In our latest newsletter, we are highlighting the outstanding performance of Jonathan Bolbach and Mark LaBell, winners of SSOE’s Founder’s Award. Their accomplishment — developing the AutoNavis software application — met two of the award’s key criteria: delivering exceptional value to clients by saving them time, trouble, and money and implementing an innovation that leads to improved processes and quality. Read more
In moving a project from statement of work to completion of construction, regular collaboration between owners, designers, and contractors is no longer a luxury. It is the managerial insurance the project must have in order to stay on schedule and budget. Much of the unbudgeted time and expense incurred by change orders can be attributed to a lack of integration between the players. It’s often because these parties failed to include the resources and intentional effort for collaboration. Read more
In the AEC industry, when a client asks for a project to be completed “faster, better, and cheaper,” chances are they will be told that two out of three is about as good as it gets. Thanks to technology, integrated delivery methods, and an exceptional team effort, SSOE raised the bar and delivered on all counts on a recent project for a global leader in the food industry.
Lauren Collier, Associate AIA, Department Manager, VDC Global Initiatives and Senior Associate at SSOE Group, recently authored an article in New Equipment Digest. In the article, Lauren discusses the benefits of implementing the BIM 360 cloud-hosted environment, especially now that a great number of project teams are working remotely from their homes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. She explains that because of the collaborative accessibility of the platform, all stakeholders can see what is happening in real-time, making it much easier to capture consensus and sign-off at every phase of the project. Read more
Tony Sabat, BIM / CAD Technical Specialist and one of several licensed drone pilots at SSOE, discusses the shift in reality capture as a result of drone / unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology in this AEC Next article—spoiler: reality capture is now easier than ever. Using this non-destructive technology to generate a 3D model can be a game changer, allowing you to turn assets into detailed, accurate deliverables. With the drone’s speed, mobility, and safety, it has become the most efficient method for capturing the existing conditions of many facilities and sites, with added benefits downstream. Read more
Jason Christen, PMP, Senior Account Executive at SSOE, and Mark LaBell, Senior VDC Technical Leader, were both featured in a BD+C Magazine article that examines the rise of 3D laser scanners, which have recently evolved into handhelds. 3D laser scanning is the fastest, most efficient method to capture existing conditions. In addition to allowing us to scan harder-to-reach places, handheld scanners provide the ability to show clients results immediately after taking a scan with a workable model showing an accurate representation of the facility—a major benefit of the technology that often translates into cost savings for our clients. Read more
Robert “Scott” Goodwin, COSS, Corporate Safety Manager at SSOE Group, was recently named a “Safety Hero” by iReport Source and was featured in a Q&A session on his role, responsibilities, and background. An active volunteer firefighter since 1984, Scott has over 30 years of experience in safety. In addition to supporting SSOE’s 1200+ employees in 20+ offices in 6 countries in his role as Corporate Safety Manager, he also serves as Lieutenant Firefighter for Ballville Township, Ohio. He is passionate about safety—one of SSOE’s core values—and is committed to supporting our global safety initiatives and safety-always culture. Read more
Vince DiPofi, PE, Chief Strategy Officer at SSOE Group, was featured in ENR’s May 2017 cover story, “The Top 500 Design Firms: Market Poised for Takeoff”. From healthcare reform and regulation changes to the race to rebuild U.S. infrastructure, the article highlights some of the questions and concerns surrounding the industry following the recent election. Although preliminary indicators point to a strong, healthy market and we’ve already seen an increase in private sector jobs, a theme of caution continues to persist.
Vince, who has experienced nine presidential elections during the course of his career, comments on the buzz surrounding the election and its effect on the industry. He also discusses how potential changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have already impacted the automotive market, as seen in postponed spending. Read more
New Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) for steel technology seamlessly integrates steel design, fabrication, and erection with reduced cost and a faster schedule.
Josh Zimmerman, VDC Steel Section Manager at SSOE, is featured in the November issue of Area Development Magazine. Within, Josh describes how Virtual Design and Construction methodology can be applied to the steel detailing process and result in significant schedule reduction. This is accomplished by creating fabrication-ready models quicker and earlier in the construction workflow—moving the timing of steel detailing to occur congruently with structural design on the project. Two examples are explored in the article, one saving 2.5 months on the construction schedule through early coordination of design and detailing associated with VDC Steel. Read more
Jim Lewis, Electrical Controls Department Manager and Principal at SSOE, recently authored this informative article in Area Development Magazine advising readers to take a business-driven approach to utility projects. Whether your project is driven by production capacity, energy efficiency, regulatory requirements, or environmental sustainability, the ultimate objective is to add value to the business. Jim shares examples showing how a utility challenge can be turned into a business advantage. Read more
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama, July 1, 2020 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, is proud to announce the recent appointment of Alyson Dinca as the new President of the Construction Specifications Institute’s (CSI) Huntsville Chapter. CSI is a national association dedicated to improving the documentation, management, and communication of building information as used by the construction community. Read more
SSOE Group is a leader in leveraging the latest technology to enable integrated and collaborative project delivery. SSOE Group was featured in BOSS Magazine, in an article highlighting the company’s technology strategy and culture — both of which are helping provide better solutions to clients. Driven by collaboration, SSOE is using innovative tools and customized applications to deliver high quality projects more efficiently, while working to maintain employee engagement along the way. Read more
Firms being asked to play a bigger role in providing expertise
Dave Sipes, Chief Operating Officer at SSOE Group, was featured in this article recently published in Engineering News-Record (ENR). The article highlights manufacturing, a particularly robust market currently, and the need within this market to improve processes — with an emphasis on output. Popular among manufacturers is integrated project delivery, a concept that focuses on collaboration and commitment among all parties, which is successfully executed with the help of highly evolved technologies like 3D modeling and laser scanning. Read more
John Gill, PE, PMP, LEED AP, SSOE’s Director of VDC, was recently published in Engineering News-Record (ENR) discussing the topic of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC). Gill has over 20 years of industry experience and was responsible for the implementation of SSOE’s VDC program. He writes on the many strengths the VDC framework has to offer our industry, and offers some tips for implementing a solid foundation on your next project. Read more
Cultural and commercial variances between the U.S. and Mexico can sometimes result in construction delays or expensive component substitutions. When strategic plans rely on heavily maintaining schedules, the following insights, which are often grouped under the head of tropicalization, should add confidence to the planning and executing of projects here in Mexico. Read more
Joe Badalamenti, PE, PMP, Business Development Executive at SSOE Group, was recently featured in this article in Food Engineering Magazine. Based on the publication’s annual survey, food and beverage projects were on the uptick in 2014, and Badalamenti and other AEC experts weigh in on what’s trending and why. From renovations to greenfield projects, processors are loosening their money belt, but spending sensibly — making purchases that improve efficiency, with a focus on food safety and increased automation. These improvements are a win-win for processors, helping them differentiate themselves among the pack of competitors while getting product to market for less. Read more
A thorough process definition lays the foundation for a successful greenfield project
Dale Feldhaus, department manager in Industrial Process Controls at SSOE Group, was recently published in Chemical Processing Magazine. In his article, he discusses the importance of the preliminary phase of a greenfield project, which Feldhaus refers to as the “process definition phase.” Feldhaus has nearly 30 years of experience, specializing in the design, specification, and coordination of controls and instrumentation for projects within the industrial industry. Read more
TOLEDO, Ohio, October 29, 2019 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, announced today the appointment of new Principals and organization promotions for their planning year (PY) 2020. Read more
Tom Fitzpatrick, Power Department Manager at SSOE Group, co-authored this content-rich article, published in Power Engineering Magazine, that explores the cost benefits of conducting a feasibility study during the planning phase of a project. The article highlights project examples where SSOE’s engineers were able to add even more value to a feasibility study with their ability to quickly and easily assess, and point decision-makers in the right direction.
Foreign companies are trending in the direction of the U.S. as they review global site selection options, with suppliers following.
Alexandra Segers, International Senior Account Executive / Program Manager at SSOE Group, shares her insight in this article published in Area Development Magazine. Within, Segers discusses some of the important items — including incentives and cost offsets, utility factors, and workforce availability — that are making the U.S. an advantageous area to consider development, with the Southeast U.S. leading the pack.
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A roundup of tools and services that architects are using to break free from company servers and physical boundaries.
Lauren Collier, Assoc. AIA, design technology section manager at SSOE Group, is featured in this article recently published in ARCHITECT Magazine. The article reviews recent industry trends related to cloud-based system use, going beyond file sharing and backup. Companies are beginning to incorporate the cloud into schematic design, project management, energy performance analysis, renderings, and other outsourced tasks. The cloud offers adept speed that releases us from our dependency on less-efficient company servers, and generating productive collaboration.
Third party assessments can provide crucial insights.
Peter Wilmarth, RA, an architect at SSOE Group with over 35 years of experience, offers his thoughts as to how those of us in the chemical industry can gain insight from the West Fertilizer plant explosion in his recent Chemical Processing Magazine publication. The tragic blast occurred in 2013 in West, Texas — killing 15 people and injuring over 160 — and elevated the issue of safety in relation to hazardous industrial processes.
Joe Kunkle, AIA, PE, LEED AP, principal account executive at SSOE Group, recently authored an article in University Business Magazine, turning the spotlight on ways universities are now preparing their students for an economically sustainable future, while also shifting their perceptions and values in a greener direction.
The article “Effective Manufacturing Construction Project Management: On Site, and On It” in Area Development Magazine’s 3rd Quarter issue discusses how an on site owner’s representative solves problems and adds value by assuring coordination of trades and maintaining project focus. In addition, John Hernandez, Section Manager at SSOE discusses how hiring the right person for the job, whether a current employee, member of a consulting engineering firm on the project, or a member of a firm with no other project contract will save the client time, trouble, and money while completing their project.
SSOE’s Volkswagen Chattanooga Plant project is featured in Engineering Inc.’s Grand Award Recipient Article as one of the eight grand award winners for Engineering Excellence at the 47th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards. The $1 billion production facility produces the Passat and became the first and only LEED® Platinum automotive plant in the world, the first LEED platinum industrial campus in the U.S., and the largest platinum project in the U.S. (based on building area). Read more
LAS VEGAS, Nevada, November 2, 2017 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, announced today that Department Manager, VDC Global Initiatives, Lauren Collier, Associate AIA; Charles Berteaux IV, BIM / VDC Section Manager Advanced Technology Strategic Business Unit; and Mark LaBell Jr., Senior VDC Technical Leader have been selected to speak at Autodesk University 2017. The event will be held November 14 – 16, 2017 at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Read more
TOLEDO, Ohio, August 2, 2017 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, announced today that Lauren Collier, VDC Department Manager, and Mark LaBell Jr., Senior VDC Technical Leader, have been selected to present at the annual Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) Conference. This year’s event takes place over the course of four different dates in locations around the state of Ohio: August 15th in Columbus, August 23rd in Cincinnati, August 30th in Cleveland, and September 12th in Columbus. Read more
TOLEDO, Ohio, August 1, 2017 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, recently welcomed back Paul Spinazze as Division Manager and Senior Associate for their Asia-Pacific Operations. He previously worked for SSOE from 1987 to 1994 as an electrical engineer / project manager. Read more
TOLEDO, Ohio, June 26, 2017 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, has been ranked as a “Hot Firm” by management consulting and research firm Zweig Group. This ranking signifies that SSOE is one of the fastest-growing architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting firms in the United States. Read more
TOLEDO, Ohio, May 9, 2017 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, is excited to announce the achievement of a significant safety milestone, three million hours worked with no recordable incidents as of March 30, 2017. A recordable injury is an injury that results in any of the following: death, days away from work, restricted work or transferred to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, or a loss of consciousness. Read more
LAS VEGAS, Nevada, October 26, 2016 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, announced today that Senior VDC Technical Leader, Mark LaBell Jr. and VDC / BIM Section Manager Tony Paupert have been selected to present at this year’s Autodesk University. The event will be held November 15 – 17, 2016 at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Read more
ATLANTA, Georgia, October 11, 2016 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management announced today that Project VDC / BIM Coordinator, Douglas Furia will speak at the Fall BIMForum, to be held October 17-19, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. Read more
TOLEDO, Ohio, March 8, 2016 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm welcomes Robert “Scott” Goodwin, COSS as Corporate Safety Manager. Scott comes to SSOE from Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Northwest Ohio where he served as the Director of Safety and Training.
In this role, Goodwin is responsible for providing safety leadership, training, and guidance. This includes conducting safety audits and inspections for SSOE’s corporate facilities and construction work sites as well as developing contractor qualification standards, reporting safety metrics, and authoring weekly safety tips for staff as well as the company’s safety blog. Read more
TOLEDO, Ohio, February 27, 2014 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, is proud to announce the selection of nine employees and one consultant as recipients of their 2013 Founder’s Award. Initiated in 2008, the Founder’s Award recognizes exemplary execution of SSOE’s core principles—innovation through quality improvements and value-added solutions, great client service, and diversification. Two project teams were the focus of this year’s awards for their substantial contribution to our clients’ success and documented savings of time, trouble, and money. Combined, these two projects, the State of Tennessee’s Memphis Regional Megasite and a program of projects for U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. have a documented millions in potential savings for the clients.
TOLEDO, OH, April 20, 2012 – SSOE Group, an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, announced today the launch of a new blog focused on safety and construction. This blog was launched to promote a culture of safety at SSOE and act as a resource for our clients. It provides timely tips on safety measures. Future entries will address a wide range of topics including safety tips for the construction site, the office, as well as at home.