Engineering Inc. - November/December 2009 - 26

INsIGhts fRom ACEC’s INstItutE foR busINEss mANAGEmENt OppOrtunities fOr sustainability: using liens tO prOtect yOur interests; ‘Win-Win’ emplOyee benefit expanding marketplace Opportunities for sustainability “Energy-efficient, low-carbon green buildings and technologies are clearly going to play a major role in the country’s economic future,” notes Jerry Yudelson of Yudelson Associates, presenter of the Institute for Business Management’s online seminar, “Profitable Sustainability.” The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, tax incentives, various proposed regulations and new programs contribute to this expectation. Even in a lackluster commercial building market, “new LEED project registrations are growing at more than 50 percent annually, gaining increasing market share,” Yudelson says. ACEC’s Institute for Business Management is finding a growing and receptive audience for all topics “green,” in a variety of media and venues—from online seminars to onsite courses and conference sessions, as well as the ACEC Bookstore’s new “Top 10 Sustainability Books” list (visit the Education section of the ACEC website: www.acec.org/education). Education sessions on sustainability were highly regarded among this year’s Fall Conference attendees. Well-attended sessions included “Municipal Solid Waste Management and Renewable Energy,” “Achieving Neighborhood Sustainability with LEED” and “Emerging Opportunities for Comprehensive Sustainability Audits.” Registration is now open for ACEC’s unique course, “Green Infrastructure and Sustainable Communities: Opportunities in New Markets,” currently set for Feb. 23–26, 2010, in New Orleans. Course faculty are leading industry experts in sustainable infrastructure engineering. Bill Wallace, well-known author and sustainability lecturer, describes the course as including a “high-level overview of issues and consequences,” followed by discussion of the business case for developing a sustainable engineering consulting practice with examples of recent, highly profitable projects. Additional details and registration are available on the ACEC website at www.acec.org/education. How liens can protect your interests in a tough economy If your firm has significant resources tied up in a project that sinks into financial trouble, the lien method of collection as a last resort could be your best resort. Although the method can be complex with varying requirements from state to state, this powerful tool puts the law on your side by effectively encumbering property, thereby ensuring payment for services rendered—but only for firms that understand its nuances and use its protections.ENGINEERING INC. NovEmbER / DECEmbER 2009 Details on the who, when, where and how of lien laws—state by state—are available free on ACEC’s Contracts and Risk Management Central website at www.contractscentral.net, under State-byState Laws Affecting Engineers. Created as an in-depth library of A/E/C legal, risk management and contract information, Contracts Central continues to expand the scope of resources available. Users will find a wealth of information, court news and contracts in one location, accessible to the non-lawyer as well as a legal quick reference. Contracts Central also offers an unparalleled selection of contracts, from EJCDC categories of engineering, construction, Design/Build and environmental, to AIA and FIDIC international documents, for sale in downloadable format. Topics recently added to the site include “How to Contract for a Green Infrastructure Project,” a free PowerPoint download; “Doing Business Across State Lines—State Requirements”; “Engineer Protection: Job Site Safety”; and “Certificate of Merit Laws.” rcep: an employee benefit that’s ‘Win-Win’ A firm subscription to the new continuing education tracking system of RCEP (Registered Continuing Education Program) for engineers and surveyors enables employers to go beyond the free basic subscription and provide maximum benefits for individual professional staff at special group pricing. Firms also can use RCEP data to track, recognize and reward employees for continuing education achievements, and as a source for high-quality courses and seminars from leading providers. As more state licensing boards are asking for ongoing education as a prerequisite for license renewal, RCEP provides a convenient and cost-effective way to satisfy those requirements. Details on Basic, Power and Group subscriptions are available at www.rcep.net. The ACEC Institute for Business Management provides comprehensive and accessible business management education for engineering company principals and their staffs. Visit ACEC’s online educational events calendar at http://www. acec.org/calendar/index.cfm or bookstore at https://netforum. acec.org/eweb/?site=acec_store, or call 202-347-7474, ext. 338 for further information.
http://www.contractscentral.net http://www.acec.org/education http://www.acec.org/education http://www.rcep.net http://www.acec.org/calendar/index.cfm http://www.acec.org/calendar/index.cfm https://netforum.acec.org/eweb/?site=acec_store https://netforum.acec.org/eweb/?site=acec_store
Engineering Inc. - November/December 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - November/December 2009
