Consulting-Specifying Engineer - October 2007 - (Page 13)

In The News NEWS AND TRENDS California conquers summer heat Briefly • The RSMeans national construction cost index for the UnitedStatesrecordeditslowest year-over-year increase (+4.6%) in three-and-a-half years, dating back to January 2004 (+2.4%). During the intervening period, the largest year-over-year price jump (+10.5%) occurred in January 2005. Despite a slowdown in September, consolidation in the AEC industry approached record levels over the past three months, according to Morrissey Goodale LLC, Newton, Mass. The 47 transactions in the third quarter brought the year-to-date total to 153, just shy of last year’s record of 163. The U.S. General Services Administration and Bentley Systems, Exton, Pa., announced the latter’s collaboration on the development of “The Building Information Modeling (BIM) Guide Series 02 - Spatial Validation Program.” Private nonresidential construction increased in August, according to analysts at Global Insight, Lexington, Mass., distributed across several categories: lodging was up 65%, offices up 15%, commercial up 14%, and educational up 35%. FOR MORE NEWS STORIES C • alifornia suffered a heat wave in late ages only occurred at local levels and were August and early September, but unlike caused by power distribution systems, not by in the days of the California Energy Cri- the transmission system. sis of 2000 and 2001, there was no need for rollBy the third day, with cooler temperatures ing blackouts. The California in Northern California, the Independent System Operastatewide power grid was Californians reduced tor (ISO), which operates the in good shape. electrical demand by state’s electrical grid, credited At no time during the 1,000 MW on one day. heat wave was there an energy consumers with averting a crisis through their elecimminent threat of a Stage trical conservation efforts. Officials with the Three electrical emergency—rotating blackCalifornia ISO estimate that on Aug. 30, Caliouts—on the high-voltage grid, said California fornians reduced their electrical demand by ISO officials. about 1,000 MW, helping to avoid overtaxing California’s power crunch this past summer the state’s transmission grid. was caused by a heat wave that affected much The next day saw a peak demand of 48,615 of the Southwest, reducing power imports into MW, the highest demand for power of the sumthe state. In addition, the previous winter was mer, but the ISO was able to meet the demand dry, reducing summer hydropower generation with sufficient operating reserves. Power outby about 1,000 MW. Plan for eWeek Future City Chicago is looking for an early start on the National Engineers Week Future City contest. Don Wittmer, regional coordinator for the Chicago Future City program, is asking Chicago area engineers and teachers to start planning. The nationwide contest asks seventh and eighth grade students to design on a computer and build a 3-D model of their visions of the cities of tomorrow. This competition has taken place for the past 15 years during eWeek. Students will compete in the regional finals in January at the University of Illinois-Chicago. The area’s first place team wins a trip to Washington, D.C., for the national competition to be held during eWeek, Feb. 17 to Feb. 23. Last year, more than 30,000 students from 1,000 schools in 34 regions participated in the Future City competition. Contact Wittmer at 312-930-9119 or dwittmer@hntb.com for more details. Events November - December 2007 • 11/7 - 11/9 Greenbuild International Conference & Expo www.greenbuildexpo.org Chicago 12/10 - 12/13 EcoBuild Fall www.ecobuildfall.com Washington, D.C. • 12/11 - 12/13 Power-Gen International pgi07.events.pennnet.com New Orleans For a complete listing of events go to www.csemag.com and click Events. GO TO: CSEMAG.COM Consulting-Specifying Engineer • OCTOBER, 2007 13 http://www.greenbuildexpo.org http://www.ecobuildfall.com http://pgi07.events.pennnet.com http://www.csemag.com http://www.csemag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Consulting-Specifying Engineer - October 2007

Consulting-Specifying Engineer - October 2007 Contents On the Web In the News M/E Roundtable How To Beat the Energy Codes Professional Practices Codes & Standards A Capital Job on Engineered Buiding Systems Going Green in Data Centers Overcurrent Protection: Fuses or Breakers? Third-Party Liability Management Report New Products Product Spotlight Jobs/Classifieds Specifier's Notebook

Consulting-Specifying Engineer - October 2007

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