Archive Issue

Drip irrigation as a wastewater reclamation solution is coming full circle as engineers, developers, government decision makers and others charged with guarding our water resources seek practical, immediately deployable water conservation technologies.
  
Drip technology uses sub-surface irrigation to distribute large volumes of wastewater uniformly and in controlled application doses at the root level of vegetation. Not only does this controlled distribution prevent surfacing and run-off, but it also enhances nature's "bio-filter" to clean the wastewater, convert and consume .... READ MORE

This is a brief story of how archaeologists assisting the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) discovered an ancient prehistoric center in Bartow County whose Native American rulers and resident's participated in trade and exchange across eastern North America from about 300 BC to about AD 650. You would never know it now, but two millennia ago; the Leake Site (the final e is silent in Leake) was the location of a large community consisting of a village separated by a deep ditch from two earthen mounds. Nearby was a burial mound constructed .... READ MORE

Ask a typical teenager to describe an engineer, and more likely than not, the image will focus on someone, usually male, who designs and builds cars, bridges, buildings and the like. While the example is certainly valid, this narrow and outdated image is troubling on several levels.

First (and most obviously), we live in an increasingly diverse society where women and minorities make up the majority of college students. Female students are indeed flourishing in a few areas of engineering (industrial and biomedical engineering, for instance) and making slow but steady inroads into m.... READ MORE

Recognizing the importance of the shortage of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) graduates in the United States, Governor Sonny Perdue signed-off on the state budget for fiscal year 2009 that included $33.3 million for the construction of a new Engineering Technology Center (ETC) at Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU).  The ETC is a significant step forward to address the shortage of STEM educated professionals in the state as it will house five of SPSU's academic programs: electrical, computer, and telecommunications engineering technology, mechanical engin.... READ MORE

The green movement is improving the bottom line. Economic analyses strongly indicate that organizations with effective environmental management systems outperform more poorly rated counterparts in growth, revenue, profitability and employee satisfaction. The reasons are obvious: a well managed organization is able to anticipate and address change proactively.

Environmental Management Systems (EMS) are emerging as critical tools in successful green programs. A useful EMS is "alive." It constantly monitors activities, makes adjustments and fosters continual improvement. As a result.... READ MORE

Would you like to limit your exposure for professional liability to the amount of your contract fees?  In many states, design professionals can do just this under certain conditions.  In Georgia, however, the state Supreme Court for the first time examined and struck down a clause that would limit an engineer's liability to the amount of its contract fee.   
   
The Court found the broad sweep of the particular clause under examination to violate Georgia's public policy.  The Court, however, provided hints as to how a "limitation of liability" cla.... READ MORE

ACEC is leading a broad industry coalition to repeal an onerous three percent withholding man- date on government contracts. Scheduled to take effect in 2011, it would adversely impact almost all engineering firms contracting with federal, state, or local governments.
   
Can you imagine your government client withholding what could be your entire profit margin on your project? Or, for some smaller firms, your entire cash flow?
   
This issue first came to light when the House and Senate wrapped up negotiations on the Tax Increase Prevention and Reco.... READ MORE

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD) finalized the Streambank and Shoreline Stabilization Guidance in July 2007.  The guidance provides information on how to correct existing erosion problems and protect water quality in Georgia.  The guidance states that there are three levels of streambank and shoreline stabilization: non-structural ("preferred"), integrated ("acceptable"), and structural ("discouraged") stabilization methods.  The GAEPD can enforce the stabilization methods through the Georgia Stream Buffer Variance (SBV) permit process.  Any land distur.... READ MORE

When Kimley-Horn began in 1967, our founders never anticipated growing to over 2,000 people with offices from coast to coast. From the beginning, their main goal was to create a place where staff could flourish and provide high quality, creative solutions for clients. Fortunately for those of us at Kimley-Horn today, they created an employee-oriented culture centered on high expectations for integrity, client service, and performance.
   
Because of our success in recent "best places to work" competitions (Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, 2005-2008; CE News Best C.... READ MORE

The more closely an employee is connected to his role (he likes what he does) and the more personally the employee is connected to his manager (has a strong relationship) the better he performs. These "connections" are the power behind all millennial performance.
   
Today, service is king; service events are passionate or connective events. The more passionate a customer is about a brand, product or company, the more he buys. The more passionate an employee is about his work and his manager, the better he performs. Feeling connected is the key to igniting passion; by loo.... READ MORE

September 10, 2008 proved to be a fine day for mankind's oldest and most trusted form of science: smashing things open. Where in the past man was limited to the use of rocks to smash open other rocks, or perhaps a rotten log, now he can do the kind of smashing that his distant ancestors would have drooled (more than usual) over. Now man can break apart things smaller than atoms, and thanks to the efforts of the scientists and engineers at CERN (the European Center for Nuclear Research). we will presently be able to do this with unprecedented effectiveness.

Over the past 28 years the.... READ MORE