Fall 2006 Newsletter

NEWS FROM THE HILLHILL INTERNATIONAL, INC.303 LIPPINCOTT CENTREMARLTON, NJ 08053Hill International, with more than 1,400employees in 60 offices worldwide, providesprogram management, project management,construction management, and constructionclaims services. Engineering News-Recordmagazine recently ranked Hill as the 17thlargest construction management firm in theUnited States.Contact Hill International at: 303 Lippincott CentreMarlton, New Jersey 08053800-283-4088856-810-6200www.hillintl.come-mail: info@hillintl.comDirect correspondence to John P. Paolin,Vice President of MarketingNews from the HillThe editorial board of News from the Hill welcomes your suggestions and comments. Call us at856-810-6210, or write to us at Hill International,Inc., Attn: John Paolin, Executive Editor, News fromthe Hill, 303 Lippincott Centre, Marlton, New Jersey08053, or via e-mail at info@hillintl.com.John P. PaolinExecutive EditorTricia M. McCunneyEditor and Senior WriterWe gratefully acknowledge the following persons for their contributions to this edition of News fromthe Hill:D. Clarke Pile for his assistance with the article onHill’s recent growth in New York City.Al Zion for his assistance with the article on changesin airport design and construction and work atPhiladelphia International Airport.Stu Lacy, Stu Seidman and Doug Traver for theirassistance with the article on green building.News from the Hill is not intended to provide legalor business advice. Always consult with an attorney orother professional advisor prior to implementing andgeneral suggestions or recommendations reported inNews from the Hill.Making It Easy to be Green continued from page 11Traver feels that LEED standards work best, and can be most easily applied, in newconstruction. “They don’t fit well with the restoration of an existing building,” he said.“I’m not sure if LEED is the appropriate standard for every type of project. But, in lieuof no system, I think it’s pretty good. You need to have some measurable standard.”Traver likes working on a project that leaves a softer footprint on the environment.“From my perspective, it’s the right way to build buildings.”Lacy agreed. “The old pitch is that it’s the right thing to do but, now, it actually cansave an owner money. Now, it has actually become the cost-effective thing to do,” hesaid. Designing and constructing buildings that let in more natural light, for example,saves on lighting costs and, studies have shown, improves employee productivity.Better HVAC and air filtration systems mean cleaner indoor air. “Your employeesaren’t getting ‘sick building’ syndrome and those types of illnesses. They aren’t callingout sick as much, which improves their productivity. A large portion of any business’costs is in salaries. So, if you’re increasing productivity by getting the most out of thesalaries you’re paying, you’re ultimately increasing your bottom line,” Lacy said. “It justmakes good business sense.”Building green has other, aesthetic benefits as well, Lacy added. “The design style, the‘green style,’ is more interesting, both inside and out, and they’re more interesting andpleasant places to be in.”Seidman and Lacy both are encouraged by the momentum of recent years. “Greenbuilding processes are increasingly becoming part of design and architecture curriculaat colleges and universities. College students are taking LEED classes and arebecoming LEED-accredited professionals during or immediately after school. Thisalso will help, over the 10 to 15 years, on making the ‘green’ type of design the norm,”Seidman said. “Also we’ll see a cascade effect as more and more green projects are builtand the process becomes more routine.”Seidman is not sure, however, how long it will take before nearly all construction is ‘green.’“The environment was harmed over a long period of time. The recovery also will taketime. We just need to keep working at it.” nF A L L2 0 0 61__ HILL GOESPUBLIC, ACQUIRESUK-BASEDKNOWLES2__ MAKING IT EASYTO BE GREEN4__ HILL PROJECTSAND EXECUTIVESGARNERINDUSTRYAWARDS5__ A BRAND NEWSTART IN OLDNEW YORK6__ AIRPORTS GROWING TO MEET UNPRECEDENTEDDEMAND8__ HILL AWARDEDINDUSTRY’S TOP PROJECTS9__ HILL OPENS NEW OFFICES INU.S. AND ASIA10__ HILL HIRES,PROMOTESPERSONNEL TOKEY POSTSTHROUGHOUTTHE WORLDHOT OFF THE HILLbased firm that providestechnical consulting anddispute resolution services tothe engineering and con-struction industry.Like Hill, Knowles has grownover the past three decades tobecome one of the leadingconstruction claims firms inthe world. Indeed, it has been one of our strongestcompetitors. Headquarteredin Daresbury, UnitedKingdom, Knowles has nearly350 employees working in 36 offices worldwide. By combining the resources of Knowles and Hill, we willbecome– by far–the largest construction claims consultingfirm in the world. With offices in the United Kingdom, Western Europe,the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia, Canada andcontinued on page 4recently had the memorable honor of standingshoulder to shoulder with my father as weprepared to ring the opening bell of theNASDAQ Stock Market in Manhattan. Thatday marked the one-month anniversary of Hill becominga public company and was the rewarding culmination of 30 years of hard work by many, many people.We shared our pride and happiness that day withhundreds of loyal employees across the globe who haveworked tirelessly over the years to help make our long-held dream of ‘going public’ a reality.Hill is one of the very few firms in our industry tobecome publicly traded. The benefits of such atransaction are many. Most notably, being a publiccompany has given us the publicly traded stock withwhich to acquire new firms and new ‘talent’ throughoutthe world.We are pleased to announce that we have made our firstmajor acquisition as a public company by purchasingJames R. Knowles (Holdings) PLC, a United Kingdom-INEWS FROM THE HILLNEWS FROM THE HILLHILL GOES PUBLIC, ACQUIRES UK-BASED KNOWLESPRESIDENT’S COLUMN:By combining theresources ofKnowles and Hill,we are now – byfar – the largestconstruction claimsfirm in the world.Hill Chairman and CEO Irv Richter and President and COO David Richter 2NEWS FROM THE HILLMAKING IT EASY TO BE GREENUniform Standards and Heightened Awareness Boost ingEnv i ronmenta l ly F r iendly Construct iontuart I. Seidman, A.I.A., a Hill International constructionmanager, remembers when the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency was in its infancy, the word ‘ecology’ wasthe new buzzword, and architects wanted to design buildings thatcomplemented, and helped to protect, the environment.“During the energy conservationmovement of the 1970s, a lot ofarchitects and contractors startedexploring how to respond to theenergy crisis and to ease thedemand of building materials onnatural resources. And, althoughwe were experiencing an energycrisis, it wasn’t just about energy. Itwas about the total environment:about site selection and minimizingthe impact on the earth in terms ofsite selection; how you buildbuildings and how you operate buildings in ways that are sensitiveto the environment,” Seidman said. “The first thing I was taughtas an architect was to look at the site and draw a sun diagram,plotting the path of the sun across the site. If you don’t do that, youend up with buildings that are hot on one side and cold on theother, and that are completely unresponsive to the environment.”Things changed when the 1970s came to a close, Seidman said. “Inthe 1980s and 1990s, all concern for environment went out thewindow. It was the age of prosperity and cheap energy.”Seidman sees a renewed interest in environmentally sensitivedesign and construction today, although the rebirth of theseconcepts began well before gas prices reached all-time highs earlier this year. The buzzwords, such as ‘sustainable buildings’ and ‘building green’ may be new, but the concepts never reallywent out of favor among those architects and constructionprofessionals unwaveringly committed tothem. Environmentally sensitive designand construction proceeded ahead,albeit quietly. In 1993, a coalitionof organizations formed the U.S.Green Building Council, andbegan working on making greenbuilding the norm by developingstandards for its implementationboth locally and across thenation. Those standards haveevolved over the past 13 yearsinto the most definitive to date,and include a multi-tieredratings system and certificationprocess used by the public and private sectors alike.Certification under the council’sLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) RatingProgram has been granted to office buildings, museums and otherpublic spaces, schools, universities, homes and other structuresthroughout the U.S. According to the council’s website, the LEEDratings system promotes a “whole building approach” tosustainability, and includes pointsfor sustainable site development,water savings, energy efficiency,materials selection, and indoorenvironmental quality. Projects inplanning stages first are registered,designed and constructed to meetLEED requirements, and then are reviewed for potentialcertification.Renewed interest in green buildingmay have little to do with risingfuel prices and a heated publicdebate over global warming, Seidman feels. Rather, the ‘resurgence’was inevitable.“People who grew up in the late 1960s and 1970sare now entering leadership positions on municipal councils and inCongress, and what you’re seeing is almost a ‘from-the-bottom-up’grass-roots effort. Municipalities across the country are mandatingthat local construction projects be LEED-certified. Portland,Oregon, for example, has been one of the leaders in this, but other municipalities across the U.S. are also taking steps in thesame direction.”One of the major stumbling blocks to national implementation ofgreen building is the perception that it costs more than ‘traditional’design and construction. “If you take a conventional building andmodify it at the end of the process to become a green buildingthen, yes, it will be more expensive. But, if you incorporate LEEDprinciples throughout the construction, it does not necessarily costmore,” Seidman said. “A good example of this is a landscaped roofsystem. This will raise the cost of your roof, yes, but it will actuallyprovide additional energy insulation of the roof, which willreduce the overall (energy) load on the buildingand its chillers. It also reduces thestormwater run-off from thebuilding, and you need lessstormwater control systems.SRenovations of the historic Lion House at the Bronx Zoo (above)and the PhiladelphiaPolice Forensic Science Center (left) have incorporated many environmentally friendly elements.3Stormwater reduction systems are usually huge,costly, underground systems, so reducing them canrepresent a huge reduction in cost.”Recycling both during and after construction,another primary LEED component, can drasticallyreduce the cost of dumpsters and disposal, Seidman added.Doug Traver, a Hill vice president, is senior projectmanager of the reconstruction of the historic LionHouse at the famed Bronx Zoo in New York. Hill ismanaging the highly visible, $40 million project onbehalf of the New York City Department of Designand Construction. The Lion House is one of severalbeaux arts buildings that comprise the picturesqueand historic Astor Court. When completed, thebuilding will have been expanded fromapproximately 18,000 to 45,000 square feet andhouse an exhibit highlighting the animals and plantsof Madagascar, an island off of Africa’s east coast. Itis expected that the Lion House will be the firstlandmarked building to be certified as “green” inNew York City.Traver said that the project team hopes the projectwill ultimately receive a “gold” LEED certification.Recycling will play a large role in that certification.“Essentially, we’re recycling the entire building.Virtually everything, well over 90 percent, of whatwas taken out is being recycled. All of the steel, all ofthe wood, all of the concrete that comes out of thebuilding had to be isolated and then recycled,” hesaid. Since the jobsite at the Lion House is small,there wasn’t enough room to recycle on-site. Instead,dumpstered materials are hauled away and separatedfor recycling at another location. “You can eitherseparate materials on site and send the specificmaterials to their corresponding recycling centers, oryou can separate off-site. That’s what we’ve had to dobecause our site is so small. We don’t have the roomfor four, five or six dumpsters there. We worked withthe design team to identify a trucking company that separates the material at its facility. So, we don’t have to separate the material on site.”The hauler then has to submit proof of separation and recycling tothe project team. “We get a manifest on every dumpster that leavesthe site, indicating what portions were steel, concrete, wood, etcetera. The U.S. Green Building Council awards one LEED pointfor recycling 50 percent of what is removed from structures, andtwo LEED points for recycling 75 percent. “We’re running wellinto the 90s,” Traver said. Traver admitted that the off-siteseparation carries an additional cost, but saves time, and thusmoney, on the job site, because workers aren’t doing the separatingthemselves. “It’s also the right thing to do,” he added. “If you tookthe contents of an 18,000-square-foot building and threw it into alandfill, that would be a huge waste.”The Lion House also will contain several high-tech features thatwill make it environmentally friendly, including a fuel cell togenerate and re-sell power, and geothermal wells to heat and coolthe building geothermically. The Lion House also will feature high-tech building management and skylight systems to managetemperatures in different areas of the building. “The mechanicalsystems are extensive, for the relative size of the building,” Traversaid. “And, they’re very high-tech, because there will be a fullyoperational exhibit in half of the building. The habitats for theanimals that will live in the building can’t be too hot or too cold,and temperatures must remain constant.”Once construction is complete, the Lion House must successfullyoperate for at least three seasons before its LEED certification isbestowed, Traver said. Members of the project team meet with theDDC, the architect and others once a month to help ensure thatcontinued on page 11NEWS FROM THE HILLThe 57-story Comcast Center in Philadelphia will be the city’s largest “green” project. 4NEWS FROM THE HILLHi l l Pro jects and Execut ives Garner Industr y AwardsHot Firms 2006 AwardHill International has been named by TheZweig Letter as one of the 100 fastest-growing architecture, engineering andconstruction consulting firms in the UnitedStates and Canada. The publication’s “HotFirms 2006” list is based upon both dollargrowth and percentage growth in totalrevenues from 2002 to 2006. Hill has nowbeen named to the list four times in the pastfive years.“We are very proud to have again made thisprestigious list,” said Irvin E. Richter, Hillchairman and CEO. “Our growth isprimarily attributable to the hard work anddedication of our employees around theworld and the loyalty of our clients.”The Zweig Letter is a weekly newsletterproviding management advice for consultingfirms in the engineering and constructionindustry. It is published by ZweigWhite,Inc., a leading source of managementconsulting, information and education forthe design and construction industry.CMAA Project Achievement AwardsHill International has been awarded fourProject Achievement awards from theConstruction Management Association ofAmerica (CMAA).The reconstruction of Interstate 95(Section RS-3) in Philadelphia won twoseparate awards, from CMAA’s nationaland Mid-Atlantic chapter levels. Hill’smanagement of additions and renovationsto Council Rock High School North inNewtown, Pennsylvania, was recognized byCMAA’s Mid-Atlantic Chapter as the “BestSchool Project Under $10 Million.” Thefourth award was presented by CMAA’sMetro New York/New Jersey Chapter forHill’s management of an historic roofrenovation project at the Museum of theCity of New York. The project wasrecognized as the “Best Public ProjectUnder $10 Million.”The CMAA is a national organization ofnearly 4,000 individual and corporatemembers that promotes professionalismand excellence in the management of theconstruction process. The CMAA’s Mid-Atlantic Chapter serves the organization'smembers in Southern New Jersey,Delaware and Eastern Pennsylvania. ItsMetro New York/New Jersey Chapterserves the organization's members in themetropolitan New York City region.Keith Pickavance to Help LeadChartered Institute of BuildingKeith A. Pickavance, a senior vice presidentwith Hill’s London office, has been electedjunior vice president of the CharteredInstitute of Building.Pickavance, an active member of theInstitute for six years, has supported a seriesof ‘master classes,’ which focus on theimplementation of best practices, changemanagement, delay and disruptionavoidance, estimating, cost managementand dispute resolution. Pickavance waselected a Fellow of the Institute in 2003.“The Chartered Institute of Building is apillar organization in the globalconstruction industry,” said Irvin E.Richter. “Keith’s election as junior vicepresident is a testament to his knowledgeand achievements.”The Chartered Institute of Building is aleading professional body for managers inconstruction.For nearly 170years, it has ledthe way inestablishing,promoting andmainta in ingstandards ofexcellence inthe construc-tion industry,and now setsthe pace on aglobal scale forthe educationand profession-alism of those who manage theconstruction of the built environment. The Institute currently has more than40,000 members working in more than 94countries worldwide. nthe United States, Knowles gives us a unique and cost-effectiveopportunity to enter new geographic markets and strengthen ourposition in overlapping locations. It also adds 33 years of corporateclaims experience to Hill’s 30, giving us long-term client relationshipsand project experience that are unrivaled by any other firm in theclaims business. The acquisition also will enable Hill to expand itsproject management business into new markets.We welcome Knowles and its employees to the Hill family and thankour employees, stockholders and clients for their loyalty and support as we continue to grow. The past year has been a memorable and historic one for Hill. The future, I am sure, will holdeven more growth. However, regardless of our size, two tenets will remain constant: the commitment to excellence our employeesbring to each and every project, and our commitment, as a company,to our clients and their goals. We look forward to the opportunitiesthat 2007 will bring. nHILL GOES PUBL IC continued from page 1I-95 ReconstructionKeith A. PickavanceI-95 Reconstruction NEWS FROM THE HILL5Clarke Pile, a Hill senior vice president, has 32 years ofexperience in managing projects and nurturing clients allover the world. He has spent the past 16 years in theworld’s most famous city, forging a solid reputation one successfulproject at a time. But, when Pile was asked to head Hill’s New YorkCity office four years ago, he approached the challenge as if it washis first job.“I had worked in New York City since 1990. But, I started out hereas if we were opening a new office in a new location,” he said.New thinking was important to the viability of the office, Pile said.In mid-2003, its two largest contracts were winding down, with nolarge awards in sight. The office also had “a year or less of backlog,”and its 25 employees were in danger of not having enough work,Pile added.Getting new work required a three-step approach. “First, weneeded to concentrate on developing and nurturing existingclients. Second, we needed to attract new clients by‘differentiating,’” Pile said. “We needed to think about, andtranslate to the client, what makes Hill different from the dozensof other construction management firms working here.”“Everybody’s in construction management, or wants to be. If youwent through the telephone book a few years ago, there weren’tmany CM firms. Now, there are pages of them,” Pile added.Telling prospective clients that Hill’s management will ensure thatwork is completed on time and within budget isn’t enough, hesaid. To some clients, such a promise is downright insulting.“Every client expects work to be done within schedule and budgetand to quality standards. That’s what they’re paying for.”When going after work on the historic Lion House at the BronxZoo, a much-coveted, high-profile reconstruction project for thecity’s Department of Design and Construction, Pile and his staffbrainstormed ways to set Hill apart from its competitors. For boththe technical proposal and ensuing oral presentation, the team puttogether a comprehensive list, ‘20 Reasons to Hire Hill.’ But theideas listed weren’t self-promoting; they provided substantive ideason how Hill planned to save the client money and make theproject run more smoothly. The well-thought-out list, completewith tongue-in-cheek illustrations of the zoo’s most popularinhabitants, set Hill apart and helped it win the contract, Pile said.For example, because the zoo needed to remain in operationduring construction, Pile and his staff suggested that part of theunderpinning work be done differently than specified. “Wepresented a quieter process to bore through the rock on the site,and they loved the idea,” he said. Other ideas included helping thezoo recoup construction costs by salvaging materials that wouldotherwise have been dumpstered for re-use on the site, or asmementos that could be purchased by patrons at the zoo’s giftshop. Pile and his staff also suggested that the new Lion House besurrounded by special pavers engraved, for a fee, with patrons’names. In addition, the project team supplied ideas for the “care and custody” of adjacent trees at the site, so that they would not be harmed duringconstruction, Pile added.Pile said he also doesn’t wasteprecious time and resourceschasing work he knows Hill won’t get. “Hill’s projects arecomplicated. They’re not cookie-cutter condominium projects. I’mhappy to leave those projects tosomeone else,” he said. “Instead,we focus on going after work wherewe’re one out of two (hopefuls),not one in 10 or 15.”Hill’s roster of projects also helpsset it apart, Pile said. “We’re heavilyentrenched in cultural projects,which helps to differentiate us. Noteveryone can manage those typesof projects, which helps to narrowthe field in our favor.”The third step in Pile’s three-step approach seems simple, but isoften overlooked. “We’ve got to perform. We’ve got to exceed ourcustomers’ expectations on each and every project, and build areputation of solid performance,” he said.A firm’s reputation is crucial to its success. The City of Newburgh,New York, for example, recently hired Hill to manage constructionof a new courthouse there. The city’s decision to hire Hill wasbased largely upon its ahead-of-schedule performance on a countycourthouse in Putnam County, New York. The Newburgh projectprobably would not have been awarded to Hill if its performanceon the Putnam County courthouse project was lacking, Pile said.“Once you have (won) a project, it’s all about performance, andyour relationship with the client. It’s all about keeping the clienthappy,” he said.The office’s personnel also are critical to its current and futuresuccess, Pile said. Since 2003, the number of employees at the NewYork City office has grown from little more than 25 to 70. By earlynext year, that number will expand to 100, he added.Pile worked with many of the office’s employees in previous jobsand recruited them when he took over the helm of the New YorkCity office. “We know their capabilities. We know what they cando,” he said.Pile said he also likes to recruit professionals who could easilyassume management roles. “Some executives choose to hire peoplewho would never aspire to management positions. I guess it’s a wayof protecting their own jobs,” he said. “I like to hire people who Ifeel are able to move up and step into my shoes. We look for andhire the stellar people. We hire the best people we can afford.”Technical proficiency is not all Pile looks for in an employee. AA BRAND NEW START IN OLD NEW YORKHi l l Execut ive Def ines the Keys to Growing NYC Operat ioncontinued on page 11D.D. Clarke Pile, P.E.“We’ve got to exceed ourcustomers’ expectations oneach and every project.”NEWS FROM THE HILL6l Zion, a professional engineer and Hill vice president, hasseen airport construction almost literally take off since theairline industry was de-regulated in 1978. Today, Zion notes,airports continue to change, evolve and expand as the numbers ofpassengers and cargo continue to grow.Since 1991, Zion has helped to manage what has become a multi-year, $1.5 billion program to improve facilities and increasecapacity at Philadelphia International Airport. Located on thesouthwestern edge of the city, the airport is the 15th busiest in thenation, and served an estimated 31.5 million passengers last year.That figure is about a million more than the previous year, theairport’s website states. While Zion does not think such growth isopen-ended, he is amazed by the increase in passengers and flightsover the past decade and a half. “Fares are lower today than theywere 30 years ago,” he said.“Now, almost anyone canafford to fly. And, airlinesare meeting the demand byadding more flights.”More flights ultimatelynecessitate more space—both inside and outside the airport. AtPhiladelphia International, “there are projects planned to increasecapacity on the landside and the airside. The landside includes allof the terminals and airport access systems, roadways and so forth,and the airside is everything to do with the airfields, the runwaysand taxiways,” Zion explained. “Other projects are planned tomake the airport more efficient and more accommodating topassengers.”Efficiency is important to the airport and the airlines that use it.While Philadelphia is among the nation’s busiest, it also rankedamong the nation’s five most delayed. Projects are planned tomake baggage and inspection more efficient, reduce wait times atsecurity checkpoints, accommodate more flights and reducecongestion and delays on the airfield. “Delays are very costly to theairlines and ultimately to the airport and the city,” Zion said.The need for heightened security also drives many capital projects.“How passengers and their baggage are screened has changed a great deal in the last few years, and those changes necessitate a host of construction issues,” Zion said. “9/11 changed the whole ball game in terms of baggage processing and security.Baggage handling is a lot more sophisticated, andrequires new systems and bigger spaces for thosesystems. Also, the long wait times that passengersexperience at security checkpoints has driven theneed for more lanes at each checkpoint and largerwaiting areas to accommodate people, all of whichdemands more space.”One solution involves construction in 200 feet ofunused space between terminals D and E, Zion said.A new three-story building will be constructedbetween the two terminals which now are connectedby an enclosed bridge. The new 210,000-square-footbuilding will house baggage inspection and processing areas on itsfirst floor. “Explosive detection systems and baggage make-upareas now are located behind the ticketing counters. By movingthe baggage make-up areas, the ticketing counters can be movedback, and we can use the gained space to make the lobby largerand more comfortable,” Zion explained. The second level of thenew building will accommodate security checkpoints thatpassengers must go through before proceeding to their respectiveflights. “Right now, there are four makeshift checkpoint lanes inTerminal E, and four more in Terminal D. The ‘connectorbuilding’ will house a single, larger checkpoint area for bothterminals. People will be able to go up an escalator and be fed intothis middle building which will ultimately have 14 lanes toaccommodate people going through security. Hopefully, it willreduce lines and wait times to pass through security,” Zion said. The building’s third level will house offices of the city’s Division of Aviation, which now are in the second level of Terminal E.“This will free up Terminal E for more concessions and morecirculatory space,” Zion said. Also, a one-story addition will be constructed to connect existing baggage claims areas at both terminals, addingtwo new claim carousels.Finally, the end ofTerminal E will be extend-ed to allow for threeadditional gates. “Overall,the project represents atremendous increase in thecapacities of Terminals Dand E,” Zion concluded.Contracts were awardedand work has started forAirports Growing to Meet Unprecedented DemandAAirport construction hasalmost literally taken offsince 1978.Airports keep growing to meet increasedpassenger and flight demands.Philadelphia International Airport7NEWS FROM THE HILLthe first phase of work which includes utility relocation, foundations andstructural steel. This project whichis expected to cost $225 million isscheduled for completion in 2008.Several airfield projects also are beingconsidered or designed to increase efficiency and reduce delays. One suchproject involves extending Runway 17-35, a north-south runway that now is 5,460feet long. It will be extended by 1,040 feet, Zion said, by adding approx-imately 400 feet to one end and 640 feet to the other — no small feat when the airport already is somewhat land-locked. Exten-ding the run-way will allowit to accommodate larger aircraft and ease airfield crowding and reduce wait times for take-off. “Now,Runway 17-35 can be used only bysmaller aircraft such as propellerplanes. Propeller planes are becomingincreasingly outnumbered by regionaljets, which are slightly larger and can accommodate from about 40 to80 people, Zion said. “But, because of the distance needed to take off and land, regional jets cannot use the shorter runways. They have to usethe same runways as the larger jets that carry 100 or more people.”(The aircraft’s overall size, length,destination and the amount of fuel inits tank each play a role in how muchdistance it will need to take off, Zionexplained.) “So, you’ve got large jets and smaller ones vying for thesame runways.” Extending Runway 17-35 by 1,000 feet will allowit to be used by regional jets, freeing up space on—and reducingwait times for—the larger runways.The $60 million project also involves relocation of runway safetyareas, connecting taxiways, navigational aids and lights, airportservice roads and a portion of the existing economy parking lot. Inaddition, the project will necessitate the relocation of a two-milestretch of State Route 291, which will require close coordinationwith the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. “TheRunway 17-35 project is considered a top priority to helpminimize delays,” Zion added. Work has begun on a portion of theroadway modification work. Bids were received earlier this year forthe seven other construction contracts necessary to complete all thework. It is expected that all of the work will be started before theend of 2006, and that the extended runway can be operational bythe end of 2007.Zion has seen vast changes in technology over the past severalyears. “Technology—specifically, computerized systems—hasbecome part of nearly every conceivable operation at today’sairports,” Zion said. Such technology must be incorporated into aproject’s design and construction, and requires contractors that areexperienced in its installation.Technology also is being used to screen workers at the airport.“Everyone, from airport executives to laborers on a project, mustbe screened. Every person who is working at the airport has to havea security clearance and be badged,” Zion said. “If you’re notwearing your badge, you’re not getting on-site.” Zion said. Timefor such screening must be incorporated into a project’s schedule.“It’s very necessary, but can be a challenge. Just getting workers onand off the site, and initially getting them cleared, can takeconsiderable time.”Like all projects at the airport, work on Terminals D and E, andRunway 17-35, must be completed while the airport remains inoperation. “That can be one of the project team’s biggestchallenges,” Zion said. “You can’t close off large portions of theairport or the airfield while you’re working. In the airfield, you’reworking among the airplanes and, in the terminals, you’re workingamong the passengers. Even on the airfield, you can’t close offentire runways while you re-pave. You have to re-pave smallsections at a time.”Zion added that work both inside and outside calls for stringentand continuous safety measures to ensure that neither passengersnor workers are harmed.“It also helps, especially on the runway work, to be comfortableworking alongside airplanes. It’s not for the faint of heart.” n DemandKeeping an airport running smoothly duringconstruction is vital—and a challenge.Increased traffic mandates more space—inside and outside—at today’s airports. 8NEWS FROM THE HILLPalm Towers and West BayLagoon Plaza, Doha, QatarHill International has beenawarded two contracts to provide project and constructionmanagement services for the twinPalm Towers and West BayLagoon Plaza developments inDoha, Qatar.The Palm Towers comprises two57-story residential and officetowers as well as a shoppingcenter. Located near the DohaCorniche, and adjacent to the Al Bidda Tower currently under construction, the PalmTowers will contain approximately254,000 square meters of space.Construction is expected to takethree years.The West Bay Lagoon Plazaconsists of two 35-story residentialand office towers as well as ashopping center. Located near theRitz Carlton Hotel, and adjacentto the Grand HyattHotel currently underconstruction, the WestBay Lagoon Plaza will contain approx-imately 275,000 squaremeters and take ananticipated 30 monthsto complete.The Buildings by Daman, Dubai, U.A.E.Hill International isproviding project man-agement services dur-ing construction oftwo towers at theDubai InternationalFinancial Centre. Thetwo mixed-use towerswill house a 64-storyresidential, hotel andserviced apartment tower, and a 14-story office and retail tower.Surrounded by sculpture gardens and water features, these twobuildings will have a total gross built-up area of 2.85 million squarefeet. Work began on the project last December and is expected to be completed by late 2008.HILL AWARDED INDUSTRY’S TOP PROJECTSBachmann Springs, ArizonaHill International has been selected asprogram manager of the BachmannSprings development in Arizona.Bachmann Springs is a planned 1,700-acreenclave in Cochise County, Arizona, nearthe historic city of Tombstone. Theproperty is surrounded by 250,000 acres offederal and state land. Bachmann Springs,expected to be complete in 2015, willfeature 1,125 single family homes, a luxuryhotel, an 18-hole golf course, a lavishclubhouse, a village center, an arts andcultural center, a concert hall, privateorganic vineyard and various fine diningoptions. An opulent 60,000-square-footEuropean spa will be a focal point of the community.Shams Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.The joint venture of Hill International and3D/I+PI has been awarded a contract toprovide project management services duringdesign and construction of the Shams AbuDhabi project. The massive $2.7 billionresidential, commercial and entertainmentcomplex will be located on picturesqueReem Island, off the north-eastern shore of Abu Dhabi, and isscheduled for completion by 2011.Shams Abu Dhabi will offernearly 7.7 million squaremeters of residential, office,hotel, retail, entertainmentand parking space. Uponcompletion, the project is expected to include morethan 22,000 residentialunits accommodating nearly100,000 people. The firstproject to be built will bethe Sky Tower, a planned83-story residential andcommercial skyscraper thatwill be the tallest buildingin Abu Dhabi.Educational FacilitiesImprovement Program,TurkeyHill International is leading a consortium that has been awardedthree contracts from the Delegation of the European Commissionto Turkey to manage a major two-year educational facilitiesimprovement program there.Sky Tower atShams Abu DhabiPalm Towers, QatarThe Buildings by Daman9The program includes the construction of new schools, as well asthe addition of new classrooms to existing schools in five urbanprovinces and 11 rural provinces located throughout Turkey. Theprogram’s goal is to improve the living conditions of thepopulation in the most disadvantaged areas of Turkey byincreasing the level of education within the overall perspective ofreducing poverty. This includes support for children, youngpeople and adults presently excluded from basic education in thecountry. A total of 123 schools are included in the program,which is expected to be completed by January 2008.Lafayette Building Modernization, Washington, D.C.The U.S. General Services Administration has selected HillInternational to provide construction management servicesduring the modernization of the historic Lafayette Building inWashington, D.C.The 12-story Lafayette Building, located at 811 Vermont Avenue,N.W., is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is currentlyoccupied by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and theExport-Import Bank. The modernization project includes acomplete renovation of the building’s interior space, as well as theupgrade of its mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. Theproject calls for the abatement of any hazardous materials. It isexpected to cost between $110 and $130 million, and becompleted by March 2012.Grand Hyatt Hotel and Villas, Doha, QatarThe Touristic Investment Company has retained Hill Internationalto provide project and construction management services during thedesign and construction of the new Grand Hyatt Hotel and Villas inDoha, Qatar. The 28-month project includes 93,000 square metersof built-out space. The space will house a new 250-room, five-starGrand Hyatt Hotel complex, together with a separate health andfitness center, 56 residential villas and parking facilities.New York City Department of Parks andRecreation Task Order ContractHill is one of six firms that have been awarded task ordercontracts by the New York City Department of Parks andRecreation to manage construction or reconstruction ofvarious parks and recreation facilities throughout the city’sfive boroughs. Services to be provided under the eight-year contract include pre-construction review, estimatingservices, construction supervision, inspection services,contract administration, technical support andadministrative support services.Kuwait University Complex, Ardiya, KuwaitHill has been awarded a joint venture contract by theKuwait Public Authority for Applied Education andTraining (PAAET) to provide construction managementservices for a major university complex at PAAET'sArdiya campus. The approximately $346 million (USD) projectconsists of four separate educational facilities: the College of BasicEducation for Men, the College of Basic Education for Women, theCollege of Business Studies for Men, and the College of BusinessStudies for Women. nHill International, to keep up with both current andanticipated growth, has opened two new offices in theUnited States and a third in Hong Kong.A new Hill office in New Orleans, Louisiana, will be thehub of its work on the massive disaster recovery program,and will allow the firm to later expand in the Gulf CoastRegion. Hill is committed to assisting Louisianans with therecovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and we willcontinue to make a difference there.Hill’s new office is located at 1100 Poydras Street, Suite2900, New Orleans, Louisiana 70163. The telephonenumber is 504-799-2253; the fax number is 504-585-7301.Hill has opened a new office in Las Vegas, Nevada, to betterserve a growing number of clients there. The office willprovide both project management and construction claimsservices to clients throughout the southwestern UnitedStates, said Fred Samelian, P.M.P., president of Hill'sconstruction claims group. “Demand for Hill’s expertise inprogram management there has been growing at such apace that it was time to open a full-time presence in LasVegas,” he said. “We have been assisting clients resolvedisputes in Nevada for many years, but the growth andnature of our program management business in the gaming,hospitality and multi-use development markets requires usto be closer to our clients.”The new Las Vegas office is located at 10161 Park Run Drive,Suite 150, Las Vegas, Nevada 89145. Contact the office viatelephone at 702-515-7490, or fax at 702-515-7491.Hill also opened a new office in Hong Kong earlier thisyear, following its acquisition of Pickavance ConsultingLtd., a leading claims consulting and delay analysis firm.The new office replaces a former Pickavance office there,and helps Hill to better meet the needs of existing and newclients, said David L. Richter, Hill’s president and chiefoperating officer. “Our new Hong Kong office will be theprefect springboard for further expanding Hill’s presence inChina and the rest of Asia,” Richter said.Hill’s new Hong Kong office is located at 59 Connaught Road,Suite 1902, Central, Hong Kong. The telephone number is+852-3188-3830; the fax number is +852-3188-1577.For additional information on these and other Hill offices,visit Hill’s website at www.hillintl.com. nHi l l Opens New Of f ices in U.S. and As iaNEWS FROM THE HILL 10Maj. Gen. Hans A. Van Winkle,P.E. (USA-Ret.) has joined Hill asPresident of its Project ManagementGroup (Americas). In this newly-created position, Van Winkle willhave management responsibility forall of Hill’s project managementoperations throughout North andSouth America. Van Winkle hasmore than 35 years of experience inengineering, operations, constructionand project management, and spentmore than 30 years in variouspositions with the U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers, eventually rising to Deputy Commander of theCorps from 2001 to 2003. Most recently he was Director of theConstruction Industry Institute.Van Winkle earned a B.S. in Engineering from the U.S. MilitaryAcademy at West Point, and an M.P.P. in Public Policy from theUniversity of California at Berkeley. He is a registeredprofessional engineer in Virginia, and a member of the NationalAcademy of Construction.John Fanelli, III has joined thecompany as senior vice presidentand chief financial officer. He hasnearly 30 years of experience inaccounting, auditing and finance,primarily for publicly-tradedcompanies. Fanelli earned his B.S. inaccounting from LaSalle University,and he is a certified publicaccountant in Pennsylvania.Mohammed M. Al Rais has joinedthe company as vice president incharge of Hill’s project management operations in Abu Dhabiand Al Ain, both in the United Arab Emirates. Al Rais has nearly30 years of experience in project management and developmentof some of the mid-East’s most prestigious projects.Stephen R. Berglund, P.E., of Hill’s Washington, D.C. office,was promoted to vice president from senior project manager.Berglund has more than 35 years of experience in projectmanagement, engineering and construction of industrial andmanufacturing projects both in the United States and overseas.He is currently Hill’s program manager on a major bio-containment laboratories project for the National Institute ofAllergy and Infectious Diseases.Mark Calaiezzi, C.A., has joined the company as vice presidentof international finance, responsible for finance, accountingand administration for the company’s operations in Europe, theMiddle East and Asia. Calaiezzi will be based out of Hill’sAthens, Greece office. He has more than 30 years of experienceHi l l H i res, Promotes Personnel To Key Posts Throughout the Wor ldin international finance with particularexpertise in internal auditing, restructur-ing and integration of acquisitions.Kirk Chamberlain has joined thecompany as a vice president. Hisresponsibilities include businessdevelopment for both Hill’s projectmanagement and construction claimsoperations worldwide. Chamberlainwill be based out of Hill’s Chicagooffice. He has more than 20 years ofexperience in the constructionindustry with particular expertise inconstruction risk management and project finance.Jose A. Diaz, P.E., of Hill’s New York City office, was promotedto vice president from senior consultant. Diaz has more than 25years of experience in project and construction manage-ment,geotechnical and environmental engineering, and constructionclaims analysis.Sidney J. Hymes, C.C.M., C.P.C.,has joined Hill’s project manage-ment group as a vice president incharge of our Baghdad, Iraq office.Hymes has more than 30 years ofexperience in all aspects ofconstruction including development,design management, procurementand construction management.Craig W. Johnson has joined Hill’sproject management group as a vice president, and will be based out ofthe firm’s Las Vegas office. Johnsonhas more than 20 years of experience in project development,operations, owners’ representative services, construction marketing,construction management and financing for commercial,hospitality, and healthcare projects throughout the U.S.Emmanouil J. Konstantas of Hill’s Manama, Bahrain office,was promoted to vice president from director. Konstantas hasmore than 30 years of experience in construction planning and engineering. He is currently Hill’s project director forseveral major projects in Bahrain, including the FinancialCentre at Bahrain Financial Harbour and the Al Areen DesertSpa and Resort.Gregg D. Metzinger of Hill’s Marlton, New Jersey office, waspromoted to vice president of global recruiting and staffaugmentation. Metzinger has more than 25 years of humanresources and recruiting experience, and is responsible for bothdomestic and international recruiting and managing Hill’s staffaugmentation services. nNEWS FROM THE HILLJohn FanelliHans A. Van Winkle, P.E. Kirk ChamberlainSidney J. Hymes,C.C.M., C.P.C. 11Making I t Easy to be Green continued from page 3NEWS FROM THE HILLthe project is proceeding according to LEED standards. Thedecision to pursue LEED certification was made by the architectand the Wildlife Conservation Society, which operates the zoo. Sucha decision has to be made when project planning begins, he added.“If the project wasn’t designed as a LEED project from the outset,we, as the CM, couldn’t make it into a LEED project. That decisionhas to be made up front.”Seidman agreed. To be most successful, green building projectsshould start with an “architect who is committed to the goals ofsustainability, and an “integrated design approach,” Seidman said.“First, you need to begin with a design that incorporates input frommany people. You bring together the owner, the architect, theengineers, maybe some of the end users, and you talk about whateveryone’s expectations are. You ask the mechanical engineer, forexample, what is the best equipment he or she feels is available, andwhere should it be situated? A landscaped roof, for example, needsinput from the structural engineer, who knows how to design a roofto accommodate that load. Similarly, end users of the building mayhave input for the electrical engineer on what type of lighting they’dlike to see used.”Stuart A. Lacy is a registered architect and LEED-accredited seniorproject manager at Hill International, and helped to manage thedesign phase of the city of Philadelphia’s first green building, thePhiladelphia Police Forensic Science Center. The $10.6 millionproject, located north of downtown Philadelphia, involved therenovation of an historic school building. The project incorporatedseveral ‘green’ features, including waterless urinals, high-techlighting controls and extensive daylighting to save on energy costsand make the building a more hospitable place in which to work,Lacy said. “For example, the high windows, which you see in manyold schools, were kept and re-glazed to allow in as much light aspossible,” he said. “Also, the ceiling was sloped, installed on adiagonal almost, to allow more room near the center corridor for thenumerous lab utilities at the same time.” High-efficiency glass isinstalled in all windows to help conserve energy, he added.As on the Lion House project, materials taken from the buildingwere recycled—this time on site. Also, water runoff was reduced byinstalling a small retention basin and gravel swales within theparking area islands, which kept rainwater from running,unchecked, into the city streets and storm drains, Lacy said. Inaddition, the building was fitted with a high-efficiency HVACsystem, as well as paints and carpeting that are VOC-free.Seidman, Traver and Lacy all agreed that green projects have beenembraced more readily by the public sector. “Public schools havebeen embracing it probably to the greatest extent. The U.S.Department of Education has done studies and published reportson, for example, the concept of daylighting and its affect oneducation and how kids learn,” Seidman explained. “State buildingsare probably the second-most ‘green.’ “The State of Pennsylvania,for example, has mandated green building requirements on allgovernment buildings.”“This is the type of thing that the government can be a leader in byrequiring that projects be done this way,” Seidman added. Such apractice can have spill-over benefits to the private sector as well.“Construction professionals who work on government projectslearn how to build green, and then can incorporate this knowledgeinto all of their projects, not just government projects.”Managing a green project is not much different from managing anyother type of project, Traver said. Finding contractors that areexperienced in green construction is difficult, but will become easierwith every job completed, he added. “There are very few contractorsout there that are LEED savvy. That poses a few problems, becausethey often bid a ‘green’ job like any other type of job, and do notaccount for such things as quality assurance plans and other specialrequirements,” he said. “But, usually, once that learning curve hasbeen achieved, they embrace it.” Also, contractors may find aportfolio of green projects invaluable when competing for newwork, he added.bent toward sales and marketing also is helpful. “I’m looking forthe person who can not only do this job well, but who can also helpget us the next one.”Pile credits his employees, and their commitment to their clients,with the office’s success to date. Three years ago, the New York Cityoffice had four major clients. Today, the office has more than adozen public and private metropolitan New York clients. Inaddition to the highly visible Lion House reconstruction andexpansion project, the office is managing work for the PortAuthority of New York and New Jersey, the U.S. General ServicesAdministration, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York,the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, the Long Island RailRoad, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the NewYork City Housing Authority, among others.The office also is managing projects outside of New York City. Inaddition to its work in Newburgh and Putnam County, Clarke andhis team have been retained to manage projects in Connecticut andon Lake Champlain in upstate New York.While some of Pile's ideas may be new to his New York colleagues,they are backed by 32 years of trial and error. Pile was part of thenuclear power plant boom of the 1970s, has extensive experience inpower and industrial projects, and worked in Saudi Arabia for twoyears. In 1990, he was recruited from San Francisco to run thestruggling Manhattan office of an international CM firm. Withinten years, the office’s employees grew from 70 to 215, and the officebecame one of the firm’s most profitable.While the story may sound familiar, Pile insists he is continually re-inventing the path to success. “A regional manager always has toexperiment, and to do something new. Anyone can repeat history.I’ve go to be looking forward one year, five years, 10 or 20 yearsfrom now. Finding better ways to do things and anticipating andbeing positioned for change, is more challenging, yes. But that kindof forward thinking will ultimately set you apart, and ensure thatyou’re successful. Now, and ten years from now.” nA Brand New Star t in O ld New York continued from page 5continued on page 12