November 2014

Great outreach event or other activity? Let the whole Region know! If you’re a local ASCE leader and your Section, Branch, Younger Member Group, or Student Chapter has staged any special events, engaged in outreach from grade-school kids to lawmakers, done charity work, fund raising or anything of the sort, let ASCEnews Weekly know and we may include it in next month’s Region report. You may already have written about it and posted pictures in your newsletter, website, or social media. Share the details and any photos at asce.org/localnews. Got questions? Write to submissions@asce.org. See the other Region reports for November If you live adjacent to a Section in a different Region, or are merely interested in the other Region reports for November, click on each to view them:   Region 1   Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section, Buffalo Section, Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers Section, Ithaca Section, Maine Section, Metropolitan Section, Mohawk-Hudson Section, New Hampshire Section, New Jersey Section, Puerto Rico Section, Rhode Island Section, Rochester Section, Syracuse Section, Vermont Section Region 2   Central Pennsylvania Section, Delaware Section, Lehigh Valley Section, Maryland Section, National Capital Section, Philadelphia Section, Pittsburgh Section Region 3   Akron-Canton Section, Central Illinois Section, Central Ohio Section, Cincinnati Section, Cleveland Section, Dayton Section, Duluth Section, Illinois Section, Michigan Section, Minnesota Section, North Dakota Section, Quad Cities Section, Toledo Section, Wisconsin Section Region 4   Arkansas Section, Indiana Section, Kentucky Section, North Carolina Section, South Carolina Section, Tennessee Section, Virginia Section, West Virginia Section Region 5   Alabama Section, Florida Section, Georgia Section, Louisiana Section, Mississippi Section   Region 6   New Mexico Section, Oklahoma Section, Texas Section Region 7   Colorado Section, Iowa Section, Kansas City Section, Kansas Section, Nebraska Section, South Dakota Section, St. Louis Section, Wyoming Section Region 8   Alaska Section, Arizona Section, Columbia Section, Hawaii Section, Inland Empire Section, Montana Section, Nevada Section, Oregon Section, Seattle Section, Southern Idaho Section, Tacoma-Olympia Section, Utah Section Region 9   Los Angeles Section, Sacramento Section, San Diego Section, San Francisco Section Region 10   All International Sections, Branches, and Groups Missed last month's Region 5 update? See the October edition of News Around Region 5 Share this page via social media and email:

ALABAMA SECTION South Alabama and Purdue researchers scrutinize plastic pipes for drinking water After discovering that the plastic plumbing regularly used in "green" buildings can contaminate drinking water, researchers from the University of South Alabama and Purdue University argue for changes in building industry practices. See what the team found in ASCE’s online edition of Civil Engineering magazine.

FLORIDA SECTION Section debuts website makeover In response to Florida Section member feedback, the Section rolled out a new website over the summer “with emphasis on how important effective communications with our members is to us! This will provide us with new options for how we connect with you as our members, share information and engage communities,” ” explained Section President Adnan Javed, P.E., M.ASCE, in a recent message.  Section website>>

REGION 5 NEWS New, easier to use ASCE website features updated, better organized info The national Society has just debuted an all-new ASCE.org website, featuring a responsive design that works well on any device, from smartphones to tablets to laptops and desktops. Regions, Sections and Branches information is now easier to find, and has been fully updated with links to websites and rosters of current leadership at each level, down to your Section and Branch.  Visit the Regions, Sections and Branches area, then explore all of the new ASCE.org – and remember to bookmark pages to return to them later.

FLORIDA  SECTION Fort Lauderdale runway crosses above major highway An expansion project at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport required a robust bridge to carry a runway over U.S. Route 1 and working railroad tracks. Explore the challenges in ASCE’s online edition of Civil Engineering magazine..

IN ASCE’S CIVIL ENGINEERING MAGAZINE ONLINE Pay trends indicate construction market changes Research reveals the emphasis that engineering and construction firms are placing on securing new business in the aftermath of the Great Recession. Explore a consulting firm’s results in ASCE’s online edition of Civil Engineering magazine.

IN ASCE’S CIVIL ENGINEERING MAGAZINE ONLINE Last winter’s polar vortex tested nation’s electric grid The intense cold felt in many areas set a new record for winter energy demand and pointed to concerns about the growing move to natural gas for electricity generation. Explore the challenges in ASCE’s online edition of Civil Engineering magazine.

IN ASCE’s CIVIL ENGINEERING MAGAZINE ONLINE Database compiles progress of states’ climate adaptation plans The Georgetown Climate Center has expanded its online Adaptation Clearinghouse to track the efforts of individual states as they adjust to changing climate. Look into the early findings in ASCE’s online edition of Civil Engineering magazine.

IN ASCE’S CIVIL ENGINEERING MAGAZINE ONLINE Report ranks nations in order of best bets for infrastructure investment The United States climbs back into the top 10 on a list of best places to invest in infrastructure, but still trails hot markets in Asia and the Middle East. Consider the survey by ARCADIS in ASCE’s online edition of Civil Engineering magazine.