When the Rochester Museum & Sci-ence Center in Rochester, NY, decided to undertake a study for green infra-structure improvements, they had to consider how the new elements would work with the historic 1912 museum buildings and landscaped grounds. To help the client better see how the finished project would look, C&S went beyond traditional line draw-ings or colored sketches and developed

a detailed 3D visualization. Using aerial imagery and site photographs, we were able to ac-curately model both the existing historic museum and the

new development. The image below shows how a new green infrastructure education pavilion with a green roof and rainwater harvesting system would interact visually with the museum.

Today’s sophisticated 3D modeling software does not just produce a single view of a proposed project—almost any view and angle can be rendered so that clients, designers, and the public

can see every aspect of a project before any ground is broken. Beyond just still images, entire animated walk-throughs of project sites can be generated, al-lowing owners to interact with new spaces and make decisions about layout and finishes well before final design is completed.

To generate a complete rendering of the site and proposed project, we start with modeling the topography and overlaying aerial imagery to create a more accurate representation of exist-ing site conditions. Our visualization specialists then model the proposed project and insert it onto the topog-raphy, along with rendering other

The newsletter of the C&S Companiessummer 2014 www.cscos.com

advances

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Bringing project visions to lifeby Ryan Merry

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the impact a project will have. Renderings can be blended seamlessly into photographs of an exist-ing site or structure to show how a project will affect the surrounding area. By presenting both before and after photos side by side, it is easy for stakeholders to see how a proposed project might affect them.

Designing a project in 3D can also save clients time and money by improving accuracy and preventing change orders. By modeling all the aspects of a project in one cohesive virtual model, conflicts between trades or other issues can be

existing features, such as neighboring struc-tures, trees and vegetation, water bodies, and infrastructure such as roads and bridges. Animat-ing a proposed project is the most complex method of 3D visualization, but provides the most realistic and understandable interaction with new development. Animations can take the form of a walkthrough of a building, flyover of a site, or even a time lapse of the construction process.

With 3D visualization, clients can easily understand exactly what an end product will look like without needing to understand or interpret complex line drawings. 3D visualization can easily represent ideas that would be extremely difficult to convey with 2D drawings, such as complex forms or shapes.

By conceptually building a project in a virtual environment, architects and engineers can explore a wide variety of options quickly and easily. The designer can create multiple concepts and see how they are influenced by different elements, such as solar expo-sure, sight lines, and interaction with existing features. Through the use of 3D visualization, designers can also represent ideas or details that would otherwise be impossible, such as a 3D section of a building that showcases both the interior and exterior elements simultaneously.

3D visualization can also greatly benefit public outreach by presenting easily understood representations of

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Early concept for conversion of an exist-ing seven-story building into the Restart

Outpatient Clinic. (left)

The proposed Onondaga County Lakeview Am-phitheater on the shore of Onondaga Lake. (above)

Initial concept for addition to the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Health Services facility. (right)

quickly seen and corrected well before it becomes a problem. This helps avoid issues during construction, such as util-ity conflicts, confusing specifications, or incorrect material quantities.

C&S was an early adopter of 3D visualization in the architecture/engi-neering industry, because we think it significantly enhances the experience

between the client and the designer. We are taking the lead when it comes to the ability to design and showcase projects, and staying ahead when it comes to new advances in technologies.

For more information about C&S’s visualization capabilities, contact Ryan Merry at rmerry@cscos.com or (315) 455-2000.

AdvancementsAccomplishmentsC&S is designing the new Lakeview Amphitheater for Onondaga County, NY, on the shore of Onondaga Lake. The complex includes an amphitheater with covered and lawn seats, a vendor area, recreational trails, and amenities.

San Bernardino County, CA, select-ed C&S for a three-year term as their on-call airport engineering and ar-chitectural consultant for six county-owned airports—Apple Valley, Baker, Barstow-Daggett, Chino, Needles, and Twentynine Palms airports.

C&S was chosen as the architect/en-gineer for the $5.6 million conversion of a seven-story building in downtown Rochester into the Restart Outpa-tient Clinic addiction treatment facil-ity for Catholic Family Center.

As a subconsultant to RS&H, C&S will provide engineering and con-struction administration for the $90 million reconstruction of 440,000 square yards of pavement on Runway 4L/22R and associated taxiways at Detroit Metro Airport.

AwardsThe Southwest Chapter of the Ameri-can Association of Airport Executives (SWAAAE) honored C&S’s Jessica Mullen with their President’s Award, which recognizes a member who has provided outstanding service to SWAAAE during the past year.

The Onondaga Community College Academic II building received a Merit Award from the American Institute of Steel Construction’s IDEAS2 (Innova-tive Design in Engineering and Archi-tecture with Structural Steel) competi-tion. C&S was the building’s MEP engineer and construction manager.

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Across Southern California, develop-ers are looking with renewed interest at thousands of acres where residential communities were approved, entitled, and partially developed when the reces-sion hit.

Community housing and commercial development projects were significantly impacted in the Inland Empire region of Southern California. While the industry has not completely rebounded, it has begun to show signs of life after the last six years were mainly idle for developers and builders. The Building Industry Association (BIA) of Southern California reported that new building permits are being processed in increas-ing numbers and many new projects are entering the entitlement process. The increase in the housing demand is bol-stered by the lower inventory of avail-able housing and the continuation of historically low interest rates for buyers.

During the recession, several new regulations were passed by the State of California for more stringent water

quality treatment and more sustainable project design features. The architec-tural design of these new homes and commercial buildings has also been heavily affected by these state and local jurisdictional requirements. Site/civil engineers have had to find innovative and sustainable methods for water treatment, containment, and reuse on residential and commercial develop-ments. Reduce, reuse, and recycle are key considerations in today’s civil design methodology.

ReduceReducing the consumption of materials and resources, the amount of develop-ment, and the amount of negative im-pacts is critical. Using fewer resources during construction saves the developer time and money. Developing less of the existing land saves resources for the future and preserves the natural charac-teristics of a space. Reducing the nega-tive impacts of development, such as loss of habitat and stormwater runoff, is always a key goal for engineers. The

natural features of a site (topography, water features, vegetation) are essential to the natural balance of the landscape. Rather than working against these natural features, we incorporate them into the design so they will continue to benefit the site. C&S is part of a design team that is currently developing a high density multi-family project on a 270-acre hillside in Riverside County. The project will create an urban hillside village similar to those found along the Mediterranean coastline. The project will be terraced to take advantage of the panoramic views while retaining more than half the site as open space.

When natural sites are developed, impervious surface area is increased. Impervious surfaces do not absorb water, instead causing runoff from rain events to other areas. By replacing previously pervious areas (grass, forest, brush, etc.) with impervious area (as-phalt, concrete, roofs, etc.) stormwater runoff increases, groundwater recharge is reduced, and surface temperatures

rise. To address these concerns, C&S designs alternative solutions that com-ply with local jurisdictions and state requirements and improve the natural characteristics of a site. Products in-cluding pervious pavements and pavers and bio-retention treatment facilities help stormwater stay on site, infiltrat-ing back into the ground instead of running off. Because less stormwater mitigation is required once these meth-ods have been employed, the environ-mental impact is reduced.

ReuseThough challenging, focusing on previ-ously developed sites is one of the best ways to limit the potential environ-mental impacts of the site development process. An under-used or abandoned site that already has transportation and/or utility infrastructure can be a good candidate for reuse. C&S is cur-rently working on the redevelopment of a manufacturing facility in the City of Ontario. An outdated manufactur-ing building that is no longer compat-ible with the surrounding residential

neighborhood will be removed and the space converted into an upscale hous-ing development with neighborhood amenities. The reuse of this site also reduces the air quality impacts by tak-ing advantage of the roads and utilities that exist adjacent to the project.

RecycleAnother innovative approach that has spread since the early 2000s housing development boom is incorporation of recycled elements in design require-ments. Recycled materials reduce raw material consumption, energy use, air emissions associated with manufactur-ing, and the amount of landfill space needed. It is also one of the easiest and most visible sustainable techniques that can be implemented. Consumers are familiar with recycled materials and ap-preciate their use in new construction. The use of recycled materials is not limited to just building products. One of the most prevalent recycled products is water. This includes the treatment of wastewater and captured stormwater runoff. At the New Model Colony

(NMC), a 30,000-unit master planned community spread over 8,200 acres in Ontario, C&S is on a team providing engineering for infrastructure roadways and utilities, including a project-wide recycled water system. This recycled water system and a stormwater man-agement design is being incorporated as part of the NMC residential entitle-ment and engineering work.

A new approach to designC&S approaches every project with this methodology in mind. The devel-opers, community, and the planet all benefit from sustainable design tech-niques for both residential and com-mercial construction projects. As new areas for development become scarce and natural, undeveloped land is re-duced, green infrastructure will be the only way to ensure that the needs of people and the planet can be balanced.

For more information on sustainable residential and commercial develop-ment, contact Eric Saenz or Benjamin Stables III at esaenz@cscos.com, bsta-bles@cscos.com, or (619) 296-9373.

Housing development is back—but differentDevelopers revive Southern California projects derailed by the recessionby Eric Saenz, p.e., and Benja-min Stables III

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required the day of the demolition to communicate with drift boats at up-stream launch sites to keep them from entering the work area.

The new bridge and improved high-way section complement the natural surroundings, giving both anglers and pedestrians access to both shores safely. Drift boats can navigate the river with a closed-roof bridge overhead, and regular vehicular traffic can safely travel between destinations. This project received a 2014 Silver ACEC Engineer-ing Excellence Award.

To learn more about this project, con-tact Jim Craig, P.E., at (315) 455-2000 or jcraig@cscos.com.

Businesses routinely install fire extin-guishers throughout the workplace to address fire safety, code rules, or insur-ance requirements. Fire extinguishers are seen hanging from the walls of virtually every facility, but the types and styles of the fire extinguishers vary and is often associated more with décor than functionality.

The intent of fire extinguishers is to suppress or diminish an incipient stage (first stage) fire so people can safely exit and allow a dedicated fire fighting force to completely extinguish the fire. Installing the appropriate class and size of an extinguisher can make a differ-ence in the outcome of a fire incident.

There are five classes of fire:

• ClassA—Ordinarycombustiblessuch as paper, wood, or cloth

• ClassB—Ignitableliquidsuchasgasoline

• ClassC—Fireswhereliveelectric-ity is present

• ClassD—Firesinvolvingmetalssuch as magnesium or titanium

• ClassK=Firesinkitchensin-volving products such as cooking grease

Knowingthetypeoffirethatcouldoc-cur and how to recognize a fire that can be suppressed with a single extinguish-er can mean the difference between life and death.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Oc-cupational Safety and Health Admin-istration (OSHA) has developed and implemented a standard for workplace safety that regulates the placement and use of first aid fire fighting equipment, such as fire extinguishers.

Under the standard, employers must have an emergency action plan of how they will address fires that could occur in the workplace. Employers can decide to require complete evacuation at the time of a fire and not allow the use of an extinguisher by employ-ees, they can choose

to allow designated personnel to fight a fire with an extinguisher while every-one else evacuates, or they can allow all employees to use a fire extinguisher. In any case, employees must be educated in how they are to react to a fire in their workplace. If an employer does designate certain employees to use fire fighting equipment, the employer must provide initial training and annual educational training in the use of the equipment.

Mike Casler, C&S’s safety manager conducts educational programs that involves both classroom and hands-on training in identifying an incipient stage fire, the class of fire, and the use of fire extinguishers in the workplace that meets the requirements of the OSHA standards. Digital-based laser technology allows C&S to provide this training throughout the year, in-

doors or outdoors, without environmental risks, the use

of ignitable liquids or gases, ex-posure to live fire, or cleanup. Employ-ees will use equipment that is designed to replicate actual fire extinguishers of all classes of fire, with realistic sounds and feel, and measures the employee’s effectiveness in suppressing an incipi-ent stage fire.

Mike has more than 30 years’ experi-ence as a professional firefighter, fire

chief, and fire investigator, who has performed more than

3,000 fire investigations during his career.

For more information about C&S’s fire training courses, contact Mike Casler at (315) 703-4333 or mcasler@cscos.com.

Training for fire emergenciesby Mike Casler

Each fall thousands of expert anglers visit the Pulaski, New York, area for some of the world’s finest salmon fish-ing, bringing significant economic ben-efit for the local community. Five miles upstream from Pulaski, the Pineville Bridge (CR48) over the Salmon River serves as a vital link to New York State Department of Environmental Con-servation (NYSDEC) fishing access, residences, and area motels.

C&S designed a new 230-foot, two-span continuous, steel multi-girder structure to replace a 96-year-old, single-lane, truss. The concrete abut-ments and pier are supported by drilled shafts socketed into rock. Aesthetic elements such as brown powder-coated guide rail, weathering steel girders, and a stone form liner finish on the abut-ments and pier, help the new bridge blend into rustic surroundings.

The bridge’s unequal span lengths ac-commodate fishing and drift boat traffic in the main channel during low-river flows and provide adequate hydraulic capacity during high-river flows. To address significant pedestrian traffic during the fishing season, the bridge and north approach have a concrete sidewalk and asphalt paved path that connect to a path leading to the NYS-DEC fishing access and south shore.

The original bridge was demolished in September, during salmon season, because of the construction duration needed. The truss was removed in one day to avoid impacting drift boats and salmon fishing. Extra effort was

Bridging road and recreationby Jim Craig, p.e.

employers must have an emergency action plan of how they will address fires

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C&S Companies499 Colonel Eileen Collins Blvd.Syracuse, New York 13212p: (315) 455-2000f: (315) 455-9667toll free: (877) CS-SOLVEwww.cscos.comemail: advances@cscos.com

Engage, explore, excel—to advance quality of life in a changing world

Buffalo141 Elm Street Suite 100 Buffalo, NY 14203 (716) 847-1630

C&S’s Buffalo office has relocated to the Planing Mill, a historic building listed on the National Register of Historic Places that was recently renovated into mixed use office and residential space. Our phone and fax numbers have not changed. Built between 1878 and the 1920s, the building was originally home to the E.M. Hag-er & Sons Planing Mill. The prop-erty was completely renovated and is pursuing LEED certification. It is situated in a prime downtown location close to Route 33, I-190, Buffalo’s Central Business Dis-trict, the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Downtown Buffalo, and Canalside.

Sacramento8950 Cal Center Drive Suite 112 Sacramento, CA 95826 (916) 364-1470

Our Sacramento office is expand-ing and has moved to a new, larger space. Our phone number remains the same. The office is managed by Jessica Mullen, P.E., a department manager in our Aviation Group. Her office manages projects across Northern California, includ-ing Half Moon Bay, San Carlos, Susanville, Georgetown, Placer-ville, and Castle airports. We are pleased to announce that Sergio Arellano, P.E., has joined our Sacramento practice as a project engineer. Sergio is a transporta-tion design engineer with 10 years experience in the transportation sector, including airport and high-way projects in California.

Buffalo and Sacramento practices move to new office locations