Engineering Inc. - September/October 2007 - (Page 14) pRojECt oWNERs RouNDtAblE Vision, Communication And Safety Are Paramount William Holley Chief Engineer Executives from private organizations and public-sector agencies say that when procuring engineering services, they look for engineering firms that are open to alternative delivery methods, capable of communicating effectively with a range of stakeholders—from contractors to community members—and vigilant about growing environment and safety concerns. Public Buildings Service U.S. General Services Administration Washington, D.C. What are the priorities of your project team on topics such as project safety, design, construction and operation? Kurt Corey City of Eugene Eugene, Ore. A Director of public Works What are your near- and longterm predictions for engineering needs in your market sector? W ith the documented industry shortage of engineers, our aging public infrastructure and chronic funding shortfalls for transportation, water and wastewater and other public facilities, opportunities to provide engineering services will almost certainly be on a positive growth curve into the foreseeable future. In addition to the need for basic services, the public market sector will also likely place a premium on innovative and sustainable solutions in an effort to stretch its available resources as well as to demonstrate its commitment to environmental stewardship. s the chief engineer for GSA’s Public Buildings Service (PBS), it is my responsibility to address the following priorities for 9,724 active assets in our inventory. Through the feedback from regional HVAC advocates and conducting post-occupancy evaluations, we seek to improve PBS building operations standards in order to reduce operation and maintenance costs resulting from an increase in energy use. In terms of construction, our priorities are to strengthen the project planning and delivery phases of our capital construction program by leveraging private-sector expertise through the Construction Excellence Program of PBS. Regarding safety, we want to continue to provide expert guidance on the vulnerability of blast glass fragmentation and/or progressive building collapse in the security design criteria of the Interagency Security Committee. And in the area of design, we aim to enhance the leadership reputation of PBS Design Excellence by promoting the integration of HVAC sustainable design so all federal buildings in our portfolio are functional, efficient and dignified. 14 ENGINEERING INC. sEptEmbER / oCtobER 2007
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