I was flipping around the cable channels a while back and happened across a show about “The Flying Wallendas.” I had heard of the Wallendas as a kid, but I didn’t realize they had been performing since the late 1700s, a remarkable seven generations.…
Managing the Model: Why Do A/E Firms Hate BIM?
It’s possible that “hate” in this column’s title is too strong a sentiment—perhaps “have indifference toward BIM” is more appropriate. I…
Executive Corner: Five Takeaways on 2015 A/E M&A Activity
Fueled by cheap debt, a restless and activist investor climate, and a desire to accelerate growth through economies of scale and efficiencies, global…
Infrastructure Outlook: Radar Tomography Provides an Underground Point Cloud
By Andrew D. Lund, GISP Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was first patented in 1904 by Dr. Christian Hülsmeyer, a German scientist. It wasn’t until the 1970s, however, that GPR became a widely used tool for underground (or under-ice) surveying. Since then,…
Repurposing Buildings and Urban Infrastructure for a Smarter City
The smart city has many emerging definitions and the concept is touted to be the one, that will shape cities of future. All ‘smart city’ definitions encompass the idea of a sustainable, livable, intelligent and green city with continued economic growth…
Infrastructure Outlook: Smart Cities–Guided by People, Powered by Information
A key characteristic of a smart city is the ability to make effective connections among its citizens, assets and services. The smart city does this by using technology to support and improve the interaction among people and government. In doing so, a city…
Executive Corner: Emerging Risk Trends and Best- Practices Management for A/E Firms
Understanding professional liability and managing risk is an important aspect of all A/E business plans. For this installment of “Executive Corner,” Russ Ryan, principal at Rusk O’Brien Gido + Partners (e-mail: rryan@rog-partners.com), interviews Michael…
Structural Solutions: Add True Value to Command Fees You Deserve
Many years ago, I left the security of the engineering firm I worked for right out of school and ventured out on my own. If you had asked me when I was hired after graduate school, I thought I would retire at that company. But that wasn’t the case, as I…
Environmental Considerations: A Proactive Approach to Site Revegetation
On construction projects worldwide, post-construction site stabilization often is an afterthought. With constant increases in water-quality laws and regulations—and the effect of stormwater pollution on the environment—it’s becoming more important to…
Managing the Model: You Live in the Future, Why Don’t You Work There?
At the end of summer 2015, I was at a family reunion in central Illinois. As I stood chatting with relatives in my uncle’s backyard, my brother-in-law walked up, took a golf-ball-sized speaker out of his pocket and said, “play some music.” I had never…
