1.

A New Year, A New Book

2.

WI Valley Chapter News: Sylvan Hill Tubing Event

4.

"Retrofitting Suburbia"
Greensource Magazine Article by Katharine Logan

State of the Industry Report, Water and Wastewater
Water & Wastes Digest Magazine Survey Results

1.

A New Year, A New Book
UW-Platteville Profs Publish "Introduction to Infrastructure"

Two professors in UW-Platteville's Civil and Environmental Engineering Department have written and published a new textbook that "fills a void by introducing both civil and environmental engineering within a framework of infrastructure and sustainability."

Dr.'s Michael R. Penn and Philip J. Parker's new book, "Introduction to Infrastructure", is a "timely and well-organized" textbook written in an "innovative and refreshing" style that "provides a solid foundation for the civil and environmental engineers needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century."

You can find more information about their book on the Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/IntroductionToInfrastructure

You can also purchase this book here:
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-EHEP002020.html

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2.

WI Valley Chapter News: Sylvan Hill Tubing Event

ASCE and the WI Valley Chapter of WSPE invite you to slide down Sylvan Hill in Wausau on Friday, January 20. Send your kids down the 120 feet of vertical drop or brave the 1,200-foot hill yourself. There will be an entry fee for adults; dinner and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided by ASCE and WSPE. Meet some new friends, expand your network, or simply enjoy the thrill of hill with some like-minded folks!

ASCE and the WI Valley Chapter of WSPE invite you to slide down Sylvan Hill in Wausau on Friday, January 20. Send your kids down the 120 feet of vertical drop or brave the 1,200-foot hill yourself.

There will be an entry fee for adults; dinner and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided by ASCE and WSPE. Meet some new friends, expand your network, or simply enjoy the thrill of hill with some like-minded folks!

You can find more details about the event here:
http://thewritingengineer.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/ASCEFlyer-3rdSylvanHillTubing.pdf

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3.

The Engineer's Role in Construction Administration
By Attorney Robert A. Mich, Jr.

While engineers have traditionally focused most of their efforts in the design end of construction projects, in recent years, many engineers have expanded their work into construction administration.  This may include providing oversight on the job or serving as a quasi-representative of the owner during construction.  If the engineer is not careful, he or she may face liability exposure in the event of an accident or a defect in the construction. 

First and foremost, the engineer should be diligent in reviewing all contracts to provide such services.  Very large owners and contractors will often present lengthy form contracts prepared by their management or legal counsel.  Such contracts often include very expansive responsibilities for the engineer, who may or may not in fact be qualified to provide such services.  If the engineer has any questions as to their ability to capably perform all of the services required under the contract, the engineer should work with the owner or contractor to have those responsibilities delegated elsewhere or modified as appropriate.

While providing construction administration services, the engineer must also be careful to not inadvertently assume responsibilities not delegated to the engineer under the contract.  Contractors alone are responsible for the means and methods of construction.  However, should an engineer encounter a situation requiring remedial attention, and direct employees of a contractor or subcontractor to make certain changes in the field, the engineer may be held responsible if that work results in an accident or construction defect.  The better practice is generally to inform an authorized representative of the owner or contractor of the condition, and leave it to that representative to issue the appropriate work directions to their employees.

Another issue that may give rise to increased liability exposure involves installation specifications.  A contractor or subcontractor may approach the engineer and ask for directions on how to complete an installation.  Despite having the best of intentions, the engineer may be crossing over from the design realm and into the means and methods of construction, which should be left exclusively to the construction contractors.  Engineers would be better served declining to provide such direction, or in the alternative, directing the inquiring party to the manufacturer or some other entity who can better guide the installation process.

Engineers are frequently in attendance at progress meetings, which may involve discussion of safety matters.  If meeting minutes are subsequently circulated that contain apparent approval of certain safety or other job site directions, the engineer may be held responsible should problems arise thereafter simply by having been identified as being in attendance.  The engineer should seek to have meeting minutes clarified to reflect that the engineer took no position with respect to job site safety issues or other means and methods issues.

Engineers are encouraged to consult with their legal counsel regarding the propriety of contract language and the extent of their in-the-field responsibilities for construction administration.

Attorney Robert A. Mich, Jr. represents professional engineers, architects, contractors, materials suppliers and owners of construction projects, and is with the law firm of Kay & Andersen, LLC.  Please feel free to contact him at (608) 833-0077 or visit www.kayandandersen.com.

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4.

"Retrofitting Suburbia"
Greensource Magazine Article by Katharine Logan

Many suburban families spend more on transportation than on housing, as the word "suburb" has become synonymous with the word "sprawl".

But thanks to the confluence of market factors and efforts by future-minded municipalities, abandoned big-box developments, sparsely-populated single-family residential developments, and forgotten strip malls are being replaced with city centers that provide mixed-use, walkable destinations.

"Team Better Block" is helping cities with limited resources by using social media to publicize "pop-up" demonstrations of walkable downtown areas.

Rather than giving up hope of using suburban infrastructure, brave city planners are finding exiting ways of repurposing it, and reinventing the suburb. Efforts to create transit-oriented redevelopment out of car-centered communities are gaining traction.

Find out what they mean by "reinhabitation" and "regreening" by reading the full article here:
http://continuingeducation.construction.com/article.php?L=5&C=844&P=1

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5.

State of the Industry Report, Water and Wastewater
Water & Wastes Digest Magazine Survey Results

The magazine dedicated to the part of our nation's infrastructure that delivers clean water and carries away waste, Water & Wastes Digest, recently published the results of a survey that evaluated several relevant issues for the water and wastewater industries in 2012.

49% of survey respondents are planning new construction of water or wastewater facilities in 2012;

54% say they'll be upgrading their current facilities within 36 months;

and the most important topic to water and wastewater facility survey respondents in the coming year is State Regulations/Compliance.

View the full results of this survey here:
http://www.wwdmag.com/sites/default/files/09_RG_StateOfIndustry.pdf

Click on links to articles from the current issue here:
http://www.wwdmag.com/current_issue

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If you are reading a paper copy of the WSPE eNews, you're missing out! Send your email address to Ed Rodden, WSPE Executive Director, at erodden2@att.net or call him at (414) 531-1129 to receive electronic eNews.

If you are interested in advertising in the WSPE eNews, please contact Ed Rodden, WSPE Executive Director, at erodden2@att.net or (414) 531-1129.

Did you...
...get a new job?
...get promoted?
...get a new phone number or email address?
...get your PE license?

Tell us about it! Send your new information to Ed Rodden, WSPE Executive Director, at erodden2@att.net or call him at (414) 531-1129 and he'll make sure your information is updated in both the WSPE and NSPE databases. We'd also like to include an article in the next eNews summarizing your recent change or accomplishment to inform your fellow WSPE members.

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