Table Rock Lake on its winding journey through the mountainous landscape. Otherwise known as the Beaver Bridge, this one-lane suspension bridge took two years to build as construction came to a close and the bridge opened to traffic in 1949. The opening of the Beaver Bridge didn’t mark the beginning of historical significance for this White River crossing. Rather, it marked the beginning of yet another chapter in its growing history. The bridge’s location coincides with a ferry landing established by the town’s namesake–Wilson A. Beaver–in 1850. Beaver settled in the area that would eventually bear his name early in the year, and, with his family, built a log cabin, grit mill, ferry, and stagecoach inn. Beaver’s quick work paid off, as the location quickly developed into a vital ferry crossing for the growing network of stagecoach routes through the area as well as for wagon trains loaded with settlers moving westward. The area was eventually renamed Beavers Ferry, and it continued to be a central location for movement during and after the Civil War. The town of Beaver was eventually established in the 1870s with its first postmaster being appointed in 1879. Around this time a local quarry began carving out stones from the surrounding hills that would be used to build some of the region’s most iconic structures like the Crescent and Basin Park Hotels in Eureka Springs and the railroad bridge that crosses the Arkansas River in Fort Smith–as well as bridges that spanned the Mississippi River at St. Louis and Memphis. In 1882, the railroad came to Beaver when a bridge was built across Butler Creek, a tributary to the nearby White River, to connect the nearby Eureka Springs Railroad–later known as the St. Louis & North Arkansas Railway. Even with the railroad in operation, the ferry at Beaver continued its operations until 1926 when a county construction crew erected a concrete bridge for vehicular traffic near the site of the current Beaver Bridge. The sole means of egress for vehicular traffic across the White River in the area, this concrete bridge stood for 17 years before being destroyed in a flood in 1943. Following the destruction of the original concrete bridge, this critical infrastructure link was broken for four years before the Pioneer Construction Company was awarded a contract to build another vehicular bridge near the original site in 1947. Coming in at a cost
around $107,000, the proposed design was for a wire cable suspension bridge. Initial design plans changed shortly afterwards when the Army Corps of Engineers informed the project’s contract that creation of nearby Table Rock Lake meant the bridge deck would need to be raised nearly 40 feet. This change to the original design delayed the bridge’s construction two years, but the bridge was finally completed in 1949. The Beaver Bridge utilizes a set of two steel cables draped over two steel towers on concrete piers with the cables anchored in concrete abutments buried in the ground. Upon completion, the single-lane suspension bridge provided a crucial transportation link to the residents of Carroll County. The 11 foot wide wooden deck bridge spans 554 feet across the White River. Alternatively referred to as the Golden Gate of the Ozarks, the Beaver Bridge soon grew into both a crucial transportation link as well as a cultural icon. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990, and has appeared in at least one major motion picture with the 2005 film Elizabethtown . The Beaver Bridge has undergone several repairs throughout the years, including the most recent replacement of the bridge deck in 2019. Although the bridge now sees a fraction of the traffic and importance it once held, there are no plans to replace the unique structure, and it remains the only suspension bridge open to vehicular traffic in the state of Arkansas.
LUKE CAROTHERS is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.
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Industry Insights
The ElevateHER Symposium kicked off from the Rayleigh Underground on March 6th. The excitement was palpable in Irving, Texas as the event’s host, Marci D. Thompson, took the stage. ElevateHER co- founded Jamie Claire Kiser provided opening remarks, encouraging those in attendance to “find their anchor.” The 2024 ElevateHER Symposium was split between keynote speakers, past project presentations, workshops, and panel discussions. The day’s first keynote address came from Tia Perry, Executive Director of AEC Unites, who shared her story of catalyzing change on a relentless path to leadership. Perry spoke about adopting a determined mindset to overcome challenges associated with professional growth in the AEC industry. Outlining the business case for DEI, Perry encouraged audience members to build bridges of collaboration and to harness the power of relationships. After engaging in a workshop designed to begin moving ideas to action, those in attendance heard from the ElevateHER group TeacHER 2.0. The group was founded by members of the 2023 cohort after exploring the connection between literacy and recruitment & retention. TeacHER 2.0 defines this connection by developing AEC programming and toolkits for 2nd and 3rd grade students and distributing them by partnering with local libraries. Among the schedule of keynote speakers and engagement activities, the next session was a panel discussion between Daphne Bryant and Lauren Aguilar. The session, titled “Leading with Data”, explored the state of diversity, equity, inclusion, & belonging within the AEC industry. Within this topic, the panelist fielded questions specific to creating meaningful work for younger generations and the need to commit to more sustainable hiring practices. The next keynote speaker was Daniela Ramirez, who reflected on the impact of policies aimed at enhancing upward economic mobility for historically under championed communities. During her talk, Ramirez outlined the importance of regaining momentum through things like creativity & innovation and community engagement. The event’s final session featured keynote speaker Aine O’Dwyer, Principal and CEO of Enovate, who shared her story of driving firm success through DEI initiatives. O’Dwyer points out that there is a prevailing need to debunk myths surrounding DEI by building collaborative bridges For more information about the ElevateHER program, and to keep up with the latest projects, follow this link to the ElevateHER homepage. From the 2024 ElevateHER Symposium By Luke Carothers
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ElevateHer Cohort 2024
As Marketing Director, she is the company’s highest-ranking marketing employee, overseeing all marketing aspects of the negotiated pursuit process and playing an integral role in setting marketing strategy to support Knutson’s strategic plan while ensuring comprehensive brand management and continued community outreach efforts.
Amy Schilling Marketing Director, Knutson Construction
Caitlin Stevenson is a project director and the Sacramento office leader for Taylor Design where she focuses on building trusted relationships with a diverse mix of project stakeholders, gaining a comprehensive understanding of each client’s unique needs. As an associate design-build professional, she champions a collaborative approach to project delivery and spearheads coordination efforts across large integrated teams. Caitlin is passionate about using a rigorous design methodology to improve the end-user experience and outcomes. technical realm and champion diversity and inclusion. Avery is an advocate for those at risk in underrepresented communities, empowering individuals to choose their path in the world of engineering. He strives to bring out the best in individuals, showcasing their diverse talents that often lie beneath the surface. Avery Vaughn is fueled by the at-risk lifestyle, a love for innovation, and a background in theater to transcend the
Avery Vaughn
Talent Development & Recruiting Lead, BHC
Caitlin Stevenson Project Director, Taylor Design
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ElevateHer Cohort 2024
Celeste Sweet is the Human Resources Manager for Tamarack Grove Engineering and brings 30 years of experience as a Human Resource Professional. She is passionate about her career as a Human Resources Manager as she is dedicated to helping companies focus on their greatest assets–their people. Celeste loves working with leadership to create employee experiences that are not only rewarding but which also creates a thriving environment promoting both personal growth and professional development. Francis Curtis serves as the Director of Digital Solutions at Pennoni, providing leadership to their suite of innovative technologies and technology strategic partnerships. Frances has over 25 years of experience in the information management field, and has held management and business development positions in engineering firms for the last 20. In these roles, she has helped bring efficient technical capabilities to internal business processes and business insights to clients. One of Gabriela Susano’s goals throughout her time at DBR has been to make it the largest MEP firm in Texas by developing a team that finds the best talent for the company. Gabbie has led DBR’s Culture Committee to develop an environment where employees feel heard, recognized, and have a sense of belonging. She also co-founded a semi-annual recognition program.
Celeste Sweet
Human Resources Manager, Tamarack Grove Engineering
Frances Curtis
Director of Digital Solutions, Pennoni
Gabriela Susano Talent Acquisition Manager, DBR
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ElevateHer Cohort 2024
Jennifer Haddad joined the AEC industry in 2021, and is currently the Human Resources Manager for Urban Engineers, inc. Jennifer has ten years of human resources experience, and focuses on driving the 450-person firm’s HR Operations & Talent Strategy. She is passionate about mentoring and professional development, and regularly participates in local and national HR mentoring programs.. Hilary Cadra is Vice President of Marketing for SpawGlass where she began working as a Marketing Coordinator in 2000. After several relocations, Hilary was eventually named the company’s first Director of Marketing, and, in 2022, Vice President of Marketing. She has also served on the board of directors for the Society of Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) San Antonio & Austin Chapters. Hannah Steen is a Project Engineer at JE Dunn Construction in Austin where she is currently focused on the interior amenity finishes scope of work. Hannah has been building her experience over the last two years, supporting teams of over thirty members. She is driven by her love of problem solving within a fast-paced environment.
Hannah Steen Project Engineer, JE Dunn Construction
Hillary Cadra Vice President of Marketing, SpawGlass
Jennifer Haddad Human Resources Manager, Urban Engineers, Inc.
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ElevateHer Cohort 2024
Kendra Fallon has been immersed in the AEC industry from an early age, tagging along with her father–a geological engineer. After earning an undergraduate degree in Geological Engineering and a master’s degree in Civil Engineering, Kendra began working in the Water Resources Group at WSB. She has a passion for working with emerging staff at the beginning of their careers, having managed both college and high school interns at the company in addition to full time staff. Lauren Marcucci has over 10 years of experience in the AEC industry, and is currently a Project Manager in the Utilities Group at BHC. Over the years, she has focused on designing and permitting fiber into the home projects, with the goal to connect communities with high speed internet. Lauren is also a lead of BHC’s BluCrew Committee, which focuses on employee and community outreach. Luke Carothers is the Senior Content Manager at Zweig Group and the Editor-in- Chief of their publication Civil+Structural Engineer Magazine. Luke joined the AEC industry in 2019 as a writer, since which time he has been dedicated to covering stories and projects from every corner of the AEC industry while highlighting the need for diversity and inclusion. He has worked closely with ElevateHER for the last two years while covering the event for C+S Magazine.
Kendra Fallon Water Resources Project Engineer, WSB
Lauren Marcucci Project Manager, BHC
Luke Carothers Senior Content Manager, Zweig Group
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ElevateHer Cohort 2024
Sheri Blattel is an Owner and Associate at Cushing Terrell where she actively serves as Principal-in-Charge on a wide array of retail projects, along with her role as Director of Retail. One of the greatest strengths Sheri possesses is building and maintaining strong relationships with clients through the design process, including clients who themselves have strong relationships with their communities. She believes it is important to go beyond traditional partnerships to bring a holistic view that considers context, sustainability, resilience, health, safety, and happiness, as well as the long-term viability of well-loved brands in the physical space. enhancements, and optimizing business processes for substantial revenue growth. She is a visionary leader known for fostering collaborative, inclusive workplaces, talent development, and motivating teams. Marika Hawes-Ruhrup is a Principal, Senior Project Managers, and member of the Board of Directors for TowerPinkster. Marika’s engineering career brought her to Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) nearly twenty years ago from the automotive industry. Her growth from a CAD drafter to Senior Mechanical Engineer and Building Commissioning Professional included serving various clients from K-12 schools, justice facilities, pharmaceutical, and food manufacturing. Michele Ouimet is a business strategist and transformative leader with a strong track record of assembling high-performing teams. She is skilled in identifying and addressing organizational weakness, driving strategic
Marika Hawes-Ruhrup Principal, Senior Project Manager, TowerPinkster
Michele Ouimet Principal, Sr. Marketing Director, Colliers Engineering & Design
Sheri Blattel
Associate Principal | Director of Retail, Cushing Terrell
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ElevateHer Cohort 2024
As the Director of Talent Development for The Lawrence Group, Tyra Duren is not just a leader–she is a catalyst for change. Tyra’s journey in HR began as an Employee Relations intern in 2014, and, since then, she has been on a mission to redefine the people and culture landscape. She is a visionary who leads, designs, evaluates, analyzes, and implements comprehensive people and culture activities.
Tyra Duren
Director of Talent Development, The Lawrence Group
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Industry Events Calendar
March 2024
ASME Aerospace Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference
ASME Mechanical Engineering Education Summit
Renton, WA | April 29 - May 1 https://event.asme.org/SSDM May 2024
Atlanta, GA | March 18 - 21 https://event.asme.org/MEED SMPS Women + A/E/C Symposium Virtual | March 19 - 21 https://www.smps.org/womenaec/ 2024 AI in AEC
Offshore Technology Conference
Houston, TX | May 6 - 9 https://2024.otcnet.org/ Unanet Champions Conference
Helsinki, Finland & Virtual | March 20 - 21 https://www.ril.fi/en/events/ai-in-aec-2024.html
New Orleans, LA | May 13 - 14 https://unanet.com/champions-conference-2024 ACEC 2024 Annual Convention & Legislative Summit
ACEC Texas Annual Meeting and Engineering Excellence Awards
Houston, TX | March 24 - 25 https://acectx.site-ym.com/page/AnnualMeeting
Washington, DC | May 13 - 16 https://www.acec.org/event/acec-2024- annual-convention-legislative-summit/ Zweig Group's AEC Small Business and Entrepreneurship Forum
Zweig Group's Minds & Machines
Charlotte, NC | March 27 - 28 https://zweiggroup.com/products/minds-machines-dominating-the- convergence-of-ai-intelligence-and-strategy-in-aec-1 April 2024
Atlanta, GA | May 22 - 23 https://zweiggroup.com/pages/aec-small-business-and- entrepreneurship-forum
Zweig Group's AI and AEC Tech Summit
Esri International Infrastructure Management & GIS Conference
Atlanta, GA | May 22 - 23 https://zweiggroup.com/pages/ai-aec-tech-summit NIBS Building Innovation Conference Washington, DC | May 22 - 24 https://www.buildinginnovation.org/about
Frankfurt, Germany | April 8 - 10 https://www.esri.com/en-us/about/events/international-imgis/ overview 2024 Architecture Faculty Workshop on Metal Building Systems Charlotte, NC | April 10 https://csengineermag.com/mbma-announces-2024-architecture- faculty-workshop/ 2024 AEC Integration Summit
Austin, TX | April 17 - 19 https://www.constructionprogress.org/2024aecisummit ACEC: Colorado 2024 Annual Conference
Denver, CO | April 24 - 25 https://www.acec.org/event/acec-colorado-2024-annual-conference/
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the 2024 Engineering Drone Video of the Year Submissions are Open
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If you or someone you know uses drones to create videos that benefit, enhance, and explain projects, then you’re eligible to enter Civil+Structural Engineer Media & Zweig Group’s Engineering Drone Video of the Year (EDVY) competition. It’s as simple as that. The EDVY competition features the best drone footage, video editing, and post-processing data visualizations from the AEC industry. The competition was first launched in 2017 and has quickly grown into an exciting event that the AEC community looks forward to each year. EDVY Nuts and Bolts For companies or individuals interested in submitting a project, submissions must: • be original videos, composed of video footage and post-processing/ data visualizations gathered during drone/UAV flight; • feature one or more engineering/construction projects; • be between two and five minutes in length; and • include relevant project information such as name and location. The contest opens on March 11 and ends on April 26, 2024. The cost to enter the 2024 EDVY competition is $100. Submissions will be hosted on the CSEngineerMag.Com from May May 1 - 13. During this time, website visitors will vote on the video they most like. The top 10 videos with the highest number of votes will then be sharThe top 10 videos with the highest number of votes will then be shared with a panel of industry professionals who will ultimately select the video that best represents the expanding use of drove/UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle technology in the AEC industry. This panel of judges is asked to evaluate each video based on: 1) the video’s capacity to contextualize the project; 2) subject and purpose; 3) how it demonstrates an innovative use of drones; 4) how it demonstrates the flight capacity of drones; and 5) how it demonstrates the visual capacity of drones/UAVs. The top video selected will be crowned the 2024 Engineering Drone Video of the Year. Official winners will be announced on June 10 and will be featured on the cover of Civil+Structural Engineer Magazine’s Q2 issue and receive a special package from sponsors. Shining Examples: 2022 and 2023 As the EDVY competition has evolved, so have its submissions. Over the past few years, more and more AEC businesses have come up with creative ways to use drone technology. It’s mostly because new tools and technologies continue to develop. For example, first-place winners
from the past two years showcased impressive uses of how drones can help to explain projects better and offer deeper insight. In 2023, Moore Engineering claimed the top spot. The company had two videos that made the final round and in the end, the winner was its “Maple & Upper Maple River Dams.” The drone footage clearly demonstrated the project’s footprint in terms of size and impact. You can read the full story about this project here: https://csengineermag. com/flood-protection-in-the-great-plains-moore-engineering-wins- the-2023-engineering-drone-video-of-the-year-competition/ In 2022, Casale’s “Nitric Acid Plant” emerged as the clear winner. Casale, a Swiss chemical engineering company, submitted a video that showed a completed nitric acid plant located in Köping, Sweden. It took about a week to capture enough footage for the winning video's submission. While Casale regularly uses drones to produce project scans on projects under construction, the challenge here was to ensure a safe flight over an active production facility. The result of their planning and safety precautions was a stunning example of how drones provide a unique perspective on the view of projects. The video combined vertical and horizontal shots, which allowed the audience to gain an intimate look into the project’s inner workings – leading to a deeper understanding of the industry – one that’s important to both the economy and the built environment. For more information about this project’s specifics: https://csengineermag.com/midnight-in-sweden-casale-wins-the- 2022-engineering-drone-video-of-the-year-competition/ Why Enter the 2024 EDVY Competition? First, let’s review why drones are so useful to the AEC industry: • They are great tools for saving time compared to traditional video and photography. • Drone footage can be used in marketing to create powerful messages about everything from goals to successes. • They combine the technical side of projects with the ability to tell a story that captures importance and scale. A great example of precision and storytelling can be seen in the EDVY 2021 winner here: https:// csengineermag.com/precision-and-storytelling-reid-hus-after-the- mudslide-wins-2021-engineering-drone-video-of-the-year/ When you share your drone stories with others, you’re not just tooting your own horn–you’re sharing knowledge and giving ideas to others to help elevate the industry as a whole. So, are you ready to show us what you’ve got? Enter the 2024 EDVY competition here
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Structures
Elevating Education: the E.S. Witchger School of Engineering
By Luke Carothers
The new E. S. Witchger School of Engineering at Marian University is remarkable not only for its state-of-the-art design, but also for its purpose in addressing the ongoing challenges of recruiting talented students to the fields of engineering and advanced manufacturing. Located in Indianapolis, Ind., Marian University is ranked as a top 30 university in the Midwest, and the addition of the E. S. Witchger School of Engineering will provide engineering students with the ability to work and learn in cutting-edge labs, high-tech classrooms, and collaborative learning spaces. The task of creating such rich learning environments fell on the Engineer-of-Record Schmidt Associates. The result was an innovative structure that was able to provide these rich and comfortable learning environments in a manner that is highly energy-efficient. According to Eric Broemel, principal-in-charge of Engineering at Schmidt Associates, they got involved early in the project to handle mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design, working with Design Architect Perkins & Will who were tasked with creating the overall vision for the building. As part of the building’s unique design and function, Broemel points out its dual purpose as having both office and lab spaces. The E. S. Witchger School of Engineering is equipped with laboratory-grade air handling systems that feature hydronic energy recovery loops–an innovative technology that efficiently recovers heating and cooling. In turn, this contributes to reduced energy consumption and leads to an eco-friendlier environment. Within the office portions of the structure, there is a low-temperature air distribution system that conserves energy and enhances thermal comfort for their occupants. From an HVAC design perspective, having both spaces function within the same building, while being highly energy-efficient, represents a unique deployment of structural design and budgeting. Broemel states that the building was designed during the early days of the COVID- 19 pandemic, at which time, the price of steel was “exponentially expensive.” As a response, structural engineers from CE Solutions and Architect-of Record Browning Day proposed using a post-tension concrete structural system for the building. This decision alleviated budgeting concerns for the project and created the need for higher coordination and communication between the project teams. For example, the parts of the building that house lab spaces require additional support systems such as higher-end plumbing.
Kyle Vice, who was responsible for the plumbing design and coordination, says designing a high-end plumbing system for a post-tension concrete structure begins with taking every piece of the system into account–conduits, pipes, supply lines, return lines, etc. Additionally, most of the lab spaces are outfitted with island fixtures, which forced them to construct the system from below with the control system on the floor above. Vice says that designing such a system in a post-tensioned structure requires more detail and design as opposed to a steel building.” The result of this detailed design and collaborative communication is a structure that features specialized plumbing systems outfitted with vacuum, natural gas, and compressed central air systems tailored to its cutting-edge laboratories' specific needs. The newly constructed E. S. Witchger School of Engineering will have a significant positive impact on engineering education at the school– both providing an exceptional learning environment and setting a new standard for sustainable building practices. Broemel says that, in addition to being an aesthetically pleasing space, students will be able to interact with and learn from systems located in the building that are easily accessible, physically, including the main boiler room and rooftop equipment area. This allows students to gain hands-on experience learning about energy efficiency, digital control systems, and sustainable HVAC practices. Broemel believes that projects like this are important for the AEC industry moving forward by providing examples and spaces for engineering students to learn in and from, more will be inspired to start their careers in the mechanical and structural engineering fields. The E. S. Witchger School of Engineering places the concept of experiential learning at its core, which is evident through things like innovative lab design. The facility gives students the opportunity to engage in real-world simulations by utilizing the latest equipment including wind tunnels, diesel engines, and material testing labs among others. This immersive education experience allows students to foster a deeper understanding of their field of study, and their exposure to the latest practices empowers them to become problem-solvers. This project serves to bridge the gap between academia, industry, and the community–providing an example of how engineering education can be changed and elevated.
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Structures
Mass Timber Supporting Groundbreaking Architectural Design: Wisdome Stockholm
By Luke Carothers
of less than 1-mm. To create the “double curved” lumber beams that would support the structure, Stora Enso’s team first produced a flat material using spruce lumber, which was then twisted to create the necessary freeform shape. These unique wooden beams are held in place by specialized wooden dowels and screws to create the structure’s shell. Szyber points out that, while similar structures exist made of steel or glue laminate, the decision to use LVL makes it the first-of-its- kind. The structure’s dome is composed of 277 unique triangles made from CLT produced at Stora Enso’s Gruvon site in Sweden. Szyber notes the particular challenges of creating a structure that hasn’t been made before, pointing out that the team had to rely on “innovative approaches from design to fabrication to assembly." Adding an additional challenge to the project, the bending and twisting of the LVL timber structural beams was done on-site. With timber materials being bent on-site, the teams had to not only ensure the beams retained their structural integrity but also that the precut holes lined up after the material changed shape. To overcome this challenge, the teams working on the project turned to technology–specifically parametric planning and 3D mapping to support the roof’s construction. These tools were particularly useful in creating accurate digital representations of the ongoing work, which, according to Szyber, proved crucial in ensuring the successful assembly of the structure’s grid shell. To successfully construct the Wisdome’s structure, the final parametric model had almost 11,000 components. The 24 pillars surrounding the Wisdome’s structure are made from a hybrid material of steel and
Located in Stockholm, the Wisdome is a groundbreaking structure that pushes the boundaries of wooden architectural design. The project transformed a 1,325-square-meter space within the courtyard at Sweden’s National Museum of Science & Technology to serve as a center for lifelong learning and civic engagement. The space represents a new scientific experiential arena–encompassing a wooden architectural design to create a massive arch-shaped room. The concept for the Wisdome began in 2019 with a design for a free form timber grid structure constructed of five crossing layers with a maximum length of 47 meters. According to Jessika Szyber, Business Development Manager for Stora Enso, this unique wooden structural design necessitated the use of innovative construction methods such as bending and twisting laminated veneer lumber beams. Szyber and Stora Enso have been involved in the project since its inception– providing lumber materials and working closely with the design and construction of the structure. The wood used in the LVL (laminated veneer lumber) and CLT (cross-laminated timber) for the structural elements was sourced from sustainably managed, certified forests in Sweden and Finland, storing a total of 1,178 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Wisdome Stockholm’s groundbreaking design features a checkerboard- construction roof composed of 25 layers of 31-mm thick beams, which utilizes 20-km of precision-shaped LVL beams. These beams were precisely assembled on-site, achieving a remarkable margin of error
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LVL. Szyber says that early considerations were to use concrete for the pillars, but the team opted to test a new design which didn’t exist at the time. The team designed large re-glued LVL pillars reinforced by steel components. The innovative use of mass timber products to construct the Wisdome represents a step towards sustainability in both material and efficiency. Sustainability sourced mass timber materials–like those sourced from Sweden and Finland for this project–represent a renewable option over materials like concrete or steel. Additionally, Szyber points out that the efficiency with which mass timber projects are constructed represents another crucial step in moving towards a more sustainable industry. Even relatively complex projects, such as the Wisdome, can be constructed efficiently due to fabrication and on-site assembly. This efficient, quick assembly process reduces waste and energy consumption by, among other things, reducing a project’s overall timeline. For the Wisdome project, the total construction time was one year and 10 months. Of this time, the installation of the dome’s superstructure, which contained more than 300 separate pieces, took only four weeks. Furthermore, the time to construct the surrounding pillars and the grid shell roof was around 13 weeks. Szyber points out that mass timber projects, if planned well, often have shorter project times and this improves the return on investment (ROI). Furthermore, for the Wisdome, the delivery of mass timber materials as flat panels resulted in having to use fewer trucks to transport materials to the site while also producing almost no material waste. By handling materials in the factory beforehand, less energy was required to dry them on-site and all this adds on the sustainable aspect in the project. Wisdome Stockholm officially opened to the public in December of 2023. Inside the unique architectural structure and deeper within the dome, museum visitors are completely surrounded by 3D projections– sourced from six laser projectors in 8K resolution. This stunning blend of immersive technology and daring architectural design allows visitors to explore open worlds.
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Structures
The Transformation of University Hall at the University of Alabama Housing the Future within the Past:
By Luke Carothers
Photo Credit: Provost Studios
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As new technologies emerge and advance, schools and universities across the United States are looking to modernize their educational facilities to support things like e-learning as a way to provide world- class experiences for students. By upgrading facilities with the latest technologies, universities are better equipped to provide educational opportunities for their current and prospective students. A recent example of this took place at the University of Alabama with their new home for the College of Continuing Studies. The facility is part of the rebuild of a hospital built in 1938, which was demolished down to the concrete structure and rebuilt. This two-year project resulted in a new video production facility equipped with state-of-the-art features–including two webcast studios–that support the University’s e-learning initiative. The entire 100,000-square-foot renovation project was focused on transforming the existing historic University Hall campus building into a new home for the College of Continuing Studies. To complete this transformation, the University of Alabama partnered with Provost Studio to create a studio optimized for remote learning–one that would support multiple presentation configurations that could easily be operated by both skilled and beginner staff. This cutting-edge studio would be housed in a structure built in 1938 that served as the Women’s Reception Building, meant to cater to patients at Bryce Hospital. Peter Provost, President & Director of Design for Provost Studio, says that the structure “underwent a dramatic transformation” in bringing the University of Alabama’s e-learning program into the 21st century. The first step in transforming the structure was tearing the existing University Hall down to its concrete framework. Working from the original structure’s concrete framework, Provost Studios was able to create two cutting-edge webcast studios with each featuring an advanced control room. With the structure completed, Provost says these two studios, “now serve as the cornerstone of the University’s ambitious virtual instruction endeavor.” The project spanned over two years, in which time the University demonstrated their commitment to embracing modern education– setting an example for how other academic institutions can adapt to learning in the digital age. Provost Studio collaborated with Williams Blackstock Architects and Bailey-Harris Construction, which were tasked to overhaul the 100,000-square foot hospital building–from mechanical, electrical, plumbing and life-safety systems to external enhancements that encompassed the replacement of the roof and windows to the restoration of the building’s iconic dome. During the two-year project timeline, the teams transforming the structure had to contend with a number of issues such as structural challenges from age and space constraints due to the project’s proximity to campus traffic. One of the major challenges stemmed from the site’s adjacency to a main campus entry point, which introduced noise via the major pedestrian thoroughfare and a dumpster pickup spot. To tackle this acoustic challenge, Provost and his team went on a walkthrough at the same time as the architecture and engineering team. This
Photo Credit: Provost Studios
Photo Credit: Provost Studios
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collaborative walkthrough allowed all teams working on the project to understand the challenges they were facing from the start, which, according to Provost, “ensured that we were able to address issues early and provide solutions.” This early collaboration proved fruitful, and the two hubs–the architecture and engineering base building team and the broadcast video production team–”communicated constantly to ensure everyone was on the same page.” Ultimately, this level of coordination made the project team more nimble, enabling them to meet the University’s three ultimate requests: flexibility, versatility, and ease of set up. The new facility needed a high level of flexibility to deliver various forms of content from spaces that can be transformed quickly and easily. In the two years the project took–from concept to deliver–Provost says the process was highly collaborative, which allowed time to showcase the University commitment to embracing modern education modalities. Moving forward, Provost believes this can be used by universities across the country to adapt to the new wave of learning in the digital age. By working in close partnership with the architectural, engineering, and construction teams, Provost says they were able to ensure the provision of “optimal infrastructure” to accommodate the studio’s dynamic programming. This collaborative work included regular meetings, numerous site visits, and providing user training when the studio was in rehearsals, ensuring that everything met client satisfaction. Provost says, “from conceptual design and scope definition to finalizing the facility for use and post-production activities, we put careful consideration around the foundational building systems, including the HVAC, electrical layouts, and acoustics that were needed to support the new studios.” Provost Studio also worked with Widmer Designs for lighting design, Innovative Environments for scene fabrication, and SH Acoustics to fine-tune the studio’s acoustic performance. The new studios are designed with the intent of giving faculty a toolbox for innovation, and were designed to accommodate hybrid learning environments and make college programs easily accessible from home. By equipping educators with advanced audio and video capabilities, they can develop a curriculum in a variety of formats including video conferencing, online video-streamed classes, and interactive study. Provost says this system was created to be easily operated by skilled and beginner staff and comes equipped with movable scenery, roll-down graphic backdrops, and wall-mounted push-button stations that enable the operation of different lighting positions. The flexibility of the spaces allows staff to adapt their content to different needs. Provost points out that the multiple camera angles and configurations make it more akin to an engaging cooking show rather than classroom content.
Before
Photo Credit: Provost Studios
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After
Photo Credit: Provost Studios
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Structures
UCSD’s New Campus Gateway
The Pepper Canyon West Project
By Luke Carothers
The University of California San Diego’s Pepper Canyon West, a student housing project marking a new entrance to the campus, is slated to open in August 2024. The project is located on a six-acre site which houses two C-shaped buildings with prominent towers capable of housing a total of 1,304 upper-division students. On the ground level, these buildings contain retail and student amenity spaces that are purposefully designed to create an active, vibrant urban atmosphere. UCSD’s Pepper Canyon West Project began in 2018 when the RFP was issued as a progressive design-build package. Perkins & Will ultimately won the project, partnering with Clark Construction to create a winning design for the project. Ryan Bussard, Design Director for Perkins & Will’s Seattle and San Diego studios, says that winning the project and going through a few design iterations, the Pepper Canyon West project was paused in 2020 with the outbreak of COVID-19. Bussard says the team used this time to work on the design’s efficiency as it relates to UC’s overall goal of providing on-campus housing for students that is more affordable than off-campus housing in places like San Diego. For Bussard and his team, this meant maximizing the number of beds, which provided a challenge in designing apartment-
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style housing for upper-division students. Targeting transfer students and other upper-division students, the design had to compete with similar style apartments found in off-campus housing. The project was redesigned and resumed in the Fall of 2021 as students were returning to campus, thus resuming the need for student housing. According to Bussard, the redesigned structure features “two spiral forms that have lower scale potential urban blocks for student housing, [ranging] anywhere from four to six stories.” This design “grounds the building site” and creates courtyards with the buildings spiraling up to towers, which are 22 and 23 stories tall. This arrangement creates multiple courtyards in which students can spend time and enjoy common space. The design also features stepped massing, and exterior design inspired by the nearby canyon as well as an expansive glass curtain wall. UCSD’s Pepper Canyon West project has a unique design in response to its position adjacent to a new pedestrian gateway for the university. Two of the area’s public transit options–the light rail trolley (LRT) and commuter shuttle for the buses–have stops at this site on the campus’ east side, which, prior to these recent developments, had been largely undefined. With the area defined as a campus transit hub, the goal was to extend the campus’ pedestrian mall–Rupertus Walk–to meet the LRT station. In doing so, the campus maintained the goal of creating a diverse neighborhood, and one of the main goals for the Pepper Canyon West project was to respond to the area’s diverse context and complete the budding neighborhood. Another aspect of the Pepper Canyon West Project was redesigning the eponymous park at the LRT station’s base. Running alongside the project is Pepper Canyon Park, which rests in a type of canyon/arroyos common throughout the San Diego area. The park was disturbed during the construction of the LRT
station, and Perkins & Will was tasked with redesigning it. According to Bussard, their goal in doing so was to fit the redesigned park within the urban, campus context while incorporating traditional landscaping. The new project’s spiral forms along with its building site allowed for the construction of multiple courtyards which provides ample space for students to hang out in. The goal in creating this design was to take advantage of San Diego’s weather by pushing programs from the inside out, which also allows for the structure to transition from high- rise housing to contextual buildings that wrap and meet the edges of the building site. Earlier design versions create dense arrangements that disrupted the ability to create meaningful outdoor spaces, and Brussard notes the particular challenge in altering the design to create a space that not only has interesting gateways and campus context but also one that features “pools of daylight and beautiful landscaping zones that students will want to use.” Bussard says there was a desire to create a space that was “fairly dynamic” and sought to create a stronger sense of expression within the apartment units. To do so, they began looking at the typologies of these units in an effort to standardize them. Using five or six base unit types, the team extrapolated to multiple versions depending on the conditions. Bussard notes that this process of standardizing units helped them achieve equity in terms of students having a similar, collective experience while occupying the building. Like with other areas of the building, the design started from the inside out, which benefited the architectural design by allowing the team to “think carefully and strategically about where community spaces like lounges and outdoor terraces would be constructed in the building.”
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