Federal agencies are gearing up to deepen their commitment to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system heading into 2011, despite some criticism of its effectiveness. During the Ecobuild America conference, held Dec. 6-10 in Washington, D.C., representatives from several agencies touted their green agendas. The U.S. General Services Administration, the largest federal landlord, continues to stay out front as a champion of LEED ratings. In October, GSA announced that LEED Gold certification would be the minimum requirement for new federal building construction and renovation projects starting in fiscal 2011. Projects in design

The engineering manager for a major petroleum pipeline proposal now before Canada’s National Energy Board says project design and construction will mean significant earnings potential for engineering consultants and contractors. Ray Doering, Calgary-based Enbridge Inc. head of regulatory engineering and design, says the preliminary engineering process alone for the Northern Gateway oil pipeline between Alberta and British Columbia would involve “a whole range of different specialty consultants”, including those that would assess associated marine, geotechnical and constructability issues. + Image Map Image: Enbridge “Just in that design phase, where we’re collecting and assessing data to support the detailed design, we’re

The U.S. Dept. of Transportation is redistributing to 14 states $1.2 billion in high-speed-rail funds originally awarded to Wisconsin and Ohio, whose governors-elect have pledged to kill rail projects launched by their predecessors. Related Links: Rail Plans Hit Bumps Rail Dollars Rolling U.S. DOT said on Dec. 9 that California would get up to $624 million, the largest share of the reallocated rail funds. DOT had previously awarded $3.2 billion to the Golden State for its ambitious rail plan. Florida will get as much as $342.3 million under the redistribution. The state's incoming governor Rick Scott, has said he's opposed

Three Indian firms and an Indian/Spanish joint venture are competing with three Chinese firms for a portion of a hydropower project in Nepal. Larsen & Toubro Ltd., Jyoti Structures Ltd. and KEC International Ltd. are the Indian firms. The joint venture is composed of Spain’s Cobras Instalaciones Y Servicios and India’s Aravali Infrapower Ltd. The short-listed Chinese firms are Sinohydro Corp., Central China Power Grid International Economic and Trade Co., and Shanghai Electric Power Transmission and Distribution Engineering. The Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project is located on the Tamakoshi River in the Dolakha district, about 50 miles northeast of Katmandu. The

Seeking to meet mandated cuts for the discharge of nutrients into the nation’s largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay, a Maryland wastewater treatment plant and its design, construction and technology team are using what they say is the world’s largest application of a pollutant-reduction technology as part of a $138.7-million facility upgrade. Team officials at the Patapsco wastewater treatment plant in Baltimore say use of the “fixed-film denitrification system” for tertiary treatment at the facility will reduce nitrogen and phosphorous discharges into the Patapsco River by 83% and 85%, respectively. The waterway is a key tributary of the bay, now on

The Hong Kong Water Supplies Dept. has awarded AECOM a $55-million design and construction services contract to reconstruct and upgrade the Sha Tin Water Treatment Works, one of Asia’s largest water treatment plants. Sha Tin consists of two treatment trains. AECOM will oversee the expansion of the South Works to 145 million gallons per day from 95 mgd. The North Works has a capacity of 232 mgd but is not being upgraded. The overall capacity of the two plants will increase to 377 mgd from 327 mgd. Sha Tin provides water to two million people. AECOM will provide detailed design

For the second time in six months, an unexpected intrusion of water and mud has stalled the $447-million construction of a third water intake at Lake Mead near Hoover Dam in southern Nevada. The problem could delay project completion at the drought-ravaged lake by a year and increase costs by “tens of millions,” says a project official. Photo: Courtesy of SNWA Water intake construction project at Lake Mead could face delays and higher costs because of unexpected water and mud 600 ft below ground. + Image The new intake is intended to draw water deeper from the dwindling lake that

Japan and China have cornered the market in major cable-supported bridges in recent years. But now another East Asian rival is on the rise. South of the Russian port city of Vladivostok, the world’s longest cable-stayed span—at 1,104 meters—is due to start erection next April. Spanning the “eastern Bosphorus” waterway from the southern tip of the Nazimov Peninsula, the Russky Bridge is a key element in the work to prepare Russky Island to host the 2012 Asia-Pacific Summit, which will include U.S. and Canada government heads. To feed traffic to the new crossing, work has advanced further on a second

Planners of the $6.6-billion Femern Belt road and rail link between Denmark and Germany have rejected a bridge option in favor of a 18-kilometer-long sunken-tube tunnel. Government confirmation of the choice is expected next month. The process of prequalifying contractors is scheduled to start later in 2011. Running between Puttgarden, on Germany’s Fehmarn Island, and R�dby, on Lolland Island, Denmark, the project will provide a new route from Scandinavia to Central Europe. LUNDHUS Following extensive studies by two international design teams, officials at the project developer, Denmark’s Femern A/S, Copenhagen, say a tunnel poses fewer construction and operational risks than

After years of discussion, Israel’s Transportation Ministry finally is proceeding with plans to build an estimated $700-million high-speed railway to the southern port of Eilat, the country’s largest resort and a major port for shipments to and from the Far East. The ministry now seeks expressions of contractor interest in the project. Israel already has invested several billion dollars in recent years in national rail projects as part of a government effort to upgrade the country’s infrastructure. In November, the ministry announced a multibillion-dollar plan for additional upgrades as well as new rail lines and roads. The ministry plans a