Engineering Inc. - September/October 2006 - 4

n e W s & noTes Engineering to Help Solve ACEC/Louisiana Greatest Sports
Mysteries Triumphant on QBS Law L D ouisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco
recently signed oes a curve ball project is to develop a course really
curve? If so, on the engineering principles legislation that would
prohibit the state or any of its how much and of sports and a series of 10
political subdivisions or agencies from using price why? What makes
laboratory modules that will or price-related information as a factor when
select- ing providers of design services. the sweet spot on a tennis be
implemented in a new passage of the bill marks a major victory for
ACEC/Loui- racket so sweet and is there engineering and sports course
siana, which has fought off strong attacks against Qualifica- only one ?
How much differ- at Rowan and possibly at tions-Based Selection, which
included attempts to low-bid ence in drag coefficient do the Drexel, says
Jennifer Kad- engineering services. dimples on a golf ball make? lowec, an
associate professor Several groups supported ACEC/Louisiana's efforts,
especially Engineering students at of mechanical engineering at the East
Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, which wrote an three East Coast universi-
Rowan. The basis of the proj- issue brief in favor of the use of ties are
looking to provide ect is that the study of sporting QBS for A/E services.
definitive answers to these and equipment, sports performance The enactment
of Act 407 other sports curiosities. Teams and sports ethics can be ana-
strengthens the concept of Quali- from Rowan University in lyzed using
multidisciplinary fications-Based Selection in the Glassboro, n.J.; Drexel
Uni- engineering principles. public sector and makes Louisiana versity in
philadelphia; and Rowan is focusing on a mini-Brooks Act state, says
Gloucester County College in developing an engineering in ACEC/Louisiana
president James Sewell, n.J., will take part in sports course and a
variety of Ledet. I credit our governor and the research project, which is
mechanics and aerodynam- State Rep. Bryant Hammett the being funded by a
$125,000 ics labs, Drexel is working bill's sponsor for recognizing the
grant from the national Sci- on aerodynamic labs, and importance of QBS
and taking ence Foundation. Gloucester County College is ACeC/Louisiana
President steps to protect it. The overall goal of this working on
mechanics labs. James Ledet Researcher Says private Investments in public
Infrastructure Could Be Lucrative W ith public fund- structure deals over
11 years. the next five years. And in then owns and operates it for ing
for major With Macquarie's success as California, the backlog for a period
of time. If the struc- infrastructure an example, several other large
infrastructure improvements ture is a road, for instance, the projects
elusive investment firms, including may top $70 billion, with investor
would collect toll rev- at best and dwindling at the Carlyle Group and
Gold- an estimated $17 billion enues to recover its investment worst, a
researcher at Stanford man Sachs, have entered into needed for drinking
water and make a profit. University says it's time to tap infrastructure
deals of up to $1 improvements during the Historically, private investors
a new source of capital billion in the past six months. next 20 years.
have been wary of infrastruc- private investors such as Infrastructure
woes took If we can mobilize more ture ventures because of the commercial
banks and center stage when Hurricane private finance, we could
potentially large risks. In the pension funds. Katrina slammed into new
potentially help to solve United States, toll-road users Ryan Orr,
executive direc- Orleans, leaving the city's these infrastructure funding
may protest what they perceive tor of the Collaboratory for levee system
in tatters. But the problems both at home and to be high tolls, or changes
in Research on Global projects at problem is not specific to new abroad,
Orr says. But the political priorities could pull Stanford University,
says even Orleans, Orr says. He cites investors need to be confident the
rug out from under an infrastructure investments can estimates showing
that that they will be repaid and expensive project. be a lucrative
business. Mac- the rehabilitation of failing earn a fair return. We think
that the evolution quarie Bank of Australia, he and inadequate
infrastructure Typically in these deals, of large private infrastructure
notes, has earned an average 19 across the nation is expected to Orr
explains, the investor funds is a major development, percent return on
several infra- cost $1.6 trillion during pays to build a structure and Orr
says. enGIneeRInG Inc. sePTeMbeR / ocTobeR 2006
Engineering Inc. - September/October 2006

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