Engineering Management Institute

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TSEC 38: The Benefits and Common Pitfalls of Mass Timber in Structural Engineering

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In this episode, we talk to Ricky McLain, P.E., SE, who is the Senior Technical Director at Tall Wood, WoodWorks about mass timber in structural engineering — what it is, some of the common pitfalls for mass timber projects, and how structural engineers can play a significant role in setting a mass timber project up for success.

Engineering Quotes:

Mass Timber in Structural Engineering

Mass Timber in Structural Engineering

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Ricky in This Episode:

  • What is mass timber?
  • Why is mass timber suddenly so relevant to structures in the United States now?
  • How can a structural engineer promote the use of mass timber to their clients?
  • What are some of common pitfalls in a mass timber project?
  • How can engineers determine what products each manufacturer is producing?
  • How can structural engineers play a significant role in setting a mass timber project up for success?
  • In what ways can an engineer use mass timber as a differentiating opportunity for their business development strategy?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Mass Timber in Structural Engineering:

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Who Are Quantity Surveyors and Why Are They Important?

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This is a guest post by Mike Johnston
Quantity Surveyors

Civil engineering is a discipline many people are not really familiar with. This is a real shame since civil engineering impacts our society so much. Namely, it comprises various professions, including structural, geotechnical, environmental, water resources, construction management, and transportation engineers.

One particularly interesting area is quantity surveying, a profession that blends engineering, construction, and economics. The emphasis is on the last part, albeit there are many other tasks that these experts perform.

Word up

To avoid any confusion, let us just provide a quick clarification of terminology.

Those who live in Canada or the US might have heard the term construction cost estimator.  On the other hand, a quantity surveyor is widely used in countries like UK and Australia. The roles of the two are more or less similar depending on the region. For instance, a construction cost estimator in the US is equivalent to a quantity surveyor in the UK, even though there are some extra requirements for each one.

Sometimes, the terms cost managers and cost consultants get thrown around. But, in this article, we are going to use only quantity surveyor, though in a broader sense that transcends local and project-to-project differences.

What do surveyors do?

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How to Think Like an Entrepreneur with this One Simple Step

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How to Think Like an Entrepreneur is a guest blog post by Daniel Hayes, PE, PMP

Think Like an Entrepreneur When I started my engineering career, I worked hard to understand and apply engineering principles and processes required to prepare deliverables in a technically correct and efficient manner.

I consider myself a good engineer.  There was a time I believed the work should speak for itself.  Being an introvert by nature, I don’t like to sell and don’t want to come off as salesy.  I spoke of what I could do for the client.  Yet, clients and prospects always wanted something more.

Why does this happen?  Because as engineers, we are not selling construction plans.  We are not selling the latest in engineering technology.  We are not selling deliverables.  Instead, we are selling solutions to problems.  Real world problems that our clients need to be solved.

If a real estate developer retains a civil engineering firm to prepare a set of construction documents or to acquire the necessary permits and approvals for development, what the client wants is neither the construction documents nor the permit.  What he wants is a completed development, ready for resale or rent.  Engineering is just one of many means to this end and that is why you should start to think like an entrepreneur.

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The First Step to a more Stable Engineering Career in 2018

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The First Step to a more Stable Engineering Career in 2018 is a blog post by Nader Mowlaee

Stable Engineering CareerAccording to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in January 2016 the median number of years wage and salary workers had been with their then-current employers was 4.2. This was down from a median number of 4.6 years in 2014.

What does this tell us? The era of working for 20 years at one company is over.

Yet there are still many unhappy employees who continue working for the same employer. They’re sticking to their jobs because of a fake and empty promise of security.

If you’re thinking about establishing a more stable engineering career this year, you’ll need to start setting a few goals and brainstorming a few lists of potential companies.

Goal setting is the first step to finding a more stable job with more growth potential in 2018.

Your Next Step:

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