MDC Systems® has recently entered the commercial drone industry with its drone for various inspection and engineering evaluation services. The future for the commercial drone industry looks very bright. In 2015 the U.S. commercial drone market size was an estimated $400 million, and by the year 2022 it is projected to grow to over $1 billion.
Technology
Privatization of American Water Utilities
Donald R. Keer, P.E., Esq. MDC Systems® Consulting Engineer The pressure is growing on local municipalities to consider privatization of their water and wastewater systems. Both the EPA and the Bush Administration favor privatization as a way for local municipalities to meet ever tightening regulations. These systems are critical to public health and economic development.
Building Information Modeling – Boon or Bane?
MDC Systems® has recently become aware of a number of large projects exhibiting major problems despite the ‘spectacular’ abilities of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and other project technologies. Some of these projects have been highlighted in recent industry publications and legal filings. These issues often fall into several common areas which are summarized below.
MDC Advisor® Expert Newsletter
Thomas Hundertmark, Andre Olinto do Valle Silva, and Jeff A. Shulman Suppliers of energy and energy-intensive commodities are greatly increasing their investments in power stations, chemical plants, oil rigs, steel mills, and other capital projects. By raising the cost of delay and missed opportunities, today’s supercharged environment has elevated the importance of first-rate contracting management.
Modeling of a Residential Photovoltaic System and Model Validation Using Measured Data
Incident Solar Radiation The south facing roof gets the maximum exposure of sun during the day, so this is where the solar panels can be mounted. The incident solar radiation (KW/m2) that the roof will get changes with the time of the day and the month of the year and the inclination of the roof.
Fukushima Dai-Ichi – Black Swan Event or Engineering Design Error?
By Robert C. McCue, PE MDC Systems® Consulting Engineer Tsunami triggers destruction of nuclear reactors, Japan On the afternoon of March 11, 2011 a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck the coast of Japan triggering a massive tsunami that ravaged the country’s northern coast. The images of the water moving at a rate of 500 miles per
Installing a Solar Power System on a Residential House
Amal Kabalan, LEED A.P. MDC Systems® Consulting Engineer In the article “Pennsylvania Solar Energy Rebate on Hold: How Consumers Can Still Save Energy” published in the February 2009 edition of the MDC Advisor®, the steps that homeowners can take in order to reduce their energy consumption were outlined. This article discusses a case study that
Comparative Solar System Performance Analysis
Preliminary Analysis of an Industrial Photovoltaic System and Comparison of Its Performance with a Wind Energy System and a Fuel Cell Power System By Amal Kabalan, LEED A.P.; MDC Systems® Consulting Engineer The purpose of this article is to test the feasibility of installing a Photovoltaic (PV) System on an industrial facility and then compare
Treated Wastewater Begins to Flow from Taps Despite “Yuck Factor”
Written by Don Keer, PE MDC Systems Engineer On February 9, 2012 the New York Times published the following article: “As ‘Yuck Factor’ Subsides: Treated Wastewater Flows from Taps.” This article reviewed the operation of a water reuse plant in San Diego, CA. As water stresses increase around the world it is increasingly clear that
Water Treatment: Not Just a Third World Issue
Donald R. Keer, P.E., Esq. MDC Systems® Consulting Engineer In March the United Nations celebrated World Water Day 2013 by choosing Water Cooperation (supplying clean, accessible water to vulnerable communities) as its theme. With continuous pressure being put on populations to use water wisely, attorneys in the construction industry are seeing issues arise that were
