Marine Mapping Contract Awarded to David Evans

Portland - David Evans and Associates, Inc. announced its Marine Sciences division, based in Vancouver, Wash., has been awarded a five-year, $250 million Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract for hydrographic surveys in U.S. territorial waters by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Marine Sciences division will execute the contract from its base of operations in Vancouver, Wash., and will be supported by DEA’s corporate office in Portland and satellite offices in Seattle, and Richmond, Va. DEA also received a task order from NOAA to conduct hydrographic surveys to update nautical charts along the Columbia and Willamette Rivers in Washington and Oregon.

The Marine Sciences team will perform multibeam sonar surveys for full coverage mapping within the designated survey area along the two rivers. The information will be used to update nautical charts and identify dangers to navigation. Currently, DEA is conducting side scan sonar surveys to help with post-hurricane debris mapping off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico and is scheduled to continue charting surveys in Chesapeake Bay.

Green Roof Study Funded by USGBC Grant

Portland – A seed investment in green roof research at Portland State University by the Oregon Built Environment & Sustainable Technologies Center (Oregon BEST) received a grant from the U.S. Green Building Council that doubles the original investment. The new grant, one of only 13 awarded nationwide, was given to PSU professors David Sailor and Craig Spolek, who are developing an “energy savings calculator” to help determine energy performance of a variety of green roof designs deployed in different climatic regions.

Oregon BEST invested $75,000 of seed funding in the PSU project this summer, a move researchers say played a key role in securing the $150,000 grant from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Green roofs, are growing in popularity as the green building industry expands. These planted rooftops use vegetation and soil over a waterproof membrane to slow storm water runoff, filter water-borne pollutants, and reduce the heating and cooling energy demands of a building because the vegetation and soil serve as added insulation in the winter, and offer a combination of insulation, shading, reflectivity, and evaporative cooling in summer. But different climates and building locations require different types of green roofs, Sailor said. While there’s been a lot of research into how well various green roofs perform, until now the work has not resulted in a system design tool that helps building professionals optimize green roofs for different climates and locations.

The research funding is enabling Sailor and Spolek to invest in new laboratory equipment, including improvements to an environmental wind tunnel that allows heat transfer testing through green roofs while controlling temperature, humidity, sunlight, and rainfall. Baseline data will enable the researchers to build computer models that will result in the energy savings calculator.

Liberty Mutual Completes Safeco Insurance Purchase

Boston – Liberty Mutual Group announced that it finalized its acquisition of Safeco Corporation. With the addition of Safeco, Liberty Mutual Group becomes the fifth largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S., with more than $32 billion in direct written premium based on 2007 results for both companies. Safeco joins Liberty Mutual’s Agency Markets business unit, which now ranks third in personal lines and fifth in commercial lines in the independent agent distribution channel. The combined surety operation becomes the second largest in the country.

Liberty Mutual Group and Safeco announced on April 23, 2008, that the companies had entered into a definitive agreement for Liberty Mutual to acquire all outstanding shares of Safeco common stock for $68.25 per share.

Liberty Mutual’s Agency Markets business unit consists of national and regional property and casualty, and specialty insurance companies that distribute personal, commercial, and surety products and services through independent agents and brokers. more than 900 offices throughout the world.

AGC Contributes to AIA Office Renovation

Wilsonville - The Associated General Contractors Oregon-Columbia Chapter (AGC) recently donated $10,000 to AIA Portland, a chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The donation was to help construct AIA Portland Chapter’s Center for Architecture (CFA). The CFA is a model of sustainable construction and design, employing off-the-shelf sustainable technologies to raise awareness and educate the public at large.

The CFA is a working model of green technology and sustainable strategies. The AIA Portland’s vision for the CFA was to reach LEED Platinum, and meet the goals of the 2030 challenge, a global initiative stating that all new buildings and major renovations reduce their fossil-fuel greenhouse gas (GHG)-emitting consumption by 50% by 2010. The goal is that all new buildings be carbon neutral by 2030. With the addition of an integrated solar system, the CFA will meet the 2030 goal by 2009. The building of the CFA was an integrated committee process involving more than 250 companies that donated materials, money, or service to support the sustainable design and construction process.

Cranes Under Extra Scrutiny in Oregon

Salem - Because of the number of recent tower crane failures and accidents across the country, Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) will begin a tower crane emphasis.

The program will be limited to tower cranes and will not cover mobile cranes. Inspectors will assess crane operator qualifications, crane maintenance and training records.