PERSPECTIVES, ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION, ENGINEERING TECH
Businesswire | April 25, 2023
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that S&K Engineering and Research, LLC was awarded the Intelligent Robotic and Control System Services (IRCSS) III task order, supporting the Engineering Directorate - Software Robotics and Simulation Division at Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, TX.
This single-award task order is administered under the General Services Administration’s One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) multiple award contract. Services include technology development, maturation, and applied research and engineering in automation, robotics, robot control, advanced vision systems, perception, advanced software technologies, and intelligent control systems.
“S&K has been a long-standing technical contractor at NASA. This award confirms our commitment to supporting the NASA community and their quest for technology advancement,” said Margaret Bowman, President of SKER.
S&K provides vital support to NASA engineers working on multiple projects within the Software, Robotics, and Simulation Division at JSC. Their most recent undertaking involves the development and testing of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle Ground Test Unit rover. This state-of-the-art rover is set to play a critical role in the establishment of future commercial vehicle requirements, mission planning, and concept of operations in preparation for NASA's upcoming Artemis Program. As the first crewed mission to the moon in nearly a decade, the Artemis Program represents a crucial milestone for space exploration, and S&K's contribution is an essential component of this historic endeavor.
S&K Engineering and Research, a subsidiary of S&K Technologies, Inc., has been providing exceptional support to various NASA projects for over two decades. The company has a diverse range of expertise, including engineering support services, enterprise IT, software development, cybersecurity, and aircraft life-cycle engineering.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT), headquartered in St. Ignatius, Montana, are the proud owners of the S&K Technologies, Inc. family of companies. With multiple subsidiaries operating around the world, the corporation has made significant contributions to the local economies. The contract awards earned by the company have resulted in tangible economic benefits for the CSKT Shareholder, which have been utilized to enhance education, employment, social programs, and other investments in the Reservation and surrounding communities. Through these efforts, the S&K Technologies, Inc. family of companies has established itself as a responsible corporate entity committed to social and economic development.
About S&K Technologies, Inc
S&K Technologies, Inc. was formed in 1999 with a vision to become one of the preeminent professional services firms in the country and to provide opportunity and prosperity to the people of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT). Since inception, the S&K Technologies, Inc. enterprise has grown into a family of ten subsidiary companies that support federal and commercial customers around the world.
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DESIGN, ENGINEERING TECH
Globenewswire | June 09, 2023
Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, has signed an agreement to acquire Environmental Systems Design, Inc. (ESD), a 270-person engineering firm headquartered in Chicago. Founded in 1967, ESD has built a reputation for excellence and innovation in high-performance design with a roster of industry-leading clients. The terms of the transaction are not disclosed.
The acquisition of ESD significantly deepens Stantec’s expertise in mission critical facilities and data center design. Mission critical facilities represent a rapidly growing segment of purpose-built infrastructure that require an increased level of reliability. These facilities—spanning nearly every major industry—are designed to maintain building infrastructure, emergency dispatch, data storage, or other critical functions in the face of inclement weather and utility outages. Data centers, such as hyperscale facilities, require special, resilient design considerations developed by uniquely qualified teams with regular exposure to the evolving needs of large-scale companies.
The acquisition of ESD expands Stantec’s mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) and structural engineering practice by 40 percent in the US. These added resources significantly deepen the firm’s smart building engineering capabilities that support the workplace of the future and the emerging trends of decarbonization, building repositioning, and adaptive reuse.
“Merging talent with ESD positions Stantec as one of the top integrated design firms in the US market,” said Leonard Castro, executive vice president and business operating unit leader for Buildings at Stantec. “Our expanded services in data center, smart building design, and high-performance buildings will offer our clients the flexible and stable facilities that meet their operational needs into the future.”
“Stantec is a top-tier firm that shares our vision to improve society through the built environment,” said Raj Gupta, executive chairman at ESD. “ESD has increased the depth and breadth of its services in recent years. Joining Stantec expands our offering globally and creates exceptional career growth opportunities for our employees.”
Critical Project Experience
ESD provides data center design services for several industry-leading technology clients. ESD was recently retained by a confidential client to provide peer review and hyperscale data center design services and subsequently engaged in multiple hyperscale data centers on its behalf across the US. Hyperscale campus developments scale from a single 500,000 square foot (20 to 30 megawatts capacity) facility to multiple facilities spanning several million square feet (300+ megawatts capacity). Multiple sites throughout the country share a baseline design with local adaptations and are designed for efficient phased buildouts without interruption to live facilities.
Additional projects in ESD’s portfolio include
MEP and mission critical engineering for the United Airlines Network Operations Center in Chicago, a vital component of the airline’s day-to-day operations. Building Information Modeling (BIM) was used to route new systems through the existing structure and around existing systems. ESD worked closely with the City of Chicago and provided specialized consulting services in the areas of electrical and fire alarm codes to provide a unique furniture wiring design that met all of United’s needs.
MEP and fire protection engineering for the 1,400,000-square-foot expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center, one of the largest convention centers in the world. The new West Hall includes 600,000 square feet of flexible exhibition spaces with multiple infrastructure services including a variety of electrical power voltages and capacities, telecommunications, water and drainage, and natural gas. Ancillary program and support spaces include a concourse, meeting rooms, lobbies, and café/kitchen space.
MEP and fire protection engineering and energy modeling for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital in Illinois. The 201-bed hospital was designed to meet future demand and modeled to achieve LEED Silver Certification. Energy conservation measures included optimizing the thermal performance of the façade while balancing the solar heat gain of the glass, external shading techniques, LED lighting, and more. ESD also reduced water-fixture use by 20 percent and domestic hot water usage by 26 percent.
Stantec has three existing offices in Chicago, for a total of five in Illinois. With a large concentration of employees in Chicago, ESD also has offices in New York City, San Francisco, and Phoenix. The acquisition will grow Stantec’s presence in Chicago to nearly 600 and to more than 2,050 in the broader US North Central region, which covers 12 states.
About Environmental Systems Design, Inc.
A global company, ESD is a leader in Improving Society Through the Built Environment. We create solutions that produce economic, environmental, and experiential benefits for our clients, many of whom are the biggest names in the worlds of business, technology — and beyond. We embrace technological change and are at the forefront of developing Intelligent Buildings. We emphasize innovation, adaptability, and sustainability when providing mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, life safety, structural, acoustical, technology, and commissioning engineering. For more information, please visit www.esdglobal.com.
About Stantec
Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or across the globe, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. That's why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind.
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ENGINEERING TECH
PR Newswire | June 08, 2023
UES, a national leading engineering and consulting company, has acquired Riner Engineering, a geotechnical engineering and construction materials testing and inspection firm headquartered in Houston, TX.
Founded in 2006, Riner Engineering includes an experienced team of more than 170 engineers, project managers, technicians, and support staff based in offices in the Houston headquarters, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas. Riner maintains full-service soil and CMT laboratories accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) and by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The firm has successfully completed thousands of projects throughout the state of Texas and has serviced private and public clients across multiple industries. Noteworthy Riner projects include Daikin Industries' $410 million, 4+ million square foot distribution and manufacturing facility in Waller, Texas, the world's largest according to the Tilt-Up Concrete Association, and Houston Airport Systems' Mickey Leland International Terminal (MLIT), Federal Inspection Services (FIS) building, and Checked Baggage Inspection and Screening (CBIS) building at Bush Intercontinental Airport as part of the $1.36 billion ITRP program.
Riner joins the Texas Region of UES, led by Brian Powell, P.E., President of the Texas Region. Riners' leadership team will continue to operate the day-to-day business. "Riner Engineering further expands the capabilities of our region and we are excited with the experience and people that Riner brings to our Texas team," said Brian Powell, P.E.
"We're proud to announce the expansion of our presence and technical expertise in Texas," said UES CEO Dave Witsken. "Texas is a leading market for infrastructure development in the U.S., and we believe UES will be better able to serve the growing market and provide enhanced services, solutions, and support to our clients with the addition of the Riner Engineering team."
Ken Riner, P.E., President of Riner Engineering, adds, "With this partnership, we at Riner can improve our ability to provide top-of-the line geotechnical engineering and materials testing services with access to more personnel, more equipment, and more capabilities. Working in UES and UES' Texas Region allows Riner to continue performing at the highest levels of our chosen engineering specialties, with top-quality people and a wider range of tools."
With nearly six decades of experience and recognition as the premier engineering and consulting firm in the geotechnical engineering space, UES is well-positioned to serve the needs of commercial, residential, and civic customers across the country. Beginning in 2019, UES' acquisitions have included prominent engineering firms including: Universal Engineering Sciences, GFA International, Inc., NOVA Geotechnical & Inspection Services, Contour Engineering, Wallace-Kuhl & Associates, Construction Testing & Engineering, SUMMIT Engineering, Laboratory & Testing, GEOServices, McGinley & Associates, Geotechnology, Alpha Testing, GSI Engineering, Speedie & Associates, Rock Engineering Testing & Laboratory, Dan Brown and Associates, Carmichael Engineering, Faulkner Engineering Services, Grubbs, Hoskyn, Barton & Wyatt, and now Riner Engineering, which have made UES one of the largest, most resource-rich organizations of its kind nationwide.
About UES
UES is a privately held, rapidly growing engineering and consulting firm with nearly six decades of experience in geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, building code compliance, threshold inspections and environmental consulting. With nearly 3,500 professionals across more than 85 branches in high growth markets in the U.S., UES consults on projects of all sizes for public and private clients across many industries including transportation, healthcare, commercial, education, industrial, and residential. UES was named 'Hot Firm of the Year' by Zweig Group for 2021, 2022, and 2023.
About Riner Engineering
Riner Engineering, Inc. (RINER) is a privately held Texas corporation specializing in geotechnical engineering (GEO) and construction materials testing and inspection (CMT). RINER has offices in Houston (corporate), Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas. RINER owns and operates truck-, track-, and buggy-mounted drilling rigs and maintains full-service soil and CMT laboratories accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) and by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). RINER has a staff of 170+, including engineers, project managers, technicians, and support staff. Since 2006, we have successfully completed thousands of projects throughout the state of Texas and serviced private and public clients across multiple industries.
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