| News for and about the civil engineering community |  |
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| Infrastructure Watch | | |
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- Raising public awareness about infrastructure in U.S.
The public must be made aware of the necessity of investing in infrastructure, and to understand that it is an investment, not just a debt, say advocates. "We have to emphasize that [the funding] problem is solvable," said Peter Vanderzee, founder of LifeSpan Technologies, a bridge-sensor firm. "Leaving our next generation with debt but with good infrastructure is preferable to it being the other way around," said Robert Dennison, former New York State Department of Transportation chief engineer. Engineering News-Record
(9/19)     
- "Unpopular" ways to help raise funds for transportation infrastructure
Local governments are looking for ways to generate funds for road repairs and improvements. In California's San Francisco Bay area, for instance, a measure has been proposed to force drivers to pay a tax on vehicle miles driven to help change their driving habits. In Alameda County, Calif., lawmakers have proposed to make a half-cent sales tax permanent. Several counties in the U.S. have used the sales tax approach. "While tax increases and initiatives such as the [vehicle-miles traveled] may be unpopular, hard times demand bold measures, and local governments need to fund more of their own infrastructure," Mark Posson writes. The Green Tie blog
(9/19)
| Trends & Technology | | |
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- Tech program for capital improvement projects management
Comprehensive systems are now being used by more organizations to help them budget, plan, and manage construction projects. Kansas City, Mo., for instance, is using a technology from e-Builder as a single, citywide solution for its capital improvement projects. The system will also be used for the submission and approval of electronic documents. Constructech (free registration)
(9/18)
| Sustainable Development | | |
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- A look at 5 of the most sustainable sports stadiums in the world
Sports stadiums are now being designed and built with sustainable practices in mind. This piece looks at five of the world's most sustainable stadiums that incorporate different approaches such as the use of state-of-the-art engineering and advanced cladding in roofs, installation of solar panels and green roofs and application of conservation and recycling measures. Green Building Elements
(9/18)
- Green certification program launched for small commercial buildings
A new green building program has been launched by the Earth Advantage Institute that seeks to certify new or retrofitted small commercial buildings. The Earth Advantage Commercial has three certification levels -- silver, gold and platinum -- with five categories that are judged. The program intends to be more affordable than the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification program, according to this piece. SustainableBusinessOregon.com
(9/17)
| Advancing the Profession | | |
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- Are you trying to break up your team?
Bad leadership is all about killing teamwork as quickly and thoroughly as possible, writes Mark Chew. Pick fights, foment discord, refuse to share information, make promises you can't keep and be as hypocritical as you can manage, Chew advises. "While this is not an exhaustive list, experience has shown that these five tactics will surely help to kill your team." SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership
(9/18)
| News from ASCE | | |
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Come to ASCE Week in Orlando and save $400 or more on seminars
Earn as many as 28 PDHs in one week by participating in ASCE's most popular, state-of-the-practice, Face-to-Face Seminars in one convenient location. Take part in ASCE Week, coming to Orlando, Fla., Nov. 5-9, featuring a selection of live seminars in a variety of engineering disciplines. Among the programs: a behind-the-scenes tour of Disney’s underground utility system, Utilidors, which earns 5 PDHs. Sign up now for ASCE Week, and learn how you can save $400 or more with special registration discounts. Go to www.asce.org/asceweek.
| Editor's Note | | |
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Check updates about the AEC sector throughout the day via Twitter
Don't settle for just a once-a-day dose of ASCE SmartBrief. Follow @SB_AEC on Twitter and get great architecture, construction and engineering stories all day long.
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