“Green infrastructure is the interconnected network of open spaces and natural areas, such as greenways, wetlands, parks, forest preserves and native plant vegetation, that naturally manages stormwater, reduces flooding risk and improves water quality.”  — Source

Green infrastructure has received increasing attention from both communities and stormwater management specialists alike. Why the interest? The benefits of green infrastructure are widespread and not limited to just stormwater improvements. Vegetation, which is central to most green infrastructure methods, improves both water and air quality, as plantings allow water to infiltrate the ground while they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Likewise, plants and the additional water being diverted from the storm sewer system can provide habitat for wildlife, reduce the urban heat island effect (thus reducing energy usage needed for cooling), and benefit the local community by increasing visual appeal and aesthetics. With so much to gain, it’s not surprising that municipalities are embracing this approach to managing stormwater; the environmental and cost benefits of green infrastructure can be much greater than for the equivalent gray infrastructure. There are numerous methods for implementing green infrastructure, each of which reduces the amount of stormwater runoff entering our municipal systems. Some common methods include:

• Downspout Disconnection
• Rainwater Harvesting
• Rain Gardens
• Planter Boxes
• Bioswales
• Permeable Pavements
• Green Roofs

As part of the redirection of Gay Street, ms incorporated rain gardens into the streetscape to reduce stormwater runoff.

As the trend towards sustainability continues, the use of green infrastructure to handle stormwater is expected to become even more popular and be incorporated in project types ranging from home landscaping to highway design and urban planning. If you are interested in learning more about green infrastructure and its implementation in Ohio, consider registering for the Ohio Stormwater Conference—there’s still time! Click here for more information.

Communities across the world, including Akron, Cleveland, and Youngstown—just a few of the cities where ms consultants has offices—are hosting a wide array of family friendly events. Visit http://findtimeforfun.com/northeast-ohio-earth-day-events-activities/ for event info in Northeast Ohio. You can also visit the official Earth Day Network website at www.earthday.org to learn more about opportunities to celebrate and support the cause in your community.

One great way to support the Earth Day cause is though The Canopy Project. According to the Earth Day Network, “The Canopy Project plants trees that help communities—especially the world’s impoverished communities—sustain themselves and their local economies. Trees reverse the impacts of land degradation and provide food, energy and income, helping communities to achieve long-term economic and environmental sustainability. Trees also filter the air and help stave off the effects of climate change.” We couldn’t agree more, and encourage everyone to support such a worthy cause on this important day.

Trees and green space in the heart of downtown Youngstown, Ohio

Our Commitment

Once again, ms consultants is participating in City of Columbus’ Green Spot program and using the program as a baseline to help us increase our sustainable practices throughout our office locations. One sustainable practice implemented in 2011 includes an expansion of our recycling program (Columbus and Youngstown) to include all types of electronics, such as laptops, PCs, servers, monitors, fax machines, scanners, printers, shredders, VCRs, receivers, tuners, amplifiers, microwaves, generators, batteries of all types, cables, cords, CDs/discs, and TVs. Even small household appliances like blenders and hair dryers can be recycled in Columbus!

From our building and horizontal infrastructure design work, to landscaping and on-site recycling, ms consultants environmental awareness is not confined just to Earth Day—but is present in everything we do for our clients and employees alike.

We hope that you share our vision of improving everyday sustainable practices and that you have a very happy 2013 Earth Day!

ms Columbus office yoga participants stretch to relieve stress

Part of what’s made the ms Wellness Program, Wellness at Work, such a success is the variety of programs and activities offered, such as health coaching, group weight loss programs, health competitions, office yoga, and extracurricular activities

like the ms Run Club. By providing all employees with nutrition information and guidance, and giving them access to a variety of ways to stay active, we have seen a shift in employees’ focus toward overall healthier living. In fact, due to employee requests last year for additional healthy options the office vending machines, ms has permanently changed its vending purchasing!

Another aspect that has made our wellness program a success is its rewards based system.  We provide employees with cash incentives and prize drawings throughout the year, with an annual health insurance premium reduction given to all participants who meet program participation requirements.

More Wellness in 2013

Held on April 3 was our most recent corporate wellness event, and included lunch office yoga and an afternoon walk in support of National Walking Day. Our corporate wellness program coordinator, Jackie Dominas, led these activities from Embrace Wellbeing . With more participants that ever, it was a fun day full of activity.

Future programs include a pedometer contest, Maintain Don’t Gain challenge, and additional Healthy Habits group sessions. We are looking forward to making this our healthiest year ever!

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A highlight from the 2013 Report Card about bridges: "In total, one in nine of the nation’s bridges are rated as structurally deficient, while the average age of the nation’s 607,380 bridges is currently 42 years."

Unfortunately, we may not be far off from that imaginary situation becoming a reality.

Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers compiles a “Report Card” outlining the state of America’s infrastructure, including roads, dams, bridges, drinking water systems, ports, mass transit, and energy systems. In 2009, U.S. infrastructure received a D, a barely passing grade. Although this year’s average grade did improve—we moved up to a D+—it is frustrating to see that America’s infrastructure is still in need of repair.

Grades for specific systems ranged from a B- for solid waste to D- for inland waterway and levees.  Other grades included:

Water & Environment

• Dams – D
• Drinking Water – D
• Hazardous Waste – D
• Levees – D-
• Solid Waste – B-

Transportation

• Aviation – D
• Bridges – C+
• Inland Waterways – D-
• Ports – C
• Rail – C+
• Roads – D
• Transit – D

Public Facilities

• Public Parks & Recreation – C-
• Schools – D

Energy – D+

There is, however, a silver lining. Compared with 2009’s grade card, our overall infrastructure grade has improved, meaning that when given the attention it deserves, we are able to improve our infrastructure situation. We have MORE THAN DOUBLED our recycling rate from 1980 to 2013, and per capita generation of solid waste is either steady or showing signs of decline . Our roadway improvements have corrected poor conditions and significantly reduced highway fatalities. And lastly, we have shown an increased focus on repairing and replacing pipes for wastewater and stormwater infrastructure needs.

American still has a lot of work to do.  Air travel continues to increase in commercial flight numbers, but congestion and delays have also increased, estimated to have cost nearly $22 billion in 2012. Levees, which received a D- grade, protect a growing number of communities, but without a countrywide standard for levee safety, it is hard to estimate their reliability. In addition, the EPA estimates that 1 in 4 Americans lives within three miles of a hazardous waste site, a clear indication that there is much more hazardous waste cleanup needed.

Because infrastructure is such an important part of our daily lives and its quality affects the strength of our nation, please take the time to review ASCE’s full 2013 Report Card. Let’s work together and make our 2017 report card one we are proud to bring home and hang on the fridge.

ms consultants (project designer) and the Ohio Department of Transportation, District 6 (project client) will be recognized during the black-tie EEA Gala awards program and dinner, to be held at The Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel in Washington, D.C. The event will take place on April 23.

The I-70/I-71 Columbus South Innerbelt Study is a more than $1 billion project rebuilding the merging of the two interstates through downtown Columbus, Ohio. When the entire project is completed, three interchanges will have been redesigned and rebuilt, along with dozens of lanes, ramps and bridges. The improved interstate network through downtown will positively impact the entire central Ohio transportation system.

Pictured: construction near the I-71/I-670 Interchange. As part of the phasing strategy for I-70/71, ms worked with ODOT to identify a portion of the project suitable for advancing as a design-build project, the I-71/I-670 Interchange. Working with ODOT and the Federal Highway Administration, ms assisted with the preparation of the scope of services documents.

To assist municipalities address these issues, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), the Water Environmental Research Foundation (WERF), and the Water Environmental Foundation (WEF) have released Water Resources Utility of the Future … Blueprint for Action. The Blueprint for Action report provides insights and recommendations for setting environmental priorities for better water management, with the goal of ensuring that US communities have safe drinking water and swimmable and fishable water at an affordable and sustainable cost.

Foster, a Chihuahua rescue, enjoys his swimmable water! Photo courtesy of Amy Morris.

The report details communities around the nation that have implemented innovative wastewater plant solutions such as advanced instrumental controls, renewable energy use, methane-fueled turbines, and anaerobic digester processing. These communities have saved money, reduced carbon emissions, and in some cases even generated revenue.

One of the most interesting aspects of the report is its discussion on leveraging green infrastructure within communities. In one noted case for the New York Green Infrastructure Plan, New York predicts that “every fully vegetated acre of green infrastructure would provide total annual benefits of $8,522 in reduced energy demand, $166 in reduced CO2 emissions, a $1,044 in improved air quality, and $4,725 in increases property value.”

The report also outlines possible funding sources for “Utility of the Future” initiatives. These include:

• Environmental Protection Agency: Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving funds, as well a Green Infrastructure Program that provides technical assistance to communities pursing green infrastructure solutions.
• US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation: Title XVI 25% matching grants up to $20 million to design and construct demonstration and permanent water reclamation and reuse facilities in western states.
• US Department of Energy and State Energy Programs: Grants to certain municipalities/states to implement energy efficient projects and programs, or in certain circumstances to establish revolving loan funds to finance projects.

The report provides far more information that we can detail here, so if you are involved with clean water, drinking water, energy, agriculture, and policy-making, take a moment to click the link and read it. The insights you gain will be well worth your time!

The Scioto River in downtown Columbus, Ohio. How could increased green infrastructure improve the quality of water in this city and others?

Our 50th anniversary logo

It was 50 years ago that ms consultants opened its doors as Mosure-Fok Engineering, founded by Thomas F. Mosure and Thomas Fok.

Starting business as transportation engineering specialists and growing to what we are today—a full-service planning and design firm for the built and natural environment—we know we wouldn’t have made it 50 years without talented employees, loyal clients, and supportive communities.

To celebrate our 50^th anniversary and the progress that engineering, architecture and planning professions have made over the years, we created this 50-year timeline. The timeline integrates the history of our company, people, professional industries, and other worldwide milestones met in the past 50 years.

The timeline that celebrates all that has been accomplished over the last 50 years

We hope that you enjoy viewing the timeline and comment on what you think the future will hold for engineering, architecture, and the world. With such amazing advances in technology and sustainable practices, we renew our commitment to design, planning, scientific innovation, and superior customer service, and look forward to working with you for many years to come.

K. Anthony Hayek received the Eastern Ohio Chapter AIA Gold Medal in 2012

Mr. Hayek has nearly five decades of work experience and has served as project director, manager or project architect on nearly 1,000 projects.  Not only diverse in project roles, Mr. Hayek is adept in working with various project types, including institutional, educational, commercial, industrial, municipal, religious, recreational, and medical.

Projects of Mr. Hayek’s include:

• The Covelli Centre, Youngstown;
• Holy Family Church, Poland;
• Youngstown State University (YSU), projects, including the WATTS Indoor Practice Facility, the Stambaugh Stadium expansion and the Ward Beecher and Bliss Hall renovations;
• The Boardman Township Administration/Police/Road Department complex, Boardman;
• City of Girard Justice Center, Girard;
• Rescue Mission Facility Master Plan and Design Services, Youngstown; and
• St. Paul the Apostle Church, New Middletown.

Mr. Hayek joined the ms consultants team in 1997 when we acquired his 28-year-old award-winning architecture firm.  We are delighted and grateful that he decided to merge his practice with ms consultants. His continued hard work and dedication to the profession has helped us better serve our clients and continuously deliver top-notch building solutions.

Congratulations again, Mr. Hayek, and we look forward to many more years of your architectural wisdom.

If you saw our holiday card this year, it featured original artwork by two-year-old twin sisters Stella and Sophia Berardi, daughters of Melissa Berardi (Columbus, OH). Stella and Sophia were the winners of a holiday card design competition we held this year. It was hard to choose a winner, as we had so many terrific entries. Scroll below to view a showcase of artwork submitted for the competition.

Stella and Sophia Berardi, winners of ms' 2012 holiday card design competition.

Front cover of the ms 2012 holiday card. Painting by Stella and Sophia Berardi.

Artwork by Kaitlyn Brendlinger.

Artwork by Kamsi Odigboh.

Artwork by Ethan Chiovarelli.

Artwork by Fletcher Fox.

Artwork by Fletcher Fox.

Artwork by Morgan Nash.

Artwork by Tyler Martin.

Artwork by Reba Snow.

Artwork by Jordan Maruskin.

Artwork by Luke Sawford.

Artwork by Sara Sawford.

Artwork by the Sawford Family.

Artwork by Anna Sawford.

Artowrk by Cora Martin.

Artwork by Julia Ranno.

Jonathan Hren, P.E., is managing the office and is the Northeast Ohio Transportation Project Manager and Bridge Manager for the firm. He has almost two decades of experience and has worked for some of the largest design firms in the country, including TranSystems, E.L. Robinsonin and Parsons Brinckerhoff. He started his career working for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Jonathan can be reached at (216) 522-1926 or info@msconsultants.com.