Committee on Sustainability/ Climate Change Mitigation

VOLUME 45 | ISSUE 1 | September 2020

Upcoming Events
October 1, 2020

October 10, 2020

October 20 & 27, 2020

Training on MBTA’s New Tunnel Inspection Manual
Four Chances to Attend: October 21, October 28, November 6, November 10, 2020


Letter From the Editor
An update from Katie Swanson
Hello BSCESNews readers, and welcome back to the revitalized newsletter! We’ve had a bit of a facelift to keep up with advancing technologies and hope that you find this format easier to access from your phone, computer, or any other internet-enabled device... Read more

Lead Article
Steps Towards Climate Change Resilience
for Critical Infrastructure
Global climate change has local impacts. The changing environment causes increasing financial and physical consequences, creating uncertainty for organizations managing critical infrastructure... Read more

President's Report
An update from Bruce Jacobs
When the impacts of COVID-19 hit in March, many considered locking the doors... Read more

Featured Group
Committee on Sustainabilty
The purpose of the Committee on Sustainability is to advocate for sustainable infrastructure to ensure protection of the “triple bottom line”: environmental, economic, and social conditions in Massachusetts... Read more

Featured Projects
Historic New England Infrastructure: Fairbanks House
Located at the intersection of East Street and Eastern Avenue in Dedham, Massachusetts, is the Fairbanks House, the oldest timber-framed structure in North America... Read more
Climate Modeling Supports Suffolk Downs Project, Improves Resilience
The HYM Investment Group’s (“HYM”) vision for Suffolk Downs focuses on connectivity and accessibility. Located in East Boston and Revere, this redevelopment will turn an underutilized site into a new neighborhood with an active, lively, and appropriate mix of uses, including retail, residential, office, lab, and hotel...Read more

2020 BSCES Sustainability in Civil Engineering Award Winner: Wachusett Aqueduct Pumping Station
The Committee on Sustainability selected the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) this year to receive a BSCES Sustainability in Civil Engineering Award for the Wachusett Aqueduct Pumping Station, which was completed and put into operation in 2019. This is the fifth year that BSCES has solicited nominations and selected esteemed recipients...Read more
Job Board

BSCES is proud to announce the addition of a job board to the BSCES Website! Click here for more information about posting a job on the BSCES website. 

Industry News
Supporting Infrastructure Owners with Sustainable Goals
More and more infrastructure owners are taking a look (or a second look) at sustainable design, construction and operation. Unlike buildings, much of infrastructure functions with unoccupied spaces... Read more
Conceptual Urban Block in Cambridge – Designing for Maximum Climate Resiliency 
The City of Cambridge conducted a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (CCVA) in 2015 and 2017 to identify areas that are more susceptible to climate risks of flooding and extreme heat ...Read more

SE 2050 Committing to Zero
Did you know that building materials and building operations contribute more than a third of global CO2 e2 emissions? The highest producers in the building materials sector are concrete and steel materials... Read more
Smart Structures for Civil Engineers
The last 100 years have seen a widening disconnect between civil engineers and the structures they create. Historically, those who designed civil infrastructure would either construct, operate, or have a stake in the final structure...Read more

Advertising Opportunities

The new HTML BSCESNews has brand new opportunities for advertising with BSCES both in the newsletter and on the BSCES website. Click here to learn more about advertising with BSCES.

BSCES Civil Engineering Practice Journal Needs Your Help
Social distancing? Stuck at home? Go clean out the garage or better yet, write an article for the reborn BSCES Civil Engineering Practice Journal... Read More
Become a BSCESNews Contributor
Would you like to contribute to the newsletter of the oldest civil engineering society in the country? The BSCES Newsletter Editorial Board is seeking members who are willing to write articles for publication in BSCESNews or to join the Editorial Board. Click here to email the Newsletter Editorial Board for more information.
Suggest a Seminar Topic
If you have a topic that you would like BSCES to feature in an upcoming seminar, send your suggestion to BSCES Program Committee Chair Jeff Lewis at [email protected]

Learn about the Program Committee
Submit Member News
Help us build the BSCES community by sharing your achievements. Have you or your company recently been recognized for a professional accomplishment, passed the Professional Engineer Exam, received a promotion, or changed employers? Send your news to BSCES Association Manager, Rich Keenan, [email protected].

BSCES Newsletter Editorial Board
Chair: Kathryn Swanson, PE
Vice Chair: Michael Sullivan, PE
Todd M. Clark, PE
Michael R. Cunningham, PE
Annahid Dastgheib-Beheshti, EIT
Susannah Davis EIT
Jessica DeBellis, PE
Sean Horan, EIT
Bruce L. Jacobs, PhD, PE
Richard F. Keenan
David M. Manugian, PE
Angus J. O’Leary, PE


2020 - 2021 BSCES Board of Government
President: Bruce L. Jacobs, PhD, PE
President-Elect: Shallan C. Fitzgerald, PE
Secretary: Todd M. Clark, PE
Treasurer: Gregory L. Mirliss
Assistant Treasurer: Anthony M. Richardson, PE
Senior Vice Presidents: Ronald K. Burns, PE, LSP; Michael R. Cunningham, PE
Vice Presidents: Christopher P. Hersey; Kathryn Swanson, PE
Past President: Richard D. Maher, PE
Western MA Branch Vice President: Vacant
Institute Chapter & Technical Group Chairs
Coasts, Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute Boston Chapter: Daniel W. O'Connor, PE
Construction Institute Boston Chapter: Artur Lebedev
Engineering Management Group: Lee M. Koska, EI
Environmental & Water Resources Institute Boston Chapter: Denise N. Prussen, EIT
Geo-Institute Boston Chapter: Michael T. Flynn, PE
Structural Engineering Institute Boston Chapter: Scott R. Bruso, PE
Transportation & Development Institute Boston Chapter: Tyler de Ruiter, PE
Younger Member Group: E Mark Ruberti, PE
2020 - 2021 Society Sponsors
2020–2021 BSCES Program Sponsors
Alfred Benesch & Company | BETA Group | CDM Smith | Childs Engineering
Cianbro Corporation | Collins Engineers, Inc. | Dewberry | Green International Affiliates, Inc. 
Haley & Aldrich, Inc. | HNTB | Horsley Witten Group | Howard Stein Hudson
Hoyle, Tanner & Associates, Inc. | Jacobs | Kleinfelder | Nitsch Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University
Perry Associates | Sanborn, Head & Associates, Inc. | Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.
Skanska USA Civil| Stantec | Tighe & Bond, Inc. | TranSystems | TREVIICOS
Tufts University - Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering | Weston & Sampson | WSP
Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section/ASCE
One Walnut Street, Boston, MA 02108
Phone: 617/227-5551, Fax: 617/227-6783

The BSCES newsletter, BSCESNews, is designed to provide information and opinions in regard to the subject matters covered. BSCES and its Board assume no responsibility for statements made or opinions expressed in this publication. It is published with the understanding that the Board and the authors are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. The Newsletter Editorial Board encourages reproduction of BSCESNews with appropriate acknowledgment. © 2020 BSCESNews.