The 2007 Structural Engineers’ Building Conference & Expo

The 2007 Structural Engineers’ Building Conference & Expo will be held Oct. 10-11 at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco. This third annual event—which is produced by ZweigWhite in association with Structural Engineer—will deliver the trends, techniques, and technologies that the structural engineers who design the world’s buildings must know about. During this two-day event, industry experts will present on topics of particular interest to structural engineers at all educational levels, including the big-picture vision of the global market and economy, down to the granular level of design and detailing requirements of structural components.

The mainstays of the conference and expo will include two days of educational sessions from industry luminaries, an exhibit hall of vendors and associations that cater to the needs of structural engineers, and invaluable networking opportunities. New this year, the event organizers have planned both a pre- and post-conference seminar (note that separate registration is required for seminars).

The 2007 conference chairmen are Charles H. Thornton, Ph.D., P.E., the chairman and CEO of Charles H. Thornton & Company, LLC and founding principal of Thornton Tomasetti, and Steven Tipping, S.E., president of Tipping Mar + Associates. Both have worked closely with our team to organize a balanced and complete program.

Additionally, we are fortunate to have the support of many sponsors, including platinum sponsor Bentley Systems, Inc., and gold sponsor Autodesk. Read more about the conference sponsors in Sidebar 1 below.

Conference sessions

The highlights of the conference once again are the outstanding educational opportunities of the keynote and focus sessions. The program has been carefully selected to be balanced, yet cover the full range of needs for the modern practitioner.
The 2007 conference themes include the following:

Building codes: Navigating your way through the updates and changes,
Seismic design: Advances in engineering and technology for buildings,
Industry evolution: Market changes affecting your business,
Business management: Successful strategies for effective leadership, and
Technical innovation: Cutting-edge building design techniques and tools.

The agenda includes an impressive group of keynote speakers, as well. Keynote addresses will be delivered by Charles H. Thornton, Ph.D., P.E., How technology is changing the role of today’s structural engineer; S.K. Ghosh, Ph.D., president, S.K. Ghosh Associates, Inc., Future direction of U.S. seismic design provisions; Mark Sarkisian, P.E., S.E., structural engineer partner, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, Using nature’s mechanics in structural design; Lee Slade, P.E., S.E., senior principal, Walter P Moore, Build your firm to last; Terry D. Bennett, senior industry manager, engineering and construction solutions, Autodesk, Building information modeling: Catalyst to process change; and Richard G. Weingardt, P.E., chairman, Richard Weingardt Consultants, Inc., Embrace the emerging leadership role of structural engineers.

The focus sessions include well-known industry experts covering topics from building codes and seismic design to marketing and employee retention. See the list of confirmed, focus-session speakers in Sidebar 2 below, and visit www.SEBuildings.com for the complete program agenda, including keynote session descriptions and focus session topics.

Exposition

The enthusiasm generated from last year’s successful exhibit hall prompted many exhibitors to return for the 2007 event. The exhibit hall offers opportunities to connect personally with leading industry partners and to learn more about the latest structural engineering products and services such as software, specifications, building materials, geotechnical services, and business consultants. See a current list of exhibitors in Sidebar 3 below.

Pre- and post-conference seminars

New this year, conference organizers have planned two unique seminars to further support and educate structural engineers on two topics of impending importance: Building Information Modeling, and the 2006 International Building Code Seismic and Wind Provisions. Each seminar is held separately from the Structural Engineers’ Buildings Conference & Expo, with separate registration required.

The one-day, pre-conference seminar titled Building Information Modeling (BIM) fundamentals, will offer non-partisan, valuable insights and answer all your questions about BIM technology. The seminar’s multiple presenters will focus on how structural engineers can benefit from this emerging technology by reviewing the BIM concept, discussing how BIM will affect your business, evaluating current BIM technology, including testimonials from existing users, as well as exploring the legal issues and risks involved with BIM. This day-long, educational seminar will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 9, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco (this is the same venue as the conference). See Sidebar 4 below for the list of faculty and the program agenda and visit www.SEBuildings.com for registration information.

The one-day, post-conference seminar titled 2006 IBC Seismic and wind design provisions, is being offered because the next California Building Code will be based on the 2006 International Building Code (2006 IBC). This seminar provides an in-depth discussion of the 2006 IBC seismic and wind provisions. The 2006 IBC relies heavily upon the 2005 edition of the American Society of Civil Engineer’s Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE 7-05). This seminar spends considerable time discussing how ASCE 7-05 works with the 2006 IBC and how the requirements of ASCE 7-05 are organized and applied. This seminar will be presented by S.K. Ghosh, Ph.D., and Susan Dowty, S.E., of the Structures and Codes Institute (a continuing education subsidiary of S.K. Ghosh Associates Inc.) on Friday, Oct. 12, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the nearby Crowne Plaza Hotel in San Francisco. Visit www.SEBuildings.com for the program and registration details. Please note, registration for this post-conference seminar must be arranged through S.K. Ghosh Associates, Inc. To register online, visit www.skghoshassociates.com.

Location

San Francisco was intentionally selected for the 2007 Structural Engineers’ Building Conference & Expo because of the strong and active structural engineering community that exists in the Bay area and the exceptional appeal for attendees nationwide. The Grand Hyatt hotel was likewise selected for its strategic central location on Union Square. The hotel has reserved a block of rooms for conference attendees at a special discounted price. To ensure availability of the specially priced accommodations, make your reservations early. For hotel rates and contact information visit www.SEBuildings.com.

Conclusion

In addition to the technical content and the expo hall, the 2007 Structural Engineers’ Building Conference & Expo will provide invaluable opportunities to network with peers, extending the opportunity to exchange far beyond each session. During scheduled breaks, lunches, and the Wednesday evening reception on the 36th floor overlooking beautiful downtown San Francisco, attendees will be able to create and strengthen their professional network.

Additionally, each attendee at the Structural Engineers’ Building Conference & Expo will receive a certificate of attendance indicating the total number of Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) received. Attendees may submit this certificate to their respective state agencies for professional credits; however, each state differs and some states may not accept this certificate. Conference attendees participating in all sessions offered during the conference will be eligible for a maximum of 12 credit hours.

Learn more about the Structural Engineers’ Building Conference & Expo—including registration discounts and fees—at www.SEBuildings.com or call ZweigWhite at 800-466-6275. Mark your calendars today and plan to be in San Francisco on Oct. 10-11. Come early on Oct. 9 and stay late on Oct. 12 to take full advantage of the pre- and post-conference seminars, too!

Sidebar 1: 2007 Sponsors

Platinum sponsor
Bentley Systems, Inc., provides software for the lifecycle of the world’s infrastructure. The company’s comprehensive portfolio for the building, plant, civil, and geospatial vertical markets spans architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), and operations. With revenues surpassing $400 million annually, Bentley is the leading provider of AEC software to the ENR Design 500 and major owner-operators. Visit www.bentley.com/structural.

Gold sponsor
Autodesk is the world leader in 2-D and 3-D design software for building and construction. Since introducing AutoCAD in 1982, Autodesk has developed the broadest portfolio of digital prototyping solutions to help customers experience their ideas before they are real. Visualize, simulate, and analyze real-world performance early in the design process to save time, enhance quality, and foster innovation. Visit www.autodesk.com/aec.

Sidebar 2: 2007 Structural Engineers’ Building Conference presenters

Scott M. Adan, Ph.D., P.E., senior staff engineer, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.

Steven M. Balderidge, P.E., S.E., president, Baldridge & Associates Structural Engineering, Inc.

Terry D. Bennett, senior industry manager, engineering and construction solutions, Autodesk

Santanu Das, vice president, Structural Engineering, Bentley Systems

Douglas N. Elliott, P.E., president, Elliott LeBouef & Associates

Nils (Val) V. Ericson, P.E., chairman and CEO, The Di Salvo Ericson Group and chairman, CASE Risk Management Program

Pat Ford, P.E., principal, Matsen Ford Design Associates, Inc.

Mikhail Gershfeld, S.E., engineered wood specialist, APA-The Engineered Wood Association

S.K. Ghosh, Ph.D., president, S.K. Ghosh Associates Inc.

Mary Goodson, S.E., P.E., principal, CH2M Hill

Jerry Guerra, principal, The JAGG Group

Ronald O. Hamburger, S.E., senior principal and Western regional manager, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.

John R. Henry, P.E., principal staff engineer, International Code Council, Inc.

Laura A. Hopeman, associate, human resource advisory services, ZweigWhite

Satish Jain, P.E., senior engineer, Cary Kopczynski & Company, Inc.

H. Rolfe Jennings, regional manager, greater Southwestern region, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute

Kimberly Kayler, CPSM, CSI, president and founder, Constructive Communication, Inc.

Peter Lee, P.E., associate partner, Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP

Neville J. Mathias, P.E., S.E., associate partner, Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP

Matt Melcher, S.E., associate, Lionakis Beaumont Design Group, Inc.

Clay Naito, Ph.D., professor, Lehigh University

Kumar Natesaiyer, Ph.D., manager, sales and market development, Structural Technologies Group of USG Corporation

Leo Panian, S.E., associate, Tipping Mar + Associates

Mark Sarkisian, P.E., S.E., partner, Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP

Arthur E. Schwartz, CAE, deputy executive director and general counsel, National Society of Professional Engineers

Scott Shaddix, chief executive officer, Nicholas Lane Construction

Lee W. Slade, P.E., S.E., senior principal, executive director, Structural Engineering Services Group, Walter P Moore and Associates, Inc.

Charles H. Thornton, Ph.D., P.E., chairman and CEO of Charles H. Thornton & Company, LLC, and founding principal of Thornton Tomasetti

Steven Tipping, S.E., president, Tipping Mar + Associates

Richard G. Weingardt, P.E., chairman, Richard Weingardt Consultants, Inc.

Sidebar 3: 2007 Exhibitors

The exhibit hall, open Oct. 10-11, will feature displays by providers of products and services that can enhance and support a variety of building projects. As of press time, the exhibitors participating in the 2007 Structural Engineers’ Building Conference & Expo include the following companies:
AceCad
Alpine Site Services, Inc.
Autodesk
Bentley Systems, Inc.
Computers & Structures, Inc.
CSC, Inc.
Design Data
Hardy Frames, Inc.
iLevel by Weyerhaeuser
Leica Geosystems
Ram Jack, Inc.
RISA Technologies
Simpson Strong-Tie
Tekla, Inc.
ZweigWhite

Sidebar 4: BIM fundamentals seminar

This one-day event—held the day before the Structural Engineers’ Building Conference & Expo begins—promises to be a focused, interactive, learning opportunity for practitioners who are curious about building information modeling and how it is being leveraged by other structural engineering firms.

The program has been carefully planned to address the needs of small to mid-sized firms and those that are just getting started with BIM. The agenda includes the following sessions:

Tuesday, Oct. 9
8:00 a.m.—Registration and breakfast

9:00 a.m.—Concept of BIM
What is BIM?
What are we really talking about?
What can you do with BIM?
Degrees of usage
How can BIM help your firm?
How is it used among the project team members?
What are the limitations of the current technology?

9:45 a.m.—Networking break

10:00 a.m.—BIM and your business
How will your business change?
How will BIM affect your work flow?
How do you create a BIM transition plan?
What are the considerations for staff training?
What will it take? Technology, training, and staff time
How will BIM improve productivity and efficiency?
How can BIM improve project costs?
What do clients and owners want?
Old dogs, new tricks. How do we get everyone on board?

11:30 a.m.—Networking lunch

12:30 p.m.—The technology
Product overview: What is the current technology available?
What technology do we need to support BIM?
What are the software and hardware options? (Presented by users)
What is the right BIM software for your firm?
Managing the investment: How much will it cost?
Integrating other products with BIM
Moving forward: Where do we go from here?

2:30 p.m.—Networking Break

2:45 p.m.—Legal issues and risk
What are the liability issues?
Who owns the data?
What are the other considerations?

3:30 p.m.—Question and answer

4:00 p.m.—Program concludes

The seminar will be moderated by Charles H. Thornton, Ph.D., P.E., chairman and CEO, Charles H. Thornton & Company, LLC, and founding principal, Thornton Tomasetti. As of press time, the seminar faculty includes Thomas A. Faraone, P.E., senior regional engineer, American Institute of Steel Construction; Doug Fitzpatrick, P.E., founder and president, Fitzpatrick Engineering Group; James G. Jacobi, P.E., principal and chief information officer, Walter P Moore and Associates, Inc.; Gregory P. Luth, S.E., Ph.D., president and chief engineer, Gregory P. Luth & Associates, Inc.; and Brian J. Donnell, Esq., partner, Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP.

This pre-conference workshop will be held at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco, which is the same venue for the Structural Engineers’ Building Conference & Expo, on Tuesday, Oct. 9. Separate, additional registration is required to attend this event, and discounts are available for attendees participating in both the seminar and the conference. Visit www.SEBuildings.com for more information and register today!