Engineering Influence from ACEC

In a concerning discovery, cities across the US are steadily sinking due to practices such as groundwater extraction, oil extraction, and fracking, exacerbating the impacts of sea-level rise. This article, which originally ran in Engineering, Inc., delves into the severity of the situation, highlighting how a considerable number of American and global cities, housing 10s of millions of people, are dropping at an alarming rate every year. Land subsidence – the sinking of ground level – is largely irreversible and carries serious repercussions, including increased flood risk and potential relocation of affected communities. As experts emphasize, the primary culprit is the over-extraction of groundwater, which is responsible for more than 80% of U.S. land subsidence occurrences. Despite elemental damages like floods, earthquakes, or landslides being resolvable over time, loss of elevation due to land subsidence is permanent and difficult to notice until it's too late. Therefore, it's vital to comprehend that land subsidence amplifies all other environmental impacts, including relative sea level rise, essentially characterizing the intersections of sinking land and rising seas. Though land subsidence can't be reversed, stabilization is possible through processes like managed aquifer recharge. Some cities are already testing such solutions with the hope to slow down and stabilize ground subsidence. Nonetheless, considering the increased storm surges and rainfall, the real challenge is to rethink how cities use stormwater to naturally replenish groundwater resources, which currently is not the case in most urban areas. Plans to effectively manage stormwater and allow it to seep back into the ground to recharge groundwater reserves are discussed. However, the graveness of the issue also extends to climate gentrification. With the rising sea levels and decreasing land, neighborhoods sitting above sea levels are becoming prime real estate, forcing locals out. Experts advocate for infrastructure with multiple functional benefits and a balanced approach that takes into account all members of the community. As cities sink and sea levels rise, engineers are called to action to ensure sustainable futures and reevaluate the relationship between the built environment and nature.

Contact Diana Alexander at dalexander@acec.org to join the BDM community. Registration for the BDM Forum will open on 3-20-24:  https://www.acec.org/member-center/get-involved/forums/business-development-marketing-forum/ Register for the 5/1 Market Briefing:  https://education.acec.org/diweb/catalog/item?id=14439812 Register for the 2024 Annual Convention and Legislative Summit:  https://netforum.acec.org/eWeb/DynamicPage.aspx?WebCode=DVLXRegProcEvent&evtKey=B3616C5E-FB9A-411D-ACC0-1B5C791E5573 Join Diana Alexander, the Director of Private Market Resources for the American Council of Engineering Companies, in this episode of the 'Engineering Influence' podcast, as she provides an anticipatory glance at the upcoming third annual Business Development and Marketing Forum. Learn why the forum serves as the perfect platform for networking and understanding the latest trends that are shaking up the business and marketing industries. Listen about what's new for this year, including the shift of the annual meeting to fall, an increase in available seats to up to 100, and a three-day format that includes a series of insightful sessions featuring industry experts. Gain knowledge about the exciting array of attendees and the invaluable experience they bring to the forum, from CEOs and Vice Presidents to Marketing Directors and Client Service Managers. Delve into a detailed schedule of the daily event, including keynote talks about the current state of AI in the AEC, proposal creation, go-no-go processes and more. Get a sneak peek into the ‘Thought Leadership’ panel and meet the eminent personalities that will share their esteemed perspectives on key topics such as AI integration, digital marketing, and talent retention. The forum promises a packed agenda with enlightening speaker sessions and interactive panels, all with a view to helping you and your firm grow. This podcast episode also highlights two upcoming events, capturing the themes of Adaptive Reuse in the office sector and a local D.C. Developer panel at Land Development Coalition Roundtable. As listeners eagerly anticipate these occasions, this podcast provides both the practical information and exciting teaser of what's in store. Press play and get all the details you need about ACEC Business Development and Marketing Forum in this comprehensive preview. To always stay updated, be sure to like and subscribe. Prepare to be inspired and empowered!  

The latest episode of the Engineering Influence Podcast, produced by the American Council of Engineering Companies, highlights the Q1 2024 Engineering Business Sentiment Study from the ACEC Research Institute. Download the new report here: https://programs.acec.org/impact-report-21/. The report indicates an upbeat start to 2024 with a significant positive US economic sentiment. Recession fears have eased, and robust macroeconomic indicators, such as high GDP and low unemployment rates, reinforce the optimistic industry outlook. However, political uncertainty around election year remains a significant worry for future expectations. The episode delves into the appetite for infrastructure work and the recovery signs in the Commercial Real Estate sector. It also highlights hiring challenges currently dampening industry expansion but indicates increased hiring anticipation amongst firms. A lack of sufficient workers, however, is driving firms to reject business offers and calls for immediate solutions. The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a potential solution to labor shortage also gets spotlighted in this episode. With a significant number of firms using or developing AI strategies, the overall sentiment is positive about the impact of AI in the year ahead. Lastly, the episode discusses the importance of effective forecasting and modeling, using a decade’s worth of data. Despite workforce concerns, other indicators suggest a shift towards positivity in the economy, providing a promising glimpse into what lies ahead in the engineering industry.

We sat down with Adam Jones, ACEC SC Executive Director, and incoming NAECE President on what he expects to accomplish during his tenure in the position.

The Engineering Influence Podcast from ACEC National is thrilled to announce a new series called "Market Briefings for Engineers." Scheduled to be launched online on February 21st, this series was crafted after thoughtful feedback from our engaged member community. We designed it to provide relevant market intelligence, focusing on significant trends, legislation, and opportunities impacting today's markets. Register for our first event here: https://www.acec.org/event/market-briefings-the-growing-energy-market/  The Market Briefings Engineers will delve into crucial areas like vertical infrastructure, construction spending, AE revenues, and more, all the while offering expert interviews, insight into our industry, and comprehensive five-year forecasts. Our series aims to deliver valuable insider intel, zeroing in on growth markets using data derived from extensive ACEC research. We will explore major growth areas anticipated for the next five years, including energy, office, healthcare and life sciences, data centers, and telecommunications. Our inaugural session on February 21st will discuss trending topics in the energy market, including renewable alternatives, power plant development, and more. Future sessions will cover topics such as adaptive reuse, trends in healthcare and life sciences, and the growth of data centers and telecommunications. Each session is expertly curated to deliver information about robust market sectors by presenting panels of clients, developers, and industry experts. We aim to benefit our members by highlighting opportunities, trends, and areas set for growth. To further the cause, we also plan to offer recordings of each session so that you can catch up whenever you want. We encourage you to join us on this enlightening journey and look forward to your participation this year. If you need more information, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly.

We sat down with our Board Chair Jay Wolverton to catch up on a busy year of activity at ACEC.  We discussed the results of the recent Executive Committee meeting, the work of the new workforce committee and more.  

John A. Rathke, PE, SE, FACEC – Wisconsin Vice President and Principal, Mead & Hunt, Inc. Chair-Elect, 2024-2025, Chair 2025-2026 John Rathke is a Vice President and Principal at Mead & Hunt, Inc., in Wisconsin. He completed his term as Vice Chair on the ACEC Executive Committee at the Annual Convention in June 2023. John was previously inducted into the College of Fellows in 2019. He has served on the Planning Cabinet from 2021 to 2023, responsible for determining metrics to measure progress in achieving the ACEC Strategic Plan Goals and to explore whether ACEC is devoting enough resources to the water and energy markets. The latter ultimately resulted in the forming of a new Energy Committee to focus on the engineering business of the energy market. John is active on ACEC’s Transportation Committee and Risk Management Committee. He has served as National Director and ACEC/Wisconsin Chair-Elect, Chairman of the Board, and Nominating Committee Chair. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Platteville.

We sat down with Gresham Smith's Rodney Chester, Chair of the ACEC Workforce Committee, to discuss his plans for the new group.

James P. Hoffman, PE, LEED AP O+M, CEM – Metropolitan Washington President, Summer Consultants, Inc. Vice Chair (2024-2026) Jim Hoffman is President of Summer Consultants, Inc., a small business providing mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering and commissioning services for designing government, institutional, and historic facility projects. Jim is a mechanical engineer with nearly 35 years of experience including heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, steam, plumbing, and automatic temperature control systems. He holds a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a Masters of Engineering Management from The George Washington University. Before joining Summer Consultants, Jim served as a combat engineer officer in the U.S. Army with the 317th Engineer Battalion from 1989 to 1992. In addition to his engineering credentials, Jim is a LEED accredited professional and a certified energy manager. He served as Chair of the ACEC Federal Agencies & Procurement Advocacy Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee of the ACEC Small Firm Coalition. He is also the Immediate Past Chair of ACEC Metropolitan Washington.

Gary W. Raba. leads organic and inorganic growth for Raba Kistner, Inc. (RK). Before taking this responsibility, Gary served as CEO of Raba Kistner, Inc. He has also served as COO of Raba-Kistner, Inc., and COO of a new startup division, Raba-Kistner Infrastructure, Inc. Gary was CEO during the 2018 sale of RK to private equity firm Crescent Capital of Brisbane, Australia, and served on the RK Executive Committee during the subsequent transaction to the Family Office of KIWA, Rijswijk, the Netherlands, in 2020. Gary has served in multiple board, committee, and volunteer roles for ACEC-Texas and ACEC National. Gary has been in engineering for 35 years and is licensed in several states.

Sean McCone, PE, CCM – Maryland Executive Vice President and Board Member at Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, Inc. Vice Chair (2024-2026) Sean McCone is an Executive Vice President and Board Member at Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, Inc. (JMT), an employee-owned firm, that provides a full range of multi-disciplined engineering, architectural, and related services. Sean serves as the Chief Strategy Officer, focusing on corporate strategy, particularly around technology, innovation, change management, and company-wide process improvement. He has over 27 years of experience in the industry. Sean received his Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. An active member of ACEC/MD, he has served on several committees, chairing the Legislative and CEPAC committees. In 2015, Sean was appointed by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to serve on the Task Force to Study Small and Minority Design Firm Participation in State Procurement. He is the current vice chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Committee for ACEC National. His numerous publications include an article in ASCE’s Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, and a textbook published by Prentice Hall on construction dispute resolution techniques. Outside of the engineering industry, he has held philanthropic volunteer and leadership positions at the Al Cesky Scholarship Fund, the 21St Century Education Foundation, ACE Mentor Program, Boy Scouts of America, Lake Shore Youth Baseball, March of Dimes, and GBMC Foundation

Peter Moore, PE, FACEC, F.ASCE, F.FES, LEED AP, ENV SP – Florida President and CEO of Chen Moore and Associates, Inc. Vice Chair (2024-2026) Peter Moore is the President and CEO of Chen Moore and Associates, Inc, a multi-disciplinary engineering firm headquartered in Florida. Peter started in the firm as a project engineer, and has served as President for 16 years, currently leading over 125 professionals. He has been the President or Board Chair of eight organizations, ranging from local leadership non-profits to service on the Executive Committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Peter has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Master of Engineering from the University of Florida. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Florida and holds certifications as a LEEP AP and ENV SP. Peter has been elected as a Fellow of ACEC, ASCE, and the Florida Engineering Society. Peter lives with his wife Karolynn and daughter Sofia in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Erica Jensen is the Vice President of CRW Engineering Group, based out of Anchorage, Alaska. CRW is a 100-employee, multi-discipline engineering and land surveying firm serving clients throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Erica previously served as Executive Director for ACEC Alaska and various board and national positions for professional and technical engineering organizations. Erica graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a BS in Civil Engineering, followed by an MS in Engineering Management.

Recently, the US Census released the results of its monthly Value of Construction Put in Place Survey. The survey provides estimates of the total dollar value of construction work done in the U.S. This data includes design and construction spending for public and private projects.   With an estimate of $2.05 trillion (seasonally adjusted) for November 2023, this is the 11th consecutive month where construction spending rose, beginning in December 2022.  Total Construction spending growth continues to be strong. Nominal values are still at all-time highs with 11.3% growth (seasonally adjusted).  MoM growth is 0.4%, a decrease from last month’s revised 1.2%  Spending growth continues to vary by project classification  Year to Date spending growth on Public Construction projects is significantly higher at 14.6% compared to Private Construction at 3.9%  Source: US Census Value of Construction Put in Place Survey January 2, 2024, release    Nonresidential spending continues to have larger share of total construction spending since crossover in September 2022 though is plateauing  Nonresidential project classifications grew at 18.1% YOY, a decrease from last month’s 20.0%  Total nonresidential saw a decline in MoM growth at -0.1% compared to last month’s 0.1%    Residential spending continues upward growth from April 2023 low  November was the second month in 2023 with positive YoY growth at 3.7%  7th consecutive positive MoM growth at 1.2%  Source: US Census Value of Construction Put in Place Survey, January 2, 2024, release  We can point to fiscal policy and subsequent private investment in sectors like manufacturing, and wastewater as supporting these high growth levels, while the residential sector continues its rebound. Compared to previous month’s, the Total Power (up 10.2% YTD) & Total Public Safety (up 11.3% YTD) sectors continue to grow and are no longer “bottom” growth categories, spurred by increased Government spending in this category. 

We were joined on the podcast by experts in low carbon concrete including Dr. Peter Taylor P.E. (IL), FACI, Director, National Concrete Pavement Technology Center, Thomas Van Dam, Ph.D., P.E., FACI, Principal, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., and Eric Ferrebee, Senior Director of Technical Services at the American Concrete Pavement Association to preview their new upcoming online class on the applications of reduced carbon concrete. Construction project specifications are changing because of client requirements for low-carbon materials. Understanding and accepting the differences in materials is imperative to quality construction and engineering practices. These trends provide an opportunity for firms to provide expertise and consultation to achieve sustainable, resilient, and long-lasting results. To facilitate the transition, the Inflation Reduction Act provides over $5 billion in grant funding to be used for three new Federal Highway Administration programs, including Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grants. An anticipated $2 billion in funding is expected to be announced to support transportation programs. The online course begins on January 31st.  Registration information can be found here.   

Tim Groover will be leading ACEC's upcoming course titled: “Personal and Organizational Ethics: Charting a Values-Based Course to Authenticity and Trust." We sat down with Tim to discuss the importance of ethics in engineering and how his course will differ from others on the topic.

The ACEC Research Institute has released its first-ever Diversity Roadmap, the culmination of a six-month process designed to help member firms execute against their diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) goals. Launched in Summer 2023 and sponsored by the Zweig Group, the Roadmap is a comprehensive, data-driven tool that assesses the maturity of a firm’s DEIB program. Using these data, the tool then provides actionable suggestions on how firms can make further progress on their diversity journeys. In short, the tool doesn’t just tell firms how well they are doing. It tells them how they can do better. To participate in the Roadmap, firms were asked a series of questions about their practices and policies in a variety of areas: Workplace, Workforce, Marketplace, and Supplier/Community. Their answers to these individual areas were scored, then aggregated to produce a final score. Scores range from Aspiring (for firms at the earliest stages of building their DEIB disciplines) to Optimizing – firms that have robust strategic programs in place. In between are firms that are Emerging or Managing, signaling solid progress but outstanding work yet to be done. While most member firms are early in their DEIB journeys (80 percent scored as “Aspiring”), it is worth noting that nearly 200 ACEC member firms participated in the Roadmap initiative, which signals both a willingness and an appetite for creating diverse workspaces. And that appetite comes from the top of our firms. The data indicate that firm leaders show significant support for DEIB issues; the majority of responding firms have a CEO or president who articulates a commitment to these issues (68 percent always/often). This commitment can be seen in the numbers of firms that have initiatives for creating an inclusive work environment for all employees (68 percent) and in firms that have mechanisms in place for actively recruiting diverse candidates (64 percent). Nearly half (49 percent) are seeking to broaden awareness of DEIB topics, with 42 percent of firms reporting that they communicate the importance of these issues to their employees. While 24 percent of firms report having no DEIB initiatives, these firms’ participation in the Study would seem to signal at least some level of interest. And it’s not too late for firms that are interested in participating in the Roadmap but have not yet entered their data. The tool was closed for responses in advance of the ACEC Fall Conference but has been reopened and will stay open through the end of the year. If your firm would still like to participate, please contact institute@acec.org to receive your login information if you don’t have it. The deadline to submit 2022 data is Dec 31, 2023. Submitting by the end of the year will enable firms to benchmark year over year improvements when the tool opens back up for 2023 data collection in early Spring 2024.

Steve Hall, ACEC's Executive Vice President, joined the podcast to provide an update on what the Council's advocacy team is working on and what we're expecting for 2024.

"Winds of Change - How Climate Change is Impacting the Legal Standard of Care" orginially appeared in issue four of Engineering Inc, the magazine of the American Council of Engineering Companies.  For more information please visit www.acec.org. 

Last week, the ACEC Research Institute released its first-ever Diversity Roadmap Report on the state of DEI&B programs and practices at ACEC member firms. The Report offers a view of where we are as an industry on our DEI&B journey and, as its name implies, gives actionable suggestions on how firms can take the next steps that are right for them. We gave a brief preview of the Roadmap’s findings at our Fall Conference in Austin, where we shared that most of our firms’ DEI&B programs are still in their early stages. That’s an important metric, but it tells only part of the story. As Chair of ACEC’s DEI&B Committee, I keep hearing one recurring theme: “We know we need to do better. We just need more support.” And that is where the Roadmap comes in. Where there is a will, there is a way – and this Roadmap shows the way. A way for firms to see where they are (and to see they’re not alone in their progress) and how to move forward. A way to help our members build firms that attract talented candidates and enable them to thrive. A way to ensure that our industry is positioned to compete – and win – in a globalized and diverse marketplace. To borrow a line from Yogi Berra: “If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.” Our industry can’t afford to wind up someplace else. Not when we’re all in the recruitment and retention trenches, fighting for talent. Building the kind of diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve is more than just the “right thing to do.” And of course it is that, but it is so much more than that. Our industry has assumed a great deal of responsibility for our country’s continued progress and prosperity. We have been charged with building the future, and the more skills, backgrounds, and perspectives we can bring to our efforts, the better we all will be. There is still time to participate in the Roadmap and enter your 2022 data; the tool will close for responses on December 31. It will reopen in Spring 2024 to enter 2023 data. So if you don’t already have your login information, please email institute@acec.org and they will get you set up. Let’s close the year strong.