This year, Engineers Week celebrates the accomplishments of past and present engineers who have designed our built world. The event also gives us an opportunity to look to the next generation and inspire them to pursue engineering and STEM careers that will focus on future design trends. We asked our thought leaders to think about this year’s Engineers Week theme of “Design Your Future,” which looks at the limitless possibilities that engineering brings to our modern world, including advances in renewable energy, artificial intelligence (AI), and urban planning.
What are the latest breakthroughs in engineering?
David Evers, Vice President and Business Unit Manager, Peoria, Illinois
Geothermal energy has long been a technology used for efficient heating and cooling of buildings, and more recently, it has become an essential element in the design of net-zero energy buildings. An additional benefit of this technology today is that it provides an efficient means to electrify buildings and pave the way for carbon-free energy infrastructure. Further advancements in geothermal loop field designs and drilling techniques are enabling engineers to apply geothermal technology to buildings in urban environments with constrained sites, as well as under tall existing buildings in places such as New York City. We’re also learning to harness geothermal energy for power generation and to provide renewable energy on a community scale or in large campus environments.
Cody Pennetti, Senior Associate, Fairfax, Virginia
The growing availability of commercial AI tools is driving the transition from reactive to predictive decision-making. The accumulation of substantial datasets over time, coupled with the power of AI, allows for the efficient conversion of raw data into actionable intelligence. For example, the transportation sector has demonstrated benefits from integrating connected vehicle data to identify high-risk road segments by analyzing vehicle data, such as harsh braking hotspots. These initiatives demonstrate the potential of AI to detect anomalies that enable proactive solutions. Beyond operational applications, AI can enhance the design process by rapidly exploring a range of design options. Importantly, AI does not replace engineering expertise, but is a significant tool for engineers who understand its capabilities and limitations.
Ken Cecil, Associate Vice President and Business Unit Manager, Denver, Colorado
Today’s urban planners and design engineers are increasingly innovative, allowing for the creation of uniquely livable and sustainable multi-use spaces that will be enjoyed by future generations. Traditional strategies focused on the implementation of open space dedications, habitat preservation, greenways, and floodplain setbacks, all of which enhance the end-user experience and the overall quality of life. Public policies have been encouraging these new concepts for years, but emerging technologies such as data integration, green infrastructure, and increased energy efficiency are breaking new grounds. For example, the water department for the City of Castle Rock, Colorado, has recently begun a six-month pilot program with a Canadian-based firm specializing in AI technology. This project will detect leaks in the municipal water system by installing acoustical loggers, which AI will listen to the water system for anomalies, potentially indicating a leak. Water losses in one recent year were as high as 240 million gallons of water, therefore, reducing this problem will translate to large cost savings and retention of a limited resource in the arid west.
How do you see this industry changing?
David Evers, Vice President and Business Unit Manager, Peoria, Illinois
The key part of the solution to combating climate change will be designing buildings and systems that utilize energy storage to manage consumption and demand for energy. When discussing energy storage, we need to think beyond battery storage, and embrace concepts such as thermal storage. Thermal storage is not new technology, but engineers are using it to better utilize heat pumps, especially in cold climates. With thermal storage, we use water to store energy in the form of heat. Using water instead of electric batteries is better for the environment because it doesn’t use chemicals or rare earth minerals to produce. It also doesn’t create an environmental hazard for disposal in the future. Another key part of the solution to combating climate change is the advanced use of nuclear energy. A large number of nuclear energy facilities already exist, and newer equipment, such as small modular nuclear reactors, can be used to power large institutions like campuses, data centers, and hospitals. In the future, nuclear won’t just be at the utility scale. We need to advance nuclear technology and remember that nuclear is a carbon-free source of clean energy.
Cody Pennetti, Senior Associate, Fairfax, Virginia
The increasing reliance on data-driven decision-making necessitates that engineers cultivate expertise in data science and technology integration. Rapid technological advances require proactive exploration of emerging technologies across the entire workforce. Virtual Design Construction (VDC) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) are no longer considered optional enhancements, but are rapidly becoming standard practice. The increasing adoption of these technologies involve commensurate investment in their operational management and support. Successful integration of these technologies will result in optimized designs, streamlined production through model-based delivery, and better outcomes for the community.
Ken Cecil, Associate Vice President and Business Unit Manager, Denver, Colorado
From an urban planning standpoint, the future is already here with the rapid ascension of smart technologies that are incorporated into the automotive industry. These technologies will rapidly cross over into urban planning, specifically transportation planning. Connected vehicles have the potential to operate in concert with smart infrastructure to inform real-time improvements to ease traffic congestion and increase safety. The ability to provide integration with existing technologies, such as cameras and loop detection, will provide planners with new solutions that we likely haven’t considered yet.
What advice do you have for future engineers to adapt to these changes?
David Evers, Vice President and Business Unit Manager, Peoria, Illinois
It takes a balanced skillset to bring engineering solutions to consumers. Engineers will need to have a strong grasp on the basics of mathematics, science, and engineering, but it’s also equally important that engineers understand economics and have a strategic mindset to be able to encourage clients to embrace new technologies and implement them in their buildings.
Cody Pennetti, Senior Associate, Fairfax, Virginia
Continuous professional development is no longer optional, but essential in today's rapidly changing technological landscape. Engineers should pursue learning opportunities through formal education, online resources, and engagement with industry experts. Students and all career-level engineers are encouraged to augment their technical expertise with complementary skills in areas such as business administration, project management, and, critically, data science. This interdisciplinary approach will be crucial for navigating the evolving demands of the engineering profession. The trend toward interdisciplinary education is exemplified by institutions like the University of Virginia's (UVA) School of Data Science, which offers programs tailored to integrate data science skills into engineering and architecture curricula. For further insights into the transformative potential of AI in civil engineering, we encourage you to read ASCE Civil Engineering Magazine’s article AI in Motion, which I co-authored with UVA’s Associate Professor Michael D. Porter, PhD, which details our collaboration with the university’s School of Data Science.
Ken Cecil, Associate Vice President and Business Unit Manager, Denver, Colorado
Engineers and planners will need to embrace smart technologies and lead their incorporation and implementation into urban planning to realize their full potential. As an industry, we’ve hardly scratched the surface from a planning perspective. As our population continues to grow, the need for housing of all types and the public services to connect into will increase as well. Redevelopment within city centers takes advantage of existing infrastructure and reduces urban sprawl, however, aged communities may not be capable of supporting a resurgence in population. My advice to future engineers and planners, especially in the research field, is to continue developing technologies that we can leverage with our clients and community leaders to inform better decisions.