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Construction has suffered like many other industries thanks to the events of the past year or so but this Fall there have been many positive signs. In October, for example, total construction starts increased by 16%. Following a slowdown in the third quarter of this year due to the ongoing issues arising from the pandemic, the figures in October could indicate the beginning of a long-term improvement in construction prospects. A significant rise in the number of non-residential construction projects is having a big impact on the future health of the sector - and the recent infrastructure bill has also been flagged as a potential growth factor.

Finding opportunities to ensure that workplace accidents don't get repeated is one of the most important elements in the evolution of the construction sector. Any tool that could be useful to make that happen is worth integrating - and there are plenty on offer now thanks to the way that technology has developed. Job site safety is a high priority for engineering and infrastructure projects and the use of autonomous work vehicles could now make this much easier to achieve.

Modular construction is a burgeoning trend thanks to rapid urbanization across the world as well as a rise in demand for building methods that are greener and more sustainable. In 2020, the Global Modular Construction Market was valued at USD 95.49 billion and this is projected to rise to more than USD 140 billion by 2027. As affordability begins to bite for many construction projects there is also a need to be able to integrate more complex design and this is where modular construction has many advantages. It tends to be not only a more cost-effective construction process but also one that is easier to manage and which can significantly reduce the volume of labor that is required on-site.

Wastewater treatment is a vital process, one that can have many challenges - and cost is often one of the biggest. Using aeration technology can have multiple benefits, whether that relates to performance, reliability or energy efficiency. Proper aeration is a crucial part of the process, as it will ensure that organic compounds are biologically decomposed. The air itself is, of course, a free resource. However, aeration systems can be incredibly costly, not just in terms of paying for the infrastructure but also the energy - new research has revealed that aeration can account for up to 90% of the energy costs of a wastewater plant. Different plants tend to have a range of different aeration needs and these are generally met either by surface aeration or air being introduced at the bottom of a tank, with the former often the more costly option.

The National Environmental Policy Act is considered to be a bedrock piece of environmental legislation, key provisions of which were rolled back during the era of President Trump. Now, the Biden administration is restoring many of these, including federal regulations that set out the basis for environmental reviews of major infrastructure projects such as highways. These reviews were previously considerably watered down under Trump so that projects such as gas pipelines could simply be pushed through with no review or questioning of the impact this might have on something like climate change. However, the renewed emphasis on environmental impact is going to see many of these safeguards returning.

Identifying opportunities to reduce city traffic is something that has occupied some of the best engineers and planners in the country for many years. One of the simplest ways to do this has now been put forward by courier business UPS. According to UPS, eliminating left turns could have a very wide range of benefits, from convenience to environmental impact. This conclusion has come from a decision made by UPS in 2004 to minimize the left turns taken by its drivers, in particular the left turns that are necessary when drivers are sitting and waiting to cross over traffic.

A new report analyzing the Infrastructure Bill has identified that the cut it could achieve in greenhouse gas emissions in the US by 2030 could be nearly a gigaton. The $3.5 trillion package of measures that is currently being considered could completely overhaul energy and make a big dent in the commitments that President Biden has made in terms of cutting emissions.

The advantages of technology are not exactly unknown to those in industrial engineering jobs in USA today. However, as manufacturing leaders are now dealing with one of the most mobile and adaptable workforces in history, many have called for a closer look at the way technology could be used to open up workplaces to those with disabilities.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has had a long - and often frustrated - journey through the legislature but now looks as though it may be approaching the finish line. The $1 trillion measure will pour resources into a wide range of projects, including water, bridges, highways and the electric grid if it is implemented. The package made it through the Senate at the start of August with a robust bipartisan vote and now needs to successfully clear the House in order to be put in place.

The Biden Administration has set some ambitious targets when it comes to renewable energy engineering projects and using clean energy to reduce environmental impact. Electric vehicles are going to be a particularly important part of shifting the US onto greener territory and the objective of EVs making up 50% of new car sales by 2030 is an ambitious one.