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CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2021 | VOLUME 37 | NUMBER 2 | AKBIZMAG.COM
FE AT UR E S 16 MINING
10 FINANCE
Socioeconomic Effects of Mining
Pandemic Relief Funding in 2020
The industry's resilience supports local communities amid the pandemic
Programs distribute $2 billion to Alaska's small businesses
By Isaac Stone Simonelli
By Tracy Barbour
74 TRANSPORTATION New Heights
Innovation in the air and on the ground keeps Alaskans flying By Isaac Stone Simonelli
78 ENVIRONMENTAL
Hoarfrost, Permafrost, and Low Oxygen How the Arctic challenges engineers working on ice By Vanessa Orr
86 OIL & GAS
ExxonMobil’s North Slope Legacy
Ahtna Environmental, Inc. lippyjr | iStock
By Julie Stricker
Fejes Guide Service
20 CONSTRUCTION
Trade Training
A roadmap to kickstarting, accelerating careers in construction
By Danny Kreilkamp
QUICK READS 8 FROM THE EDITOR
90 INSIDE ALASKA BUSINESS
94 ALASKA TRENDS
90 ECONOMIC INDICATORS
92 RIGHT MOVES
96 OFF THE CUFF
4 | February 2021
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We’ve always believed in Alaska. And for nearly a century, First National has helped Alaskans build strong, local businesses and communities. Together, we can build a brighter future. Like you, we’re here for the long haul.
CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2021 | VOLUME 37 | NUMBER 2 | AKBIZMAG.COM
S P EC I A L S EC T I O N : A R C H I T EC T U R E & EN G I N EER I N G 26 DESIGNING SPACES FOR MASKED FACES Elements of a pandemic-friendly workspace By Amy Newman
40 ENGINEER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES 46 2021 ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD NOMINEES 50 THE POWER PROBLEM
Developing cost effective and environmentally sound rural energy systems By Bruno J. Navarro
56 RETHINKING OUTDOOR SPACES
Architects embrace natural, emotional beauty of Alaska By Julie Stricker
34 ENGINEERING A CAREER
How to stand out and succeed in a highly competitive field By Vanessa Orr
Vicki Nechodomu | UAA
66 ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING DIRECTORY
Interior lighting design in Alaska architecture By Bruno J. Navarro
RSA
60 NORTHERN LIGHTS
Junior Achievement of Alaska
ABOUT THE COVER From face coverings and limits on capacity to stickers marking social distancing guidelines—the new world of COVID-19 can be a lot to keep up with. The latest science and ever-changing mandates continue to make businesses stay creative. But how have symptoms of the pandemic manifested in the office environment? This is the question that inspired our cover story. Captured by local photographer Kevin Smith, the image depicts the newly renovated Tanana Valley Clinic; a joint effort from Bettisworth North and Martha Hanlon Architects. While the pandemic has certainly presented its share of challenges, it has also exposed office design issues, and in some cases—as you’ll learn in “Designing Spaces for Masked Faces”—fast-tracked changes advocated for by the design community for years. Cover photo by Kevin Smith
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FROM THE EDITOR
Engineering Space O
ur cover story this month focuses on how we’re adapting our workspaces to the ongoing pandemic. I’ve adapted by purchasing a lapdesk and a metric ton of coffee. But I’m not an architect or engineer so my methods are far less artful and scientifically sound than the techniques used by the talented men and women who are reimagining where many of us spend the majority of our days. In “Designing Spaces for Masked Faces,” we examine how the pandemic has dramatically changed the way Alaskans conduct business. From restaurants and retail stores that now rely heavily on delivery and curbside pickup options to previously bustling office space left empty as people continue working from the safety of home, there is no doubt that COVID-19 has changed how and where we conduct business. When, and if, we do return en masse to our respective offices, it is engineers and architects who will help shape the look and feel. Will they be open and airy? Do we ever return to the typical 6'x6' by 6'x6' by 6'x6' (you get what I’m saying) cubicle set-up? Or are those days in the past? Some of the changes we’re seeing are very visible: workstations placed further apart, desks and conference room chairs used as social-distancing barriers, and reminders to wash our hands and wear masks. Other more nuanced shifts are happening behind the scenes. For example, mechanical engineers report an increased interest among businesses in upgrading their HVAC systems to improve indoor air quality. Architects are considering the use of indoor and outdoor space in new ways. And both studies have come into play as restaurants and bars work out how to accommodate their guests, protect their employees, and stay operational. Even though dining outside in February isn’t typically a first choice, it’s not necessarily the worst choice anymore thanks to some creative thinking and a lot of flexibility. Melisa Babb, a landscape architect for Bettisworth North Architects and Planners, points out in “Rethinking Outdoor Spaces” that COVID-19 has “highlighted the fact that, despite our fantastic environment, we tend to focus inward when we are planning our communities and our built environment. The streetscape and the areas surrounding buildings need to be addressed as spaces that are just as important as the interior of a building.” As we move forward, eventually past the pandemic, it will be exciting to see how interior and exterior spaces are being used together to create a whole new vision of “office space.” Until that time, I’ll settle for my make-shift home office, eagerly awaiting the day when we meet again in person.
VOLUME 37, #2 EDITORIAL STAFF Managing Editor Kathryn Mackenzie 257-2907 editor@akbizmag.com
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Pandemic Relief Funding in 2020 Programs distribute $2 billion to Alaska's small businesses
W
ith the pandemic pummeling every industry in Alaska during the bulk of 2020, many companies were able to leverage federal economic assistance through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Businesses in various industries took advantage of opportunities like the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) to retain staff, pay critical expenses, and keep their doors open. Without these borrower-friendly funding options, many Alaska businesses would have had an even tougher time surviving this pandemic.
PPP and EIDL Funding Details CARES Act federal aid has been a critical lifeline for companies in Alaska and elsewhere. The PPP loan was implemented by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and US Treasury Department primarily to finance payroll for small businesses impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The program—which reopened in January and is once again accepting applications—expanded the 10 | February 2021
By Tracy Barbour traditional SBA 7(a) loan program to offer businesses loan forgiveness for retaining their employees. Under the original provisions, PPP loans carried an interest rate of 1 percent and matured in two years if issued prior to June 5, 2020 or five years if issued after June 5. No collateral or personal guarantees were required, and neither the government nor lenders could charge small businesses any fees. In addition, loan payments were deferred for borrowers who apply for forgiveness and meet other criteria. The EIDL program offers alternative funding in the form of a loan up to $2 million and/or loan advance up to $10,000. EIDL assistance is designed to support small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and nonprofit organizations that are experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. The loan proceeds provide working capital to help borrowers cover normal operating expenses, including healthcare benefits, rent, utilities, and fixed debt payments. EIDL funding has a higher interest rate than a PPP loan, but it has longer repayment terms and fewer spending
limitations. Under EIDL, the interest rate will not exceed 4 percent, the maturity is up to thirty years, and there are no pre-payment penalty or fees. However, loan amounts of more than $25,000 require collateral, preferably real estate. The EIDL program is administered directly by the SBA, so applicants don’t need to work with a local lender. Instead, they can apply online, and the SBA will send an inspector to estimate the cost of their damage. On June 15, 2020, SBA resumed accepting new EIDL applications from eligible small businesses and private nonprofits.
Loan Volume and Numbers In terms of loan volume, PPP, EIDL, and EIDL Advance programs distributed around $2 billion directly to Alaska's small businesses and nonprofits at a time when they desperately needed it, according to Jon Bittner, executive director of the Alaska Small Business Development Center (SBDC). “That was in addition to the additional UI [unemployment insurance] benefits, one-time individual stimulus payments, and a host of other federal support,” Bittner says. “These funds were
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Fejes Guide Service
FINANCE
crucial to preventing the economic impacts of COVID-19 from crippling our economy. It's important to note that even with all of that support, we still saw unprecedented unemployment levels and a large number of business closures.” According to Bittner, the latest PPP and EIDL loan figures for Alaska are: Total PPP funding: Number of PPP loans: Number of saved jobs:
Total EIDL funding: Number of EIDL loans:
$1,309,375,597 12,044 112,000
are smaller businesses that tend to have more struggles with access to capital and reserves, and that makes us really proud.”
Challenging Application Process Facilitating EIDL and PPP funding was a monumental feat for the government, lenders, and program participants. Bittner of the SBDC put it this way: “I think that what SBA and other federal, state, and local government agencies were
asked to do during this crisis was unbelievably difficult, complicated, and without precedent in modern times. I believe that all of the programs had their difficulties that led some to criticize how the funding was deployed, but overall what was accomplished these last six months or so is nothing short of amazing. The SBA , in particular, did an amazing job of deploying massive amounts of capital to businesses in ever y city in America in a short timeframe.”
$443,771,900 7,461
Total EIDL Advance funding: $32,751,000 Number of EIDL Advances: 10,389
Within Alaska, Northrim Bank, First National Bank Alaska (FNBA), and Wells Fargo processed the bulk of the PPP loans in 2020. Northrim Bank was the leading lender for PPP loans in Alaska, providing about 23 percent of the loans, or just under 2,900 loans and $375 million in volume, according to Mike Huston, executive vice president and chief lending officer at Northrim. The loan proceeds were used to cover payroll for employees who might have otherwise been laid off or furloughed during the pandemic. “PPP funding was a relief to many businesses who were hurting during a very difficult time,” Huston says. FNBA processed $345.5 million in PPP funding and 2,450 total loans, according to Chad Steadman, senior vice president and corporate lending director at FNBA. The undertaking was particularly challenging due to multiple factors unfolding at the same time. Steadman explains: “We had the PPP loan applications originating, we also were accommodating customers with modifications of loans and interest payments, and we were working remotely and interrupting our regular business activities.” Processing PPP loans has been a “ journey” for Wells Fargo, according to Small Business Leader Damon Dishman. In Alaska, Wells Fargo was able to fund 1,164 total loans or $74 million worth of loans, representing 7,727 jobs saved. “Eighty-seven percent of those loans were for less than $100,000,” Dishman says. “Those www.akbizmag.com
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While EIDL funding was fully administered and directly facilitated through the SBA, businesses were able to apply for PPP loans through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. The application process
was challenging and confusing at times, with lenders scrambling to help businesses adapt to the SBA’s fluctuating requirements. “Businesses were required to submit an application that outlined their payroll and qualifying rent and utility expenses,” Huston says. “Businesses used their 2019 expenses to estimate
their 2020 expenses. Loan amounts were based off previous actual expenses. The loan was then submitted to the SBA and, if approved, distributed back through the financial institution submitting the loan application.” Huston continues, “As the program evolved, more businesses were able to submit applications for loans and the rules for loan calculations shifted to include more types of businesses and payroll.” At FNBA, it was an all-hands-on-deck situation. “When the first origination was coming, we had to pull so many resources from different areas of the bank,” Steadman explains. “We had people from IT and human resources helping process loans.” Initially, the bank focused on taking care of its existing customers and then any other business in the state. “We processed PPP loans up to the last day [of the second round of funding, which closed in August],” Steadman says. “The majority of these were customers, but there were a lot of non-customers as well.” Wells Fargo also opted to prioritize offering PPP funding to its existing
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customers. That was a tough decision to make, considering the needs in the community, Dishman says. But it made sense given the potential for fraud and the know-your-customer guidelines of the financial services industry. So Wells Fargo encouraged companies to explore all possible funding options in case the PPP money ran out—which it did at lightning speed. Everyone at Wells Fargo was stretched to the maximum, says Dishman, who worked twelve-tofourteen-hour days, seven days a week, for nine weeks straight. “There was a build-it-while-you-fly-it approach,” he says. “We had to redeploy thousands of team members and get an application process set up… We ended up funding 194,000 applications for over $10.5 billion in loans. That was sixty-one times the total number of SBA loans funded annually by Wells Fargo. It was a tsunami of loans.” Wells Fargo’s average PPP loan amount was $54,000, with 41 percent of loan originations from low- to moderate-income or 50 percent minority census tracts.
Facilitating Loan Forgiveness At this phase of the PPP initiative, a chief concern of many borrowers is applying for loan forgiveness. PPP loan customers have ten months from the end of their covered period to file for forgiveness and the payments are deferred during this time. To make the process easier, the SBA, in consultation with the Treasury Department, offered a revised, borrower-friendly PPP loan forgiveness application, followed by EZ and Simplified versions that require fewer calculations and less documentation for eligible borrowers. Lenders have also provided myriad resources to help PPP loan borrowers and support businesses in general during the pandemic. For example, Northrim has consistently worked to assist businesses and individuals impacted by COVID-19, including allowing deferred loan payments and additional loan funding. The bank has also facilitated the use of government-sponsored programs such as the Main Street Program, the United States Department of Agriculture Business & Industry
CARES Act Program, the SBA, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and AK SAFE Act funding through the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority. In addition, Northrim offers a PPP Forgiveness Application web page with a video explaining how to complete the SBA’s simplified form required for loans from $50,000 to $150,000. Wells Fargo also includes PPPrelated assets on its website, including a small business resource center to bolster the business resiliency. The site offers webinars, infographics, and articles to help businesses navigate the pandemic. Wells Fargo also launched a PPP Loan Forgiveness Center with SBA-related information, tools, and other resources. Wells Fargo launched its Open for Business Fund that focuses on helping small businesses stay open and save jobs by increasing access to capital, technical expertise, and long-term resiliency programs. The fund recently awarded Spruce Root, a Juneau-based Community Development Financial Institution, $250,000 to support its products and services for entrepreneurs.
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“My business was full for the fall,” he says. “I was turning people away.”
Funding Effective, but More Needed
Adrianne Fejes, Sam Fejes, and Hunter Fejes show off a big catch at Tsiu River Lodge. Fejes Guide Service
The Open for Business Fund is part of Wells Fargo’s commitment to donate 100 percent of gross processing fees— $400 million—that it generated from the government to help businesses. The bank is planning to allocate the money over a three-year period and invest it in three tranches: access to capital; technical assistance; and recovery and resiliency. “Early on when the PPP program was announced, our CEO made the commitment that we would donate all fees,” Dishman says. “We did not want to profit from this program.”
How Businesses Used the Loans The EIDL and PPP funding impacted businesses in a variety of industries throughout Alaska. For instance, SBA records show that many larger entities received PPP loans of $5 million to $10 million each and retained several thousand jobs. They include Arctic Slope Native Association (295 jobs), Cruz Construction (215 jobs), ICE Services (367 jobs), Matanuska Telephone Association (267 jobs), Nana Worley (231 jobs), Northern Energy Services (298 jobs), and South Peninsula Hospital (439 jobs). PPP financing also had a major effect on smaller enterprises. Take for example Land’s End Resort in Homer. The yearround, beachfront retreat received a PPP loan of more than $350,000 through Northrim Bank in April, which it spent on payroll, according to co-owner Sara Faulkner. The hotel also obtained much-needed EIDL funding in May to 14 | February 2021
help cover the cost of goods sold and operating expenses like advertising, interest, and utilities. With breathtaking views of Kachemak Bay, Land’s End is a popular vacation destination, but COVID-19 significantly affected its operations. And without the EIDL and PPP funds, the resort likely would have had to close its restaurant and lay off thirty to forty employees. “These loans were integral to keeping business open this summer,” Faulkner says. PPP funding was also crucial for Fejes Guide Service, which operates lodges in Kodiak and near Cordova. The company received a PPP loan in April through its long-time financial institution FNBA. “At first when the PPP came out, it was very confusing,” says owner Sam Fejes. “If it wasn’t for First National, I don’t know if I would have ever gotten it.” The loan—less than $50,000—helped Fejes Guide Service rebound from being shut down in the spring due to COVID-19 to save its fall season. Having the financing positioned Fejes to be able to make better decisions and structure his whole year. It allowed his business to prepare for incoming clients as well as implement extra safety precautions once they arrived. This included cleaning the lodge twice a day, testing employees and clients for COVID-19, replacing cloth hand towels with disposable paper towels, and giving each client a face mask with the company’s logo. It was a challenging time, Fejes says, but the PPP loan helped significantly.
Overall, PPP loan borrowers and financial institutions hold positive views about the impact of the CARES Act federal aid on Alaska. The financing was sufficient for some recipients but less so for others. However, the funding has brought a great deal of comfort to businesses as they struggle to ride out the pandemic. “I think what we have been able to do has been a tremendous help,” says Steadman of FNBA. “Hopefully, there will be light at the end of the tunnel soon.” Huston of Northrim also expresses overall optimism about PPP loan implementation in Alaska. The PPP funding helped businesses stay open during the pandemic and allowed them to still pay their employees, even when revenue was low due to closures and slowdowns, he says. But more funding would help. “The first round of funding was used up very quickly and some businesses were not able to receive a loan until Congress approved more funding for the program,” he says. “After the second round of funding was made available, businesses were able to receive the funding that they needed. The expansion of the program to include seasonal businesses, sole proprietors, and others helped many throughout Alaska. Additional funding for seasonal business that lost their entire 2020 season as well as those impacted by newly instituted mandates would be beneficial.” The development and upcoming deployment of new COVID-19 vaccines offers some light at the end of the tunnel. However, Bittner says, the next three to six months are going to be some of the hardest, with COVID-19 cases rising, federal relief funding being exhausted, unemployment remaining high, and state and local governments facing significant budget shortfalls. “There's no silver-bullet solution to the situation we're in,” he says. “It's going to take a variety of efforts at all levels to get through this and come out the other side—but I'm confident that Alaskans will come together and do what it takes. It's what we always do when things get hard.”
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MINING
Socioeconomic Effects of Mining
The industry's resilience supports local communities amid the pandemic By Isaac Stone Simonelli
T
he mining industry and the positive socioeconomic impact it has on local communities statewide managed to remain steady in the face of the world’s ongoing pandemic. There were 28,900 fewer jobs in Alaska in October 2020 than the previous year; however, COVID-19 resulted in relatively little change in mining employment, according to Dan Robinson, a chief researcher at the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
‘An Economic Development Director’s Dream’ In 2019, the mining industry employed 4,600 people directly and 4,800 people indirectly, according to a McKinley Research Group (formerly McDowell Group) report commissioned by the Alaska Miners Association. As an officially recognized critical infrastructure industry, mining companies’ rapid roll out of COVID-19 safety protocols and a strong market for precious and base metals played a significant role in the sector's ability to continue to employ Alaskans, injecting much-needed capital into local economies during the pandemic. Mining projects at various stages of development in the state primarily bolster local economies through employment (direct and indirect), taxes, and local development funds. Though at a state level employment and especially tax revenue from mining is much smaller than from the oil and gas industry, its impact on the state 16 | February 2021
and especially on local economies is significant, Robinson says. “A mine is an economic development director’s dream project. A mine is labor intensive, so they bring lots of jobs— hundreds of year-round jobs. They're high paying jobs,” says Jim Calvin, a senior consultant with McKinley Research Group. “Mines are typically capital intensive, which means that they can be the source of very substantial property tax revenues for communities in the area. And, in fact, in Juneau, the two mines are the two largest property taxpayers in the community.” Hecla's Greens Creek Mine is the largest property tax-payer in Juneau, says Mike Satre, the mine’s government and community relations manager. The next largest is Coeur Mining’s Kensington gold mine. About 200 of Hecla’s 440 employees live in Juneau full-time, increasing the economic impact of the mine as they buy property, pay taxes, and spend their hard-earned money within the state capital. Beyond providing direct employment to miners in the community during the pandemic, as well as helping mining vendors keep their doors open, Hecla Greens Creek Mine has propped up some businesses reliant on the city’s tourism industry. “We were expecting 1.4 million cruise ship visitors,” Satre says. “This year, we effectively got zero. The visitor industry has been devastated here.” But increased production costs associated with COVID-19 safety
protocols have led to an increase in spending in local communities, Satre says. For example, the strict hotel and catering quarantine protocols Hecla put in place are helping keep some hotels booked up with mine employees in lieu of tourists. The company is also using transportation companies that would normally be shuttling visitors around the city to move mine employees from the hotel to the mining ship and the airport for shift changes, again finding a way to meet COVID-19 protocols while injecting money into the local economy. “There's lots of individuals, lots of jobs that were preserved because we were able to keep operating as a critical infrastructure industry,” Satre says. Even without the increase in spending in the community due to the pandemic, Satre says the company spends $50 million to $60 million annually with local providers.
Investing Locally The mine’s investment in the community goes beyond dollars paid in wages and dollars spent. “What we do is make significant investments in training qualified workforce and making sure that we have the resources in Alaska to build that qualified workforce,” Satre says, noting that the company has invested more than $1 million in direct and indirect contributions to the Center for Mine Training at UAS. “We’ve created some long-term employees out of that program,” Satre says. The company also invested in the Delta Mine Training Center and created scholarships for UAF’s Mine Engineering Program. Such investments make it possible for Alaska mining companies to hire Alaskans for key positions rather than headhunting in the Lower 48, Satre says. Robinson agrees that part of the economic benefit of having a mine in a community are the ways that the companies and their employees participate in the community. “To the extent mine workers live locally, they make an important contribution to the local economy because wages are especially high,”
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Robinson says. “Nonprofit giving and contributions to training programs that teach mining-related skills are other ways the economic footprint of mines expands throughout a community.” While the significant economic impact of the Hecla Greens Creek Mine is mostly localized, the Red Dog Mine in Northwest Alaska sees money disbursed throughout the state. Per ANCSA, 70 percent of the profits NANA Regional Corporation (which leases the mineral rights of the Red Dog Mine to Teck Alaska Incorporated) earns from the project are distributed to other Native corporations through the 7(i) payments system. From 2015 to 2018, 70 percent of those 7(i) payments from NANA were from Red Dog Mine, explains NANA Vice President of Natural Resources Lance Miller. Since the mine’s inception in 1989 through 2019, it has generated $1.4 billion for 7(i), which has benefited the entire state, Miller says. Though those payments are significant, as with most mines in the state, the real impact is on the local level. It was the Red Dog Mine that led to the development of the Northwest Arctic Borough, Miller says. “The borough was actually developed deliberately in concert with Red Dog, because that could be a tax base for bonding to build schools in the NANA region,” Miller says. “So what mining does in the case of Northwest, it has created a borough, and that's led to self-governance of the region.” Miller explains that as the state continues to wade through its financial woes, the mining industry takes on a role of increased importance at the community level as regions potentially need to be more self-reliant.
providing a contribution to the school district, are impacted by that,” Cravalho says. Working with NANA, the Red Dog Mine supports the Village Improvement Fund, which allows local communities to have more control over local infrastructure and program development. Since 2016, $35 million has been put in the fund. In 2019, a little more than $7 million was approved by Village Improvement Fund Commissioners and the Northwest Arctic Borough
Assembly for projects, according to the 2019 Village Improvement Fund Annual Report. Village projects ranged from energy efficiency measures put in place in Ambler to landfill cleanup in Noorvik and an Iñupiaq language program in Kotzebue. “There's a real concerted effort both by the borough and Red Dog [NANA and Teck] to see direct investment in local communities,” Cravalho says. NANA’s earnings from Red Dog royalties and the agreement with
Mining’s Impact Red Dog represents more than 90 percent of the borough's revenue and income, says NANA Vice President of Lands Liz Cravalho. “Red Dog Mine is the most important source of borough revenue, which receives no other property or sales tax,” according to the 2019 Northwest Arctic Borough Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy from McKinley Research Group. “So basically, all of those services that the borough provides, including www.akbizmag.com
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February 2021 | 17
Teck provide jobs, opportunities for dividends, and community investment through NANA’s Village Economic Investment Program and community contributions. As with mines in other parts of the state, Red Dog Mine also creates direct and indirect jobs in nearby communities, providing a necessary inflow of cash to support subsistence living practices, Cravalho explains. “For subsistence nowadays, they need cash, they need the ability to buy the gear and equipment to do it safely,” Cravalho says. About 26 percent of the region’s population works in the mining industry: more than 3,000 NANA shareholders have been employed at one time or another by Red Dog Mine. In 2020, Teck Red Dog Operations employed 519 regular full-time personnel, says Laura Kayuqtuq Orenga de Gaffory, a spokesperson for Teck Alaska. Nearly 80 percent of those employed are Alaska residents, with 54 percent being NANA shareholders. “The 1982 agreement provides hiring preference for NANA shareholders and set a goal for shareholder employment of 100 percent. The intent of this goal was to set a high target that requires Teck, with NANA's assistance, to recruit and train shareholders,” Orenga de Gaffory says. “As part of this effort, a provision was established for a training and employment plan to be developed in conjunction with the Red Dog Management Committee. Red Dog also has a hiring preference for local communities within the Northwest Arctic and has employees from ten of the eleven communities in the area.” “I think it's also important to remember that usually someone who is earning a wage is providing income that supports a larger household,” Cravalho says. “We have about three to four generations per household in our region.”
Responsible Development Because of Alaska’s blended economy, particularly in the Northwest, it’s important to develop resources in a way that is responsive and supportive of subsistence, Cravalho says. This balance pairs well with an increased emphasis by investors 18 | February 2021
and large companies on the three pillars of sustainable development: environmental, social, and corporate governance, Miller says. Northern Star focuses on similar ideas when outlining the company’s commitment to the communities impacted by the Pogo Mine. “Northern Star is committed to delivering socioeconomic returns to the communities in which we operate, and this commitment is directly reflected in our sustainability vision: delivering responsible environmental and social business practices that lead to both the creation of strong economic returns for our shareholders and shared value for our stakeholders,” says Wendie MacNaughton, an external affairs officer with Pogo mine. The mine is one of the largest employers in the Interior, with Alaskans from twenty-two communities comprising 57 percent of its workforce, MacNaughton says. The 515 direct jobs created by the mine resulted in more than $80 million in wages last year. “While Northern Star prioritizes the hiring of Alaskans in the first instance, the resources labor market is highly competitive, and Pogo is somewhat unique as a ‘fly in fly out’ operation,” MacNaughton says. “We encourage and incentivize employees to relocate from the Lower 48 states to Alaska, which fortunately isn’t too difficult as Pogo is located in a beautiful state with vast opportunities for lifestyle and adventure.” The company spent more than $198 million on goods and services with Alaska businesses in 2020, providing hundreds of indirect jobs throughout the state, MacNaughton explains. MacNaughton says the single biggest impact the company has on Alaska is through employment. “By responsibly managing our business throughout the pandemic to retain and expand our employee base, those employees are able to support themselves, their families, their communities, and ultimately the regions,” MacNaughton says. “Whatever we do beyond this will always be secondary to being able to provide someone with a job and a competitive wage.” The mining industry provides
some of the highest wages in the state, according to a McKinley Research Group study. The average for all sectors of the economy is about $55,000, while the average annual wage in the mining industry is nearly $113,000.
Improving Quality of Life Working within the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals framework for sustainable development and business activities, Northern Star focuses on improving the quality of life in local communities, MacNaughton says. “As an example, Northern Star recognized mental health as a significant health issue impacting Alaskans and citizens across the globe. We set out to train 20 percent of our workforce in mental health first aid,” MacNaughton says. “The internationally accredited training assists in improving our employees’ health and wellbeing by arming peers with strategies, education, and referral information to help identify and offer support to their coworkers, friends, and family who may be suffering from poor mental health.” Mental health first aid trainings are also open to local community members at no cost. Pogo mine is one of five primary mining operations in full production in the state. Miller points out that with all mining projects, it’s necessary to have a long view, as it usually takes between eighteen and twenty years and about $400 million to come to a point that a company can make a decision to take a significant project to production or not. And those taking a long view likely see a bright future for the mining industry in Alaska, Miller says. With the increase in demand for copper, zinc, graphite, and rare earth elements for green technology, Miller sees Alaska’s mining industry as being perfectly situated to continue to grow and support communities throughout the state. “If you can have a project in Alaska that can be advanced environmentally and socially at the highest levels and meet the market demands of the world, then I think we're in a really good position for the future,” Miller says.
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True Partnership Builds Community
For more than 30 years, Red Dog Mine has stood as a model of responsible resource development, founded on the principles of consensus, cooperation and mutual respect between the Iñupiat of northwest Alaska and a mining company.
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CONSTRUCTION
F Trade Training
A roadmap to kickstarting, accelerating careers in construction
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By Danny Kreilkamp
or young people eager to begin their careers, or more seasoned professionals simply interested in a change of scenery, the construction industry offers jobseekers a number of different programs and training opportunities to gain required skills and education. Though the path to forging a career in this industry can be winding and, at times, somewhat convoluted. Apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, vocational colleges, labor unions, company-specific certifications—what do they all mean? And where do you begin?
20 | February 2021
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When it comes to trade training, one size does not fit all; determining the option that best suits prospective construction workers should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Instead of a straight line, with point A being the beginning of an individual’s journey and point B signaling the end, imagine the options available to aspiring construction professionals as a branch—with different limbs representing programs of varying structure, length, and requirement. And while the following options aren’t the only routes to a long, lucrative career in construction, they’re a great place to start.
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Introductory and Pre-Apprenticeship Training For those still deciding which branch of the construction trade they might be interested in pursuing, introductory and pre-apprenticeship training is a great way to explore their options without breaking the bank. The various training programs offered through Alaska Works Partnership (AWP) are particularly affordable—in fact, 100 percent of student fees are covered by the nonprofit. Befitting of the organization’s name, AWP teams with local organizations such as the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Nine Star Education & Employment Services, and a host of other entities to deliver training to Alaska’s construction industry. “One of our goals is that we want to make sure all of our youth know that apprenticeship is a great alternative to college before they graduate,” says Program Manager Tiffany Caudle. “Every training we do is completely free—people don’t have to provide anything. We provide the materials, the safety gear… all people have to do is apply, be selected, and show up,” she continues, noting the lack of any income stipulations. AWP boasts several different programs, some catering exclusively to women (Women in the Trades), some catering to ex-military (Helmets to Hardhats), but the largest and most popular program it offers is the Alaska Construction Academies training. Caudle explains that due to the popularity of AWP’s trainings, the organization often receives two or www.akbizmag.com
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“At any given time, there’s probably 100 to 200 job openings in the State of Alaska. The challenge we run into is the shortage of drivers… What we’re running into is a graying workforce: people are getting older, they’re retiring, they don’t want to do it anymore—and a lot of people don’t see truck driving as a viable career future when it really is.” Pat Rose, Business Development Director, NIT
three times the number of applications than there are available spots, especially with the added restrictions surrounding gatherings and COVID-19. But the application process is simple: interested parties apply online; wait to be contacted by an AWP representative;
are interviewed; undergo a ranking process; and then wait for placement. Most of the programs follow a typical Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 40-hour-a-week schedule. But Caudle notes that the organization also offers evening and weekend courses
to cater to those who work during the day. “We have found that most people who are really serious about getting into construction are able to take a week off to train even if they’re working,” she says. “Which is why we try to let people know a minimum of three weeks in advance if they have been selected for a class.” Almost all of AWP’s programs are registered with the state and designated as pre-apprenticeships. “We do introductory training, we don’t do advanced training—we’re not steppin’ on any paid toes,” she points out. “But if they do our training and a full add-on, at 120 hours they can get a pre-apprenticeship stamp which makes them more employable or more likely to get into an apprenticeship program.” Following the completion of a training program, AWP also provides its students with ongoing case management and placement services. Doubling as a case manager, Caudle has witnessed firsthand the impact on students who complete the program. “We had this student who was homeless, and we got him a job after training with this non-union company in the Valley. He actually lives with all these different Iditarod people who told him, ‘Hey If you take care of my dogs—that’s your rent.’ He has a job, a place to sleep, and he’s doing great. We’ve helped a lot of people—we’re the do-gooders,” she laughs.
Apprenticeships Often dubbed the “four-year degree without the debt,” apprenticeships are attractive options for those interested in learning a skill while pocketing some cash in the process. Before diving into the details, it’s worth noting that apprenticeships can be pursued in both union and non-union formats. There are a few key differences between the two, and the training coordinator for Alaska Ironworkers, Jon Woodard, sheds some light on why a person might choose one over the other. “A large differentiating factor is the benefits and the union representation that you get [with a union],” Woodard explains, noting that while the pay scale between union and non-union work tends to be similar, federally 22 | February 2021
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funded or state funded projects using non-union contractors are required to adhere to the pay scale set by union standards. Woodard and Alaska Ironworkers are part of the Alaska Apprenticeship Training Coordinators Association. “[It] is basically an association of all the union construction trades, and we work together to make sure that we all have quality programs,” Woodard says. “With the aging population in the trades, we don’t have as many young people joining the construction trades—and we want to make sure we offer that opportunity, that it’s not just college and military. We want to make sure young people understand the importance of the construction trades as a very promising and wellpaying career.” Another important distinction, Woodard believes, is that union and non-union trades don’t always compete for the same work in Alaska. “They [non-union trades] typically go after different market segments like home or residential construction rather than the heavy industrial that we go after.”
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Despite some of these differences, Woodard says that non-union apprenticeships are often modeled after their union counterparts. Age, education, occupational credentials, and experience are all factors apprenticeship programs consider when selecting applicants. “And some trades have additional requirements such as a math exam or the WorkKeys test,” he adds. “Usually most apprenticeships require a valid driver’s license and a resume detailing education and work history.” The programs are competitive, Woodard admits, due in part to the fact that different programs can only bring in so many positions per year— especially some of the specialty trades. “It depends on if the union local is divided. There is a northern region and a southern region so you have that factor as well. Like the iron workers, for example, we are statewide, but we’re a specialty trade so we only bring in a few per year. It’s kind of the nature of the work.” The length of an apprenticeship program varies from trade to trade. The term can be as short as two
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actually I call them first hour apprentices— because the first hour they go to work after three weeks of training they get 60 percent of scale and that’s pretty good.” Jon Woodard, Training Coordinator, AATCA
years or as long as five, with most programs typically landing in the fouryear range. For example, Woodard says, a four-year apprenticeship can be 6,000 hours—1,500 hours per year
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“Every training we do is completely free— people don’t have to provide anything. We provide the materials, the safety gear… all people have to do is apply, be selected, and show up.” Tiffany Caudle, Program Manager Alaska Works Partnership
of combined work and classroom experience. And for certain union apprenticeships registered with the Department of Labor, there are
additional requirements for classroom and hands-on training hours which can be around 150 to 200 hours per year, minimum. As for pay, apprentices will generally earn a percentage of the journeyman pay scale. “The starting pay rate is typically 50 percent,” he says, noting that as an ironworker that number is bumped up to 60 percent. “After the first year—or actually I call them first hour apprentices—because the first hour they go to work after three weeks of training they get 60 percent of scale and that’s pretty good.”
Paid Training Interested in earning more than $60,000 per year after only a few weeks of CDL training? Perhaps consider leveraging the multitude of programs offered by industry training experts like Northern Industrial Training. These are paid, intensive programs that equip students with the necessary tools and training to step into high-paying roles immediately upon graduation. While the company offers programs ranging from heavy equipment operations to administrative assistance,
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Business Development Director Pat Rose says truck driving is by far the most popular of its course options. NIT offers a variety of CDL training programs tailored to inexperienced and seasoned truck drivers. But common to all its programs is a notable financial outlay. These programs should be considered an investment in what very often leads to a high paying job, according to the organization. “Even with what we’re seeing right now, truck driving is still in high demand,” says Rose. “If someone has a CDL, they can find a job pretty quick.” “At any given time, there’s probably 100 to 200 job openings in the state of Alaska,” he continues. “The challenge we run into is the shortage of drivers… What we’re running into is a graying workforce: people are getting older, they’re retiring, they don’t want to do it anymore—and a lot of people don’t see truck driving as a viable career future when it really is.” Rose says somebody with no previous experience who enrolls in a NIT truck driving course can begin searching for a job, with confidence, in four to six weeks. “And it can be shorter. But if you have no experience and you take a four to six week training program, then you have all the skills and license to go into some of those positions,” Rose adds, noting that the six-week program is particularly popular given its national accreditation through the Professional Truck Driving Institute. And even in an industry that seems destined for automation, Rose feels the state’s unique landscape offers truck drivers a certain degree of immunity. “One of the challenges we face in Alaska is the different style of driving— we don’t have straight roads. We don’t have easy access to a lot of locations. Someone driving from Fairbanks to the North Slope—that’s an ice road, that’s not really a ‘road,’” he jokes. Rose says the application process is relatively straightforward, but prospective applicants should be prepared to pass a drug test. “Marijuana is legal in Alaska, but it still isn’t legal federally.”
Safety Training A dedication to safety isn’t just an expectation for construction workers—
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it’s a requirement. And for many companies, the skills gained through apprenticeships or vocational schools alone are not enough. The Alaska Safety Alliance (ASA) collaborates with employers to help individuals complete the required training to work in some of Alaska’s most hazardous industries. Created more than twenty years ago by BP and ConocoPhillips Alaska, ASA is Alaska’s regional nonprofit safety council. The organization manages a variety of workforce development programs, the North Slope Training Cooperative, and other health, safety and environmental training. “Everything we do is designed to provide individuals with the necessary knowledge and credentials to safely work in Alaskan industries,” says ASA Director of Operations Mandy Beaulieu. For people who have begun their career in construction but are wanting professional development or focused training, ASA is an Accredited Training Sponsor of NCCER. “The National Center of Construction and Education Research is a nationally recognized organization that offers training in more than eighty different construction, oil and gas, mining, and maritime occupations—all industries essential to Alaska,” Beaulieu explains. For those looking for 'earn while you learn' opportunities, ASA recently submitted applications to the US Department of Labor for apprenticeship designation in five areas. Once approved, ASA, along with companies across the United States, will be able to offer vetted and nationally recognized apprenticeship programs for five unique, essential, and high-demand oil and gas pipeline occupations. “The hands-on skills gained in these apprenticeships are highly desirable across all industries. This will be an incredible opportunity for Alaskans wanting to enter any construction trade while building their knowledge and experience.” No matter the trade, construction workers can expect to be well-versed in new safety training programs as their careers develop. Though the route is up to the trainee, one thing construction professionals can agree on is that theirs is an industry that has fulfilling, wellpaying jobs that are available today. And with the right training, the opportunities are there for the taking. www.akbizmag.com
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Alaska Business
February 2021 | 25
ARCHITEC T URE & ENG INEERING SPECIAL SEC TION
Designing Spaces for Masked Faces
Elements of a pandemic-friendly workspace By Amy Newman
26 | February 2021
Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com
what constitutes the ideal workspace, whether it's a move to hybrid work schedules or open layout design concepts that are conducive to team collaboration and provide flexibility to accommodate changing health and safety recommendations. “Just from a general standpoint, I think what's evidenced by projects the last nine or ten months is this ultimate need for flexibility,” says Kelsey Davidson, principal with SALT. “So, creating a multi-functional space that can flex with changing needs.” Though the pandemic helped catalyze the shift in thinking among office-based businesses, many of the design changes currently being implemented aren't necessarily new. Instead, they are catching Alaska offices up to already occurring trends and aligning the workspace with recommendations designers and architects have suggested for years. “There’s no such thing as COVIDspecific changes,” says Dana Nunn, interior design director at Bettisworth North. “Designers are simply implementing a complement of best
“Just from a general standpoint, I think what's evidenced by projects the last nine or ten months is this ultimate need for flexibility. So, creating a multi-functional space that can flex with changing needs.” Kelsey Davidson Principal, SALT
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February 2021 | 27
ARCHITEC T URE & ENG INEERING SPECIAL SEC TION
T
he arrival of COVID-19 last March changed the way Alaskans live. Hand sanitizer and face masks became must-have items when leaving home, and phrases like "hunker down” and “social distance” became part of our daily lexicon. The pandemic also dramatically changed how Alaskans, like much of the world, do business. Restaurants and retail stores relied heavily on delivery and curbside pickup options to help offset the loss of foot traffic, while the office workplace transitioned overnight from the traditional inperson model to an entirely—or almost entirely—remote workforce. “I think people who work in offices have been lucky," says Giovanna Gambardella, principal and architectural services manager with Stantec. "We were able to quickly move our workstation from the office to home." Eventually, though, Alaskan workers will return to the office, assuming they haven’t already. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shift in thinking among business leaders about
ARCHITEC T URE & ENG INEERING SPECIAL SEC TION
Design features such as an upgraded HVAC system with high-MERV filtration or a mix of flexible work spaces, private offices, phone booths, and height-adjustable workstations not only increase protection from COVID-19 and other airborne illnesses but allow businesses to more easily accommodate changes in how the office is used. Bettisworth North
28 | February 2021
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Immediate Changes When Governor Michael Dunleavy and Alaskan mayors issued the first stay-at-home orders last spring, businesses were forced to immediately modify their workspaces and identify creative solutions that allow them to continue meeting their customers' needs while simultaneously minimizing employee risk of exposure to the virus. Traditional office workplaces arguably had the most seamless transition. “If you look at the spectrum— there’s office workspace, retail, and healthcare—the office is obviously probably the easiest adaptable user,”
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says Carel Nagata, associate and senior architect with Stantec. “Most office work is done with computers, so it doesn’t really matter where you do your work.” Non-essential businesses quickly moved to a work-from-home model. For businesses unable to switch to a fully remote workplace, changes to workspace layout and design helped minimize the spread of the virus. “We [saw] small changes that happened right away,” Gambardella says. “Putting screens up, there are wellness stations in the office space. When you get in, one station has hand sanitizer and masks. So, I think there’s a thought about how to design these so they’re visible and kind of user-friendly.” Other changes to the workspace layout, including spreading out workstations, using desks and conference room chairs as natural barriers to encourage social distancing, and adding visual reminders to wash hands and wear masks, also help protect employees and clients, Nunn adds.
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But even this relatively easy transition had its share of challenges. Businesses that went virtual had to evaluate their technological capabilities to determine whether the appropriate devices and infrastructure were available to their employees. Whether employees even had the necessary bandwidth to connect virtually from home also became an issue. “There’s a technology investment right off the bat,” Nunn says of switching to a remote workspace. “You may need to completely change over your technology.” That could mean switching from desktop computers to laptops or implementing a remote VPN. And while those changes might solve the technological concerns, they could still impact the office design, she adds. “Potentially for some companies, the technology requirements mean that they need more server space, or they may need a bigger area for their IT department to handle their at-home employees,” she says. “You may just need different things to make that work.”
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Subdivision Design & Platting Construction Surveying Boundary Surveys As-built Plot Plans Road Alignments Right of Way/Easements Commercial Site Development Earthwork Quantities/Cross sections Cadastral Remote Parcel Surveying Subdivision Design Septic System Design & Testing Landscaping & Drainage Design Grading Design Percolation & Sample Analysis Water Sample Testing &Analylis February 2021 | 29
ARCHITEC T URE & ENG INEERING SPECIAL SEC TION
practices in interior spaces to manage air quality, thermal and acoustic comfort, choice, and support the needs of the worker.” Which of these best practices are put in place depends largely on the specific needs of the business. “The public just wants a fix, but there isn’t a single fix,” Nunn says. “Everything is so nuanced. What you do is so dependent on what your operation can withstand.”
ARCHITEC T URE & ENG INEERING SPECIAL SEC TION
Designers have long advocated for openconcept office layouts that provide space for team collaboration and flexibility, and while many companies in the Lower 48 have integrated these ideas into their work spaces, Alaska has been mostly behind the trend. Bettisworth North
Considering Cleaning The increased cleaning protocols associated with COVID-19 means that employers must consider both aesthetics and cleanability when selecting fabrics and surfaces for furnishings, fixtures, and equipment. Frequent cleaning and disinfection, particularly when using solutions that were not designed for the specific materials, can shorten the usable life of furnishings and fixtures, a less-thanideal scenario from both a financial and sustainability standpoint. “Cleaners that folks are using are designed for non-porous surfaces, but people are using them on everything,” Nunn says. “And if you’re using them on things that are porous, you can really rapidly degrade your wood surface, plastics, paint, and some upholstery.” That’s led to conversations with clients about choosing finishes and materials that aren't usually seen in an office setting but are ultimately better suited to today’s heightened cleaning protocols. “I think what we’re looking at more 30 | February 2021
is cleanability, making sure that the material that we put on something is compatible with how maintenance staff is able to service those items,” Davidson says. “So, instead of planning on luxe tweeds or woven fabrics, you might see more bleach-cleanable products.” For high-traffic areas like waiting rooms and reception areas, furnishings typically seen in healthcare settings may become more popular. “Luckily, healthcare type upholstery has come a really long way in the past ten years or so,” Davidson says. “It’s not crunchy, super high-gloss vinyl. It’s definitely improved significantly, and a lot of fabrics really are soft to the touch. So that’s nice because obviously, you want to put your best foot forward in your waiting area.” Designers are also making changes to high-touch areas like doorknobs and reception areas. “Door hardware—can you push it with your [hip], use your foot? That’s simply a hardware change,” Nagata says. “Keycards to activate the door; it
used to be just accessibility, but now everybody will use them so they don’t touch it.”
Changes to Indoor Air Handling Since the pandemic began, there has been an increased interest among businesses about the capabilities of their existing mechanical systems and how they can improve their office’s indoor air quality, says Emily Winfield, chief mechanical engineer with Design Alaska. “A lot of what we’re doing is helping building owners and operators understand the system that they have, the filtration system that they have, and what are the options if they want to change the existing system,” she says. Along with decreased occupancy and other protective measures, ensuring adequate ventilation and filtration in the office to help flush out the virus became an increasing priority. One option to improve indoor
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(minimum efficiency reporting value) rating, the more particles filtered out of the airstream. But installing a filter with a pressure drop that exceeds the fan’s capabilities can also reduce the building’s airflow, a problem that can sometimes—but not always—be remedied by increasing the fan speed. “We’re seeing the effort being spent on treatment and filtration, so that’s a higher level of filtration or something like UV-C [ultraviolet-C light], which kills the virus in the air stream, as opposed to a higher outside air volume,” she says. “I am seeing both; I just see more on the filtration and treatment side.”
Creating the Ideal Workspace While COVID-19 may have been the impetus for the immediate changes to workplace layout and design, many of them are trends designers believe will survive well beyond the pandemic. “I think the pandemic is going to be the catalyst for the business community to do what the design community has been saying to do for years,” Nunn says. And that’s a move toward an openconcept layout that provides more
“A lot of what we’re doing is helping building owners and operators understand the system that they have, the filtration system that they have, and what are the options if they want to change the existing system.” Emily Winfield, Chief Mechanical Engineer Design Alaska
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air quality is to increase the volume of outside air coming in. “All occupied commercial buildings have a minimum outside air volume,” Winfield says. “That’s a calculated level that’s based on the number of people in the office space, the programming, and the square footage.” High-density spaces, like conference rooms, have a higher outside air minimum than a private office, she says. Having 100 percent outside air pulled into the building would be ideal from a virus-protection standpoint—but not an energyefficiency one, she says. So, not only is this often a cost-prohibitive solution, it’s also not feasible unless the system was specifically designed for it, which is typically not the norm in Alaska, she explains. Instead, Winfield sees businesses focused more on ensuring that their building’s ventilation system is operating as intended and determining appropriate filtration levels. Filtration pulls contaminants from the airstream, thus minimizing what goes into occupied spaces, she explains; the higher the filter’s MERV
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Keeping office chairs empty and setting up one-way circulation patterns is an example of ways businesses modified the office layout to accommodate social distancing in the workplace. Stantec
space for team collaboration and the flexibility to reconfigure the space to meet changing needs–whether due to a pandemic or not. “What’s great about an open office is it already allows for flexibility,” Davidson says. “There are no walls in place, you can easily move furniture around, do a supplemental furniture order, or add on pieces and elements that provide screening between individuals.” Offices were already trending toward open concept design though, in typical Alaska fashion, on the back curve of the Lower 48, Davidson adds. But the abrupt need to move to a remote workforce helped many businesses see that even post-pandemic, a hybrid remote workforce is a viable option. A nationwide survey Stantec conducted of its clients anecdotally bears that out. Gambardella says that 86 percent of survey respondents say they envision a workplace model where employees go into the office only one to three days a week. That switch in viewpoint changes not only 32 | February 2021
the purpose of the workspace but, with it, the ideal layout. “From a design standpoint, I think that suggests that the main purpose of the office is changing from being kind of a center for individual focused work to a hub where people meet,” Gambardella says. “The potential activity of the space is going to change because perhaps not everybody is going to own a cubicle. I see more kind of soft areas where people have conversations, and nobody claims a specific space.” Nagata agrees. Though she says the pandemic highlighted how much people overlook the social aspect of going into the office, she anticipates that office space will be designated for specific activities, with private offices being reserved for small meetings or telephone conversations and open workstations being used atwill by employees when they come into the office. “I think we’re going to lose the dedicated workspace,” she says. “I think
maybe there will be more of a demand model, more of a status thing.” And that change can lead to an increased reliance on technology not just when employees are working from home but when they come into the office as well. “I’m thinking technology is going to be more important to interacting with the building now,” Nagata says. “It used to be [that] you went to the office. Now, it will be, ‘We have an app to reserve the room, an app to say you’re in the office.’ All of a sudden, we’re going to use technology more.” While the December rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines means a light at the end of the tunnel is in sight, Nunn says its effects on workplace design will likely last much longer than the pandemic that prompted it. “It’s definitely a continual thing,” Nunn says. “I think we’re going to see the effect of this for years, and hopefully the solutions we’re implementing for COVID will give us the flexibility to respond to other situations.”
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Keeping Alaska & Its Businesses Moving Forward
As our community and businesses rebuild and reopen throughout 2021, MTA will be there to keep you connected. Whether it’s securing your data with our MTA Shield suite of products or securing our future with the historic AlCan ONE project, we remain focused on the needs and growth of our community. Whatever 2021 brings us, MTA is committed to pushing forward for Alaska.
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Stantec senior structural engineer Bruce Hopper talks with students and shows off a balsa wood bridge. Hopper was presenting to the Middle School Academy group of ANSEP during their Bridge Building Week. Stantec
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Engineering a Career How to stand out and succeed in a highly competitive field By Vanessa Orr
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ngineering is a popular career choice for college students, and it’s no wonder; not only does it pay well, with a median annual wage of $91,000, but it provides a wealth of job opportunities. In fact, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment growth of nearly 140,000 new engineering jobs between 2016 and 2026. But how do students land these jobs and then chart a path to long-term career success? One of the best ways is to take advantage of educational resources and listen to the advice of those who already excel in the field. According to Kenrick Mock, interim dean for the college of engineering at UAA, students should take part in internships and career fairs while in school, as well as join clubs that can help them make the right connections. “During our twice-yearly career fairs, students can drop off resumes and talk to potential employers,” he says. “Some of our student clubs ask employers for help with writing resumes or taking part in job interviews. We also use the Handshake platform at UAA, which is basically an electronic matchmaking program where employers can list the positions they have [available] and students can reply with resumes.” When competing against other graduates, it’s important to stand out from the flock. Mock suggests becoming involved in community projects that include an engineering discipline.
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Students Jasmine Langmann and John Morton prepare equipment under the supervision of Dr. Scott Hamel, associate professor and chair of the civil engineering program, for load testing a structural insulated panel in the Structures Lab in UAA's Engineering and Industry Building. Vicki Nechodomu | UAA
“A lot of times, a student’s capstone project can help them stand out,” says Mock of the senior year project that ties together multiple technologies, tools, and techniques learned throughout one’s academic career. “For example, a graduate who has worked on a coastal erosion project, or designed a creekspanning footbridge, is able to show that they can apply their skills in a realworld setting.” Bruce Hopper, senior structural engineer at Stantec in Anchorage, has a long track record of working with students—from elementary through college—considering engineering careers. The 35-year veteran agrees with Mock—it’s never too early to start focusing on goals. “My interest started when I was in middle school; the father of a friend was a civil engineer, and he told us about shutting off the waterflow to Niagara Falls to study the rock formations underneath,” he says. “That certainly piqued my interest.” Hopper graduated from Clarkson University in New York with a degree www.akbizmag.com
in civil engineering, then completed his master’s degree. Trying to find employment during a recession, the structural engineer came to Alaska to take a job, and he now helps future engineers follow their dreams. At middle-school presentations, he emphasizes the importance of studying math and science—but also history, art, industrial art, English, and communications. “You can be the smartest engineer in the world, but if you can’t communicate, it doesn’t matter,” he says. “So much of this job entails one-on-one meetings, public presentations, and written reports.” “My recommendation for those new to the field is not to ignore those humanities classes,” agrees Steven Noble, transportation practice lead at DOWL. “As civil engineers working on public projects, we interact with the public a lot. “While people often become engineers because they like the technical side, in my experience, the most successful folks are not Alaska Business
just technically proficient but have developed softer skills as well,” he adds. Hopper also encourages high school students to immerse themselves in the industry early through career shadowing or mentoring programs. “Once they’re in college, they can figure out where they want to specialize,” he says. “Engineering principles allow you to transition between different career opportunities; you can change from aeronautical engineering to mechanical engineering without losing anything or stepping backwards. “Find your niche in the market,” he adds. “If you’re good, you’ll find the right job opportunity.”
Landing the Job While grades are impor tant , employers focus on other things as well . “I look at whether a person is involved in extracurricular activities, like clubs or sports, to show that they can function as part of a team and communicate effectively,” says Hopper. “I may also go for a candidate with lower grades but February 2021 | 35
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Ryane Schrank is a former DOWL intern who is now a full-time transportation designer at the company. DOWL
who has more experience; someone with a degree and a couple of years in construction has the advantage over a candidate with straight As who never built anything in his or her life.” Registered Electrical Engineer Tom Looney, manager of Coffman Engineers’ Anchorage office, agrees. “If a person can find a way to work at a contractor’s shop for a couple of years, even while in college, I highly recommend getting that hands-on experience,” he says. “Working with engineers on the construction side is a very good way to gain relevant experience not only at the entry level but it will serve them throughout their career.” Looney attended Weber State University in Utah and chose electives that, in addition to his engineering courses, would complement his chosen career of designing sound systems. After graduating during the 1988 recession, he moved to Alaska and took a job with an audio/video company where he stayed for a little more than two years before getting his first engineering position. 36 | February 2021
“That experience working for a contractor paved the way for me to get hired at Coffman and helped in my career,” he says. “Instead of just reading about things in books, I’d actually constructed things using engineering knowledge and learned to make design decisions. This set me apart from most of engineers I worked with on similar levels and helped me advance more quickly.” “When hiring at the entry level, we look for any past internship experience and anything in candidates’ backgrounds that shows hands-on work experience in some way,” adds Sarah Amundson, human resource generalist for Coffman’s Anchorage office. “Last time we posted an entry-level position, we got over fifty applications. It’s really competitive, so people need to differentiate themselves through a proven work history.” LaQuita Chmielowski, a senior land use planning manager at DOWL, is a prime example of how making that extra effort early on can make a difference. “I spent my summers during college doing survey work for the Forest
Service where I worked with a number of engineers,” she explains, adding that she also interned for a professor writing research reports. “I was worried that I didn’t have enough hands-on experience, but what I did have showed that I could understand their language. “Even if the field is not directly related to engineering, like environmental or survey work, those skills can help you in your career because as an engineer, you touch a lot of different areas of expertise,” she adds. Chmielowski, who says she was hooked on the profession the first time she was introduced to a female engineer, also credits her work on a site development project in college for giving her a good start, and she recommends that students join professional societies to find internships and, later, employment. Noble used the connections he’d made while working construction jobs in college to help him land his job at DOWL, where he has remained for twenty-five years. “I still have the first job I got fresh out of school,” he laughs, adding that there have since been a number of promotions. “I got here by talking to people in the industry, including other engineers, and using their networks to learn about employment opportunities.” According to Mock, approximately 65 percent of UAA engineering students already have jobs when they graduate. And while it’s important to land a position, it’s also important to find the right fit. “It’s tough for students to know which company is right for them; they need to shop around to see what different opportunities are out there,” he says. “There are state jobs, and then there are private companies, which are totally different. It’s hard to know what you don’t know, so they should explore as many options as possible.” “One of the things that a lot of students don’t think about and should is what other opportunities are available within the company,” says Chmielowski. “For example, at DOWL, I get the opportunity to work with professionals in other areas, and that could open doors in the future. “While someone may think they want to be a transportation engineer, they
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might develop a different interest, and this exposure can help them find that long-term path,” she adds. “My advice to young grads is to lift your head and look ten years into the future—what do you want to be doing that far out?” says Noble. “Do you want to work for a smaller company where you have a stronger say in its future and the types of projects you go after, or a big firm where you may have more resources and possibly bigger projects but have less say in the overall direction of the company? Decisions made straight out of school have an effect on that.”
The Next Step After landing a job, an engineering graduate works as an engineerin-training for four years (or three years if they have a higher degree) before taking an eight-hour exam to receive their professional engineering license. Moving into a specialty, such as structural engineering, requires another two to three years of training and the successful completion of a 16-hour exam that has a pass rate of 40 percent.
Bruce Hopper, a Stantec senior structural engineer, hauls gravel as part of the company’s annual community service day: Stantec in the Community Day. Community service is an important part of a student’s well-rounded education. Stantec
Specializing in: • Bridges • Roads • Site Work • Environmental Cleanup
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One of the things that engineers-in-training learn is the importance of using building materials that are respectful of the culture in rural Alaska communities. Stantec used exposed wood at the Kwethluk K-12 School, which is typical for the community. Stantec
Even after receiving a license, education doesn’t end there. One of the requirements for continued licensure is that engineers take a certain number of continuing education hours before they can renew their licenses, which occurs every two years. “The codes, technology, and materials change so quickly that you have to keep up to date,” says Hopper. “It takes a tremendous amount of time beyond the job to keep abreast of new advances.” Looney believes that being successful in the engineering world requires more than just working the job. “You need to continually study the industry and be proactive about your career,” he says. “While there’s a really steep learning curve for the first three years, which requires new engineers to learn everything about the industry that the company they work for is in, once they’re over that curve, they need to consider becoming a subject matter expert. “You can’t study electrical generation systems once and think that you’re done; technology changes 38 | February 2021
time and time again,” he adds. “You have to stay up-to-date by continually researching, attending seminars, reading trade magazines, and investing in your career.”
Moving Up Depending on an individual’s abilities and interests, there’s no end to the opportunities that an engineering career can provide. “A lot of people move into the business side of things, while others choose to specialize in specific areas,” says Hopper. “How you advance and where you go is dependent upon your ability and willingness to do the selftraining required to move forward.” Mentoring can also help in this respect. “I’ve seen people who are not too interested in the mentoring aspect, and unfortunately, they do not advance as quickly as those who are,” says Looney. “It’s very beneficial to find somebody—whether the relationship is assigned by the company or organically grown—that can help you navigate those first years of employment. And who better than someone with years of experience?”
At DOWL, for example, design squads work under the direction of a project engineer who provides one-on-one attention and mentoring. “This gives our staff the best chance to succeed,” says Noble. “We also provide them with opportunities to work outside of the design group, so they not only gain design experience but also get geotechnical, survey, environmental, and construction administration experience. “While our goal for the first three or four years is to help them qualify for licensure, and to teach them the technical side of the business and industry, we try to learn enough about them during that time to help them chart a successful career path, whether that means becoming a project manager or moving into the business or marketing side,” he adds. “From a technical standpoint, it takes four years before a person can get licensed, but other than that, it is really up to the individual how quickly they want to advance,” says Chmielowski. “Some people are willing to jump in and are quick learners, and that makes a difference.”
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PND Engineers, Inc.
Comprehensive Engineering and Design Excellence since 1979
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ith more than a 40-year history, PND Engineers, Inc. has distinguished itself as one of Alaska’s finest locally grown engineering firms. Founded in 1979 and incorporated in 1981 as Peratrovich, Nottingham & Drage, Inc., PND has more than 100 fulltime employees and multiple offices, including three in Alaska (Anchorage, Juneau, Palmer), three in the Lower 48, and one in Canada. A multidisciplinary civil engineering company, PND provides planning, design, permitting, and construction support for civil infrastructure projects such as docks, roads, airfields, and buildings. Its projects encompass many specialized areas of practice, such as structural design, geotechnical and environmental studies, hydrology and hydraulics, coastal engineering, and survey. “We also specialize in Arctic and cold regions engineering and waterfront engineering for dock and harbors,” says President Jim Campbell, PE. Many of PND’s projects are in remote coastal areas and across the North Slope. “Those specialty areas are what set us apart.”
Focusing on Clients PND takes pride in its hard-earned reputation for client satisfaction. Employee-owned and -operated, PND has a unique business perspective and approach to assisting clients— whether it’s working on ConocoPhillips’ large Willow development or helping a smaller business such as Alaska Sausage and Seafood. Each design solution is individually tailored. “It’s knowing what their needs are and making sure we serve that,” Campbell says. “We’re constantly striving to provide excellent work.” PND’s focus on clients and design excellence has played a major factor in its success—so, too, has its ability to keep up with technological changes and retain skilled employees, half of whom are professionally licensed engineers or surveyors. “We really value our employees; there’s a lot of loyalty there, and it’s reciprocated,” Campbell says. “So, you build a staff camaraderie and an important expertise base. The quality of our service is rooted in the expertise of our employees.” Growth, Diversification, and Innovation PND’s success is fueled by growth, diversification, and innovation. Over the past 20 years, PND’s work has expanded in the Lower 48 and internationally, including designing cruise terminal facilities in the Caribbean, or docks in Canada, and marine terminals in Washington, Louisiana, and the
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Philippines. PND prioritizes innovation, which makes the company popular with construction contractors for teaming on design-build projects. “You can’t be complacent; you have to adapt and refine your designs,” Campbell says. PND has accumulated many awards and recognition for its achievements. Campbell quoted a client’s thank-you letter regarding a recently completed project in Northwest Alaska: “It is a huge testimony to you and your staff that all of this project came together... This was an operationally important, costly, highly visible and politically sensitive project, and we are very glad to have had PND as a partner on it... It seems almost miraculous to me that we were able to make it all come together into a finished product, on time and within the tight budget and other constraints we had to work with.” “That type of client response is what we are looking for on every project,” Campbell notes.
For more information, contact: PND Engineers, Inc. Jim Campbell, President Main Office 1506 West 36th Avenue Anchorage, Alaska 99503 (907) 561-1011 www.pndengineers.com
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Engineer of the Year Nominees
hat makes a great engineer? It’s not just a solid grasp of math, physics, science, and technology. There are also intangible qualities in an ideal candidate; creative vision, problem solving skills, and a healthy dose of pragmatism are employed by engineers every day. Put it all together, add a budget and a deadline, and the result is an Alaska built on innovation, safety, and ingenuity. The evidence is all around
Craig Bledsoe, CSP, PE Photo courtesy of Craig Bledsoe
Craig Bledsoe, CSP, PE Nominated by the Alaska Society of Professional Engineers
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raig Bledsoe got started in his technically oriented career as a young emergency communications volunteer during the Cuban Missile Crisis. This was good preparation for handling disaster traffic as a teenage ham radio operator with survivors of the 1964 Earthquake after the state’s communications infrastructure collapsed. Bledsoe served in multiple military branches as an aircraft commander and aviation accident investigator, and he became an airline pilot for Flying Tigers, which 40 | February 2021
us, seen in the buildings we frequent, the roads we travel, and even the air we breathe. Every year, Alaska Business proudly presents the nominees for Engineer of the Year, a list of professionals whose work has left a remarkable, positive impact. Each nominee has achieved impressive accomplishments in a wide variety of projects. But we also ask readers to recognize the countless investments these individuals have
made in their communities as well. These nominees engage with professional associations of peers and colleagues, some even serving in leadership positions. They also foster the development of Alaskan youth that aspire to achieve the same success. Rest assured, whomever is named Engineer of the Year, it will not only speak to his or her individual accomplishments but also that nominee’s love of this state.
was subsequently purchased by Federal Express. Following graduate school at the University of Southern California, Bledsoe became a professional engineer specializing in aviation safety and aircraft accident investigation. He has investigated multiple civil and military incidents and crashes, and he was selected to serve as the head of flight safety for the Air Line Pilots Association at FedEx. Upon retirement from FedEx, Bledsoe was chosen by Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC) to become the site safety superintendent for a major medical facility construction project on Fort Richardson. Subsequently he was promoted to headquarters safety engineer at BBNC headquarters in Anchorage. Bledsoe has published multiple peer-reviewed technical articles in several national professional journals. At the beginning of 2020, the Board of Certified Safety Professionals selected him to fill a paid position writing test questions for the professional certification examination. Bledsoe is the president of the Alaska Regional Chapter of the International
Society of Air Safety Investigators, and he is currently serving as the statewide president of the Alaska Society of Professional Engineers. He is a licensed professional engineer in the state of California.
Virginia Groeschel, EIT Nominated by the American Society of Civil Engineers
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irginia J. Groeschel is a consultant coordinator and specifications engineer for the DOT&PF–Central Region Aviation Design Section. She is also the Central Region–Design & Engineering Services Internship Program manager. Some of her notable airport projects (Bethel, Togiak, and Newtok airports) encompass unique design challenges, such as remote locations, permafrost, and a rare new airport construction. As a specifications engineer, she works primarily on updating the 117 airport specifications for FAA approval. As the internship program manager, Groeschel mentors up to twelve engineering and survey students. Groeschel has fifteen years of experience in aviation and highway design, water and sewer
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Virginia Groeschel, EIT
Gregory Jernstrom, PE
Photo courtesy of Virginia Groeschel
and is currently president of the UAA College of Engineering (CoEng) Alumni Chapter, where she partners with ASCE, UAA, UAA student chapters, and other local organizations to help organize events and programs like UAA Engineer’s Night, UAA Alumni Hall of Fame, the Turnagain Elementary PTA STEAM Expo, UAA SWE Student Chapter Women in Engineering Night, and UAA EWeek Student Tour and helps develop the UAA CoEng Undergraduate Mentorship Pilot Program, among others.
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Photo courtesy of Gregory Jernstrom
Gregory Jernstrom, PE Nominated by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers
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regory Jernstrom commenced his engineering career in Seattle working for a firm specializing in healthcare infrastructure and green building designs. He has earned a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and a master’s in engineering management, both from the University of Alaska system, and after returning to Anchorage is now
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design, utility coordination, and construction management. Born in the Philippines, Groeschel grew up on Kodiak Island after her father was transferred to the US Coast Guard Air Station Base. She holds two degrees from UA A; a bachelor’s in civil engineering (2006) and a master’s in project management (2020). Groeschel was recently selected as the 2020 Student Commencement Speaker for the UAA Graduate Hooding Ceremony. Her master’s thesis focused on developing an innovative process management model for streamlining the complex task of updating DOT&PF airport specifications, requiring both statewide concurrence and FAA approval. Groeschel’s extensive volunteer work exemplifies her passion to make a positive impact in her community while promoting STEAM education and advocacy. She is a member and past-president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Anchorage Branch and Alaska Section. She is also a member of the Society of Women Engineers. Groeschel co-founded
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the managing principal and owner of Jernstrom Engineering. He was raised in Alaska where he grew up in a family of engineers and entrepreneurs and spent the university summers doing CAD drafting and interning at a sheet metal fabrication shop. Having spent the majority of his career in Alaska, Jernstrom is familiar with the logistics of engineering in challenging Arctic environments. He has gained extensive design experience during his consulting career and has worked on a wide variety of projects ranging from small renovations to large remote new constructions, as well as various LEED and energy compliance projects. In addition to design work, Jernstrom manages eight team members, including four licensed engineers between offices in Anchorage and Wasilla. He has volunteered with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers since 2010 and is a past president of the Alaska chapter, past regional chair of the Young Engineer committee, and current membership promotion chair. He also enjoyed volunteering for Anchorage Engineers Week in the past as the fundraising chair to support scholarship opportunities for high school students pursuing a career in engineering. Outside of engineering, Jernstrom and his wife Katherine enjoy supporting the startup scene at The Boardroom coworking space, fostering and adopting rescue dogs, and working on various projects at their cabin and home.
Nickolas Oliveira, PE Photo courtesy of Nickolas Oliveira
42 | February 2021
Nickolas Oliveira, PE Nominated by the Institute of Transportation Engineers
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ickolas M. Oliveira was born in Oregon and, at the age of four, his family moved to Seldovia. During high school, Oliveira counted airplanes for a HDL Engineering Consultant project, piquing his interest in engineering. Oliveira attended UAA for civil engineering and inquired if HDL had any engineering-related internships, thus beginning his HDL career. In 2008, Oliveira earned a bachelor’s in civil engineering focusing on transportation, and in 2017 Oliveira became an HDL associate. His project experience has taken Oliveira throughout Alaska, the majority on the roadway system, working on multiple Alaska DOT&PF and Municipality of Anchorage transportation projects. His notable projects include the Glenn Highway MP 34-42 Reconstruction, Sterling Highway Slow Vehicle Turnouts, West 88th School Zone Pedestrian Improvements, and sixteen pavement preservation projects. Oliveira became the Institute of Transportation Engineers Alaska Section secretary/treasurer in 2016, continuing to be president in 2018. Currently, Oliveira serves as an American Public Works Association director. Since 2016, Oliveira has volunteered for the Engineering Week student competitions. His community activism involves providing engineering and building expertise, supporting organizations through volunteer work, and working with youth. Oliveira is strongly involved with the Cornerstone
Sarah Belway, PE Photo courtesy of Sarah Belway
Church Cold Weather Shelter program, providing meals and shelter to families in need. He loves spending time with his family of eight children, their spouses, and eight grandkids. As an active outdoorsman, Oliveira enjoys hunting and fishing, and as an improvement “specialist” at heart, offering his engineering skills helping family and friends.
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Sarah Belway, PE Nominated by the National Association of Women in Construction
rom the get-go, field engineering has been Sarah Belway’s specialty. The more difficult the field conditions, the better. Whether on a remote site or an international project faced with harsh weather, a compressed schedule, complex logistics, changed conditions, or language barriers, Belway brings her positive and adventurous spirit, ready to apply in-depth knowledge, technical analysis, and creative thought to successfully deliver projects. And she has done it all—laborer, operator, field engineer, project engineer, QC manager, and project manager. This collective experience makes Belway adept at client-focused, innovative problem solving. A rare talent, integrating design and construction considerations throughout field execution (often “on the fly”) comes naturally to Belway. Over twenty-four years, Belway has applied her field engineering expertise on projects on the West Coast, Alaska’s North Slope and Aleutian Islands, Guam, Korea, Japan, Northern Mariana Islands, and an isolated 2.5-square-mile island in the middle of the northern Pacific Ocean known as Wake Island. Belway has a bachelor’s in civil engineering and is a registered professional engineer in four states. She has also been active with professional organizations, mentoring aspiring women engineers, judging student competitions, and delivering presentations. She is a past member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Association of Professional Engineers, and the Association of Women in Geosciences. Today, she is an active
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Morgan Bruno, PE Nominated by the Society of American Military Engineers
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organ Bruno has eleven years of experience as an environmental engineer and more than five years of project management experience. She began working on Alaska projects in 2011 and has become one of Ahtna Engineering Services’ top environmental engineers and project managers since joining the firm in 2018. Bruno serves as the lead engineer for environmental investigation, remediation, and demolition projects around the state of Alaska for various federal and DoD clients. Bruno’s notable projects include: AFCEC JBER OW118 and PL081 Site Characterizations, AFCEC JBER SA110 Remedial Investigation, AFCEC JBER SS125 Remedial Investigation, FAA
Morgan Bruno
Jennifer Julian
Photo courtesy of Morgan Bruno, PE
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Julian
Cold Bay MASLR Demolition and Remedial Action, FAA Deadhorse VOR Hazardous Materials Removal, FAA Yakutat Demolition, Site Investigation, and Remedial Investigation, USCG Base Kodiak Site 35 PFAS Groundwater Investigation, USACE Alaska District Ogliuga Island Phase II Remedial Investigation, and USACE Alaska District Port Heiden Radio Relay Station Landfill Feasibility Study. Bruno is active with the SAME Anchorage Post, serving on the board of directors, Post scholarship committee,
and helping to plan several Post events throughout the year. Bruno received her bachelor’s in biological and agricultural engineering from the University of Idaho in 2007 and a master’s in chemical engineering from Oregon State University in 2009. Bruno was raised in Washington but has made Alaska her home since moving here in 2016. When not working, Bruno takes advantage of all the recreational opportunities Alaska offers, filling her free time with hiking, fat biking, running, and camping.
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member of the Society of Women Engineers, National Association of Women in Construction, and the Society of American Military Engineers. In 2019, she co-authored an article published in SAME’s The Military Engineer.
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Stephanie Mormilo, PE
Dr. Scott Hamel, PE
Photo courtesy of Stephanie Mormilo
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Jennifer Julian Nominated by the Society of Petroleum Engineers
ennifer Julian is a senior well intervention advisor with thirty-three years of experience; she earned a bachelor’s from New Mexico Institute of Technology and Mining. She is currently a senior well intervention advisor for Prudhoe Bay and other global BP oilfields. Julian is a recognized industry innovator and implementer of new well work and well integrity technology including advances in coiled tubing and tractor technology, downhole leak identification, and non-rig remediation. She has thirty-three years of diversified operations and production engineering experience in the petroleum field and more than twenty-nine years of well intervention experience, including six years field experience as a wellsite leader supervising stimulations, coiled tubing, and wireline. She has solid technical background and strong communication skills. Julian is a recognized worldwide authority on annular communication, non-rig remediation, and non-rig artificial lift expertise. She easily works with all groups including operations, D&C, and base management. Julian is recognized for leadership in improving safety, for leadership in technical innovation, and for leadership in technical innovation and minimizing costs. She is capable of influencing a large organization and active in the Society of Petroleum Engineers. She was the 2011/12 SPE Distinguished Lecturer; chairperson for 2014 SPE Intervention and Coiled Tubing Forum; and won the 2018 44 | February 2021
Photo courtesy of Dr. Scott Hamel
International SPE Operations Award.
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Production
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Stephanie Mormilo, PE Nominated by the Society of Women Engineers
tephanie Mormilo is proud to be a home-grown Alaskan engineer. She graduated from UAA with a bachelor’s in civil engineering in 2004 as one of the first recipients of the UA Scholar Program. Mormilo began her career at DOWL focusing on road designs, traffic impact, and traffic noise analyses. She then managed the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) Traffic Department Term Contract for HDL Engineering Consultants. The opportunity for her dream job presented itself earlier than expected—Mormilo was appointed as the Municipal Traffic Engineer in March 2011. For nine years, she was a part of nearly every commercial, residential, and industrial development that occurred in Anchorage. Her position allowed her to work with many agencies, politicians, consultants, and the public—always focusing on how to make Anchorage a better and safer place to live. She returned to the private sector and HDL this year to take her experience on the owner’s side to help improve design work and coordination. She looks forward to her future as a consultant and the challenge of mentoring. Mormilo is a STEMinist, advocating for women in underrepresented fields, not only in her work but where she spends her time and money. She is an active member of the
Greatland Section of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE Greatland) and volunteers at SmartGirls Rock, Girl Scout Women in Science and Technology day, and the EWeek Student Competitions. And, with her mom and sister, she funds a scholarship through SWE Greatland to pay forward what was given to her. Outside of work, Mormilo and her husband, Steve, are avid world travelers; they’ve visited four of the seven continents and hope to make it to them all (yes, even Antarctica) during their lifetime.
Dr. Scott Hamel, PE Nominated by the Structural Engineers Association of Alaska
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cott Hamel grew up paddling and hiking in the mountains and lakes of New Hampshire. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s in civil engineering at WPI in Massachusetts and the University of Colorado at Boulder, respectively. Between degrees he worked as a bridge designer in Boston and a structural engineer in Denver designing hospitals and courthouses. After earning his PE in Colorado, he returned to school and completed his doctorate in structural engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Hamel joined the faculty at UAA in 2011, where he teaches up to seven courses a year in civil and structural engineering. Between 2014 and 2019, he directed the UAA Summer Engineering Academies, a series of week-long summer camps that promote engineering. This program tripled in size under his direction. In 2020, he was elected chair of the Civil Engineering Department. His current research activities involve structural insulated panels, accreted ice at the Port of Anchorage, and seismic reliability assessments of structures in Anchorage. Hamel has been an active member of SEAAK since 2011, including the SEAAK Snow Loads Committee, an eight-year project of which Hamel is a founder. This committee has renewed and expanded the '80s era snow load values that are used to design all structures in Alaska. Their work is in the process of being adopted by the National Code. Hamel currently lives in Anchorage with his wife and three kids.
Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com
Celebrating new horizons and 45 years of design that connects people to Alaska’s unique environments.
Stephanie Mormilo, PE
FAIRBANK S 212 Front Street, Suite 200 T 907.456.5780
ANCHOR AG E 2600 Denali Street, Suite 710 T 907.561.5780
www.bettisworthnorth.com
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2021 Engineering Excellence Award Nominees T
he theme of Engineers Week 2021 is “Imagining Tomorrow,” which speaks to the fact that engineering is a field of optimism: problems can be solved, safety can be heightened, functionality and efficiency can be improved. The purpose of the Engineering Excellence Award is to increase the
public’s awareness of how engineering improves our communities and to recognize firms and projects of distinction. This year’s Engineering Excellence Award nominations demonstrate the broad range of regions and industries that rely on engineering, from airport improvements on Alaska’s Arctic
coastal plain to structural evaluations of the Anchorage School District’s ninety-one buildings. Regardless of which project ultimately receives top honors, the way that Alaska’s engineers are imagining tomorrow make the 49th State a better place to live, learn, and travel.
Anchorage School District Earthquake Response
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fter the November 2018 magnitude 7.1 earthquake near Anchorage, the Anchorage School District (ASD) was unsure about the safety of all its buildings—were they still safe to occupy? Reid Middleton was prompt in providing Detailed Structural (ATC-20) evaluations for all ninety-one of ASD’s facilities. Coordinating closely with ASD, and using all forms of communication (including in person, email, text messaging, and phone calls), Reid Middleton partnered engineers one-on-one with ASD facilities staff and started the systematic Detailed Structural Evaluations the day of the earthquake. Using this teamwork, Reid Middleton and the District were able to accomplish the Detailed Structural Evaluations of all ninety-one facilities within seven weeks. Reid Middleton assembled photos and reports for each facility and provided a GREEN, YELLOW, or RED tag to clearly communicate the 46 | February 2021
Following the November 2018 magnitude 7.1 earthquake, Reid Middleton coordinated closely with the district to provide prompt detailed structural evaluations for all ninety-one of the district’s facilities.
current school condition at each building. Where required, the firm worked with the contractor to erect shoring to stabilize broken walls. Reid Middleton also provided multiple site visits to some facilities to re-evaluate damage after the hundreds of
aftershocks experienced during this period. After immediate repairs were complete, all but two RED tagged facilities were able to reopen and resume the critical daily schooling and community service functions each facility provides.
Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com
Kelsey Dock Interpretive Center Pavilion
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he Kelsey Dock Interpretive Center pavilion is a 4,000-squarefoot weather shelter that houses an information center and restrooms. The pavilion was designed for the city of Valdez by ECI Architecture and PDC Engineers, a RESPEC Company. As part of a broader, three-phase scope of work, this project required demolishing an aging structure on the site and extending the current restroom facility to include a security office. PDC conducted the structural, mechanical, and electrical work for the pavilion. The structural design included a condition analysis of the restroom building as well as the design of the security addition and canopy foundation, superstructure, and connections. The project’s mechanical work involved space conditioning for the new security office, plumbing modifications with extensions to support a new washer/dryer, and stormwater drainage from the roof and canopy. PDC extended the power and lighting to the security office and provided lighting and maintenance receptacles for the canopy to fulfill the project’s electrical component. The canopy lighting designed by electrical engineers is an eye-catching feature of the pavilion that won PDC a 2019 Illumination Award from the Illuminating Engineering Society. The design team’s bold vision for the pavilion manifested itself with the www.akbizmag.com
creation of this unique space. The lighting and overhead heating under the large canopy now provide a welcoming environment and shelter for cruise ship passengers who disembark and re embark on their travels. The facility will primarily serve as a wayfinding marker for visitors in the summer but will see various uses year-round.
Nuiqsut Airport Improvements
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pproximately 136 miles southeast of Utqiaġvik is the community of Nuiqsut, nestled within the unique ecoregion of the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska. While Nuiqsut residents have access to the Dalton Highway four months of the year, air is still one of the most common ways to travel in and out of the community. In an effort to expand and improve upon this vital travel hub, the North Slope Borough contracted HDL Engineering Consultants to provide engineering design services as part of the Nuiqsut Airport Improvements project. The Nuiqsut Airport was originally constructed in the ‘80s when conventional engineering design indicated 4-foot to 6-foot embankments were adequate to protect the runways from settlement of the underlying permafrost. But in recent years global climate change has resulted in thaw instability of the runway. To combat this, HDL included insulation in the embankment design that will limit the potential for future warming conditions to thaw the underlying permafrost. Alaska Business
Short, wet, cold construction seasons can make construction of Arctic runways challenging. It was key to overcome these harsh conditions through creative engineering design. First, HDL incorporated wicking geotextiles into the design to accelerate drainage during reconstruction of the embankment fill over the insulation, which allowed for improved constructability. This constitutes the first application of wicking geotextile to a runway in Alaska. Secondly, dust control additives were blended into the gravel surfacing over a portion of the runway to increase strength and performance. This is the first runway in Alaska to be treated with dust palliative blended into the gravel surfacing. Both of these applications show promise of improving the future constructability and long-term performance of gravel runways in Alaska.
Chiniak Highway Corridor Health Index
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riginally a WWII jeep trail, the Chiniak Highway has continuously evolved to be what it is today—a vibrant road along Kodiak’s shoreline that runs past salmon streams and beaches. However, this major corridor has been riddled with ongoing issues, from rock fall to river/ coastal erosion and from pavement degradation to poor roadway geometry. Analyses indicated the available construction funding was insufficient to address these issues along the entire corridor. There simply wasn’t enough February 2021 | 47
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The 4,000-square-foot Kelsey Dock Interpretive Center pavilion was designed for the city of Valdez by ECI Architecture and PDC Engineers.
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HDL incorporated wicking geotextiles into its Nuiqsut Airport Improvement design to allow for improved constructability. This marked the first application of wicking geotextile to a runway in Alaska.
funding for the typical improvement evaluation and recommendations or extensive fieldwork. This, paired with the length of the corridor and semiremote location of the project, drove the need for a new methodology to segment the corridor at a significantly reduced cost. The first step included identifying the critical assets that would drive the segmentation. Next, HDL coordinated with DOT&PF to apply a good/fair/poor condition rating to each asset using as much existing data as possible. Then, the spatial locations and condition rating of the various assets were combined into a single database. Finally, the corridor health index (CHI) combined the different asset types using a weighting system based on their relative importance to the corridor function. The output of the CHI was a location-based, composite condition rating of each segment of the corridor with the ability to identify the key improvements needed at any particular location. Using the results of the CHI, the project team successfully provided segmentation and improvement recommendations for the corridor. This method is expandable and flexible enough to apply to other projects, potentially saving time and money in project design and construction.
HDL coordinated with DOT&PF to provide segmentation and improvement recommendations for the Chiniak Highway Corridor.
All photos courtesy of their respective nominating organization.
48 | February 2021
Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com
Solutions, LLC Technology-Driven Environmental Consulting, Engineering, and Geomatics Services
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hough Ahtna Solutions, LLC (ASL) is one of the newest subsidiaries of Ahtna Netiye’, a holding company for Ahtna, Inc. (Ahtna), it is making impressive strides in the marketplace. ASL provides technology-driven engineering, environmental, and geomatics (survey and mapping) services to its clients. ASL enhances the operations of Ahtna’s other subsidiaries, allowing clients to benefit from the expertise of hundreds of engineers, scientists, and specialists. “We have a unique blend of staff with engineering, environmental, geomatics, and data management backgrounds,” ASL President Tim Gould, PE explains. “We’re touching our core markets and linking them together using the science of geomatics to include remote sensing techniques, GIS (geographic information system), and other geospatial data management/analysis/ visualization technologies.” Leveraging Technology “ASL offers a broad range of environmental capabilities and is expanding into more engineering and special services including geomatics,” says Program Manager Jeremy Blei, PE. ASL recently added an airborne Lidar (light detection and ranging) to its technology offerings. The Optech T-2000 Lidar is aircraft-mounted and used to conduct high-accuracy land
Photo by Ahtna-Merrick JV
surface elevations over large areas (thousands of square miles). ASL also utilizes unmanned aircraft systems (UAS or drones) for smaller remote sensing projects (hundreds of acres). The acquisition of this state-of-the-art equipment demonstrates Ahtna’s strong commitment to growing their technology-based business and providing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) careers for Ahtna shareholders and other Alaskans. ASL is also employing remote sensing on environmental projects which allows customers an early look at remote or limited-access sites. “If you have up-front information, it makes subsequent site assessment more efficient and cost-effective,” says Program Manager Nino Muniz, MS, PG. ASL also supports Ahtna’s Land Department in the management of 1.8 million acres of land in the Ahtna Region. ASL’s engineering and geomatics tools are being used to identify and analyze cultural resources, timber growth, land-use options, and access concerns. ASL’s growth in geomatics is being facilitated by Merrick & Company, an architecture, engineering, geospatial, and surveying firm. Through their mentor-protégé relationship, ASL has gained valuable remote sensing training and guidance in developing our staff and technical resources.
Other Endeavors ASL has been a pioneer in the development of near real-time GIS field data gathering; it electronically collected and managed field data from features located across 10 square miles on Atka Island. (The undertaking encompassed nearly 1,200 data points using iPads with GIS, a database and website). Gould says: “This approach increases efficiency, reduces errors, and facilitates data usability, all at a lower cost.” The expansion of ASL into geomatics makes perfect sense, given society’s demand for spatially referenced data. “You can’t name an industry that doesn’t use GPS or geomatic-related data in some fashion,” explains Program Manager Patrick Harris, PG. “The migration into the area of geomatics is very complementary to the core services we perform in engineering and environmental consulting. ASL’s emphasis on technology is intrinsic to its continued growth and success. Gould explains: “It allows the company to diversify in a technology-focused marketplace and provide enhanced solutions for our customer’s most difficult problems.”
Solutions, LLC For more information, contact: Timothy F. Gould, PE, F.SAME, President 110 W 38th Avenue, Suite 200L Anchorage, Alaska 99503 (907) 563-3233
www.ahtnasolutions.com
Developing cost effective and environmentally sound rural energy systems By Bruno J. Navarro
Customizing the Energy Mix
Matt Bergan
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The Power S Problem
atisfying the energy needs of Alaska’s rural communities requires a diverse set of solutions. Among them is adopting alternative forms of energy generation and using custom system designs to fit each community’s energy profile. These systems are feats of engineering, built to sustain the demands of rugged terrain, unforgiving climates, and scarcity of personnel. One of the primary features that must be taken into consideration when designing rural energy systems is robustness. Tim Sandstrom, director of rural programs at the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA), recalls one recent incident in Kongiganak, near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River on the state’s southwestern coast, in which a relatively new wind turbine was destroyed by extreme conditions. “They couldn’t break the wind, and it broke,” he says. “Millions of dollars invested into that, and Mother Nature destroyed it.” Matt Bergan, an engineer with the Kotzebue Electric Association (KEA), also cites Alaska’s extreme weather conditions as a consideration for rural energy design. “The biggest environmental concern we have is snow drifting caused by the panels. We have to design them to minimize the number of snow drifts they produce,” he says, noting that solar panel arrays have to be raised off the ground as high as 2 to 3 feet. Low temperatures can also make certain equipment brittle and cause it to crack, Bergan adds. Edwin Bifelt, founder and CEO of energy contracting firm Alaska Native Renewable Industries (ANRI), says he keeps winter weather in mind when designing systems: “We account for snow loads and wind loads—we include that within our design.” Bifelt says some of the measures his contracting firm takes include strengthening the racks that hold solar panels and increasing the anchoring force by using 6-foot helical anchors and 10-foot ground screws. The ground itself can add a layer of difficulty to a project. “With permafrost covering a large portion of the Arctic, just drilling through that can be challenging.”
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Bifelt started ANRI in 2017 and says there wasn’t much of an interest in solar photovoltaic (PV) in rural Alaska. But Bifelt feels things are beginning to change. “I believe it’s increasing,” Bifelt says. “It’s tough to quantify, but I’d like to say we’re seeing more interest, more awareness about solar PV.” ANRI completed a project in Hughes in 2019 that was the largest solar power system in rural Alaska, and in 2020 it installed a 576-kilowatt solar array for KEA, which holds the new record for the state’s largest solar energy system. Bifelt says that a community’s ideal energy mix is often driven by its stakeholders. “A lot of times the customer will specify the size of the ideal system they’re looking for,” he says. Yet ANRI is looking to take a more proactive approach, coming up with hypothetical scenarios for rural communities. “We’ll focus more on how we can design an array to handle the majority of the [electric] load in
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the spring, summer, and fall months. That’s the ideal goal,” Bifelt says. The process begins with looking at a community’s entire power generation system, including details like how much fuel they’re using and what type of alternate energy could offset production from those generators. “When they’re not running as much, you extend the life of those generations and reduce your diesel fuel usage,” Bifelt says. “[But] solar PV isn’t going to offset all year.” Sandstrom takes a similar stance. “Anything north of Anchorage and solar is not going to work [with] three months of darkness,” he says, adding that wind energy is a viable option for the rainforests of southeastern Alaska. “There’s also biomass, but north of Fairbanks you have no trees. It’s really a challenge in some of these communities for any type of renewable energy—or it’s expensive,” he adds. However, Bifelt holds a brighter view for solar’s potential. “We believe photovoltaic has a lot of advantages in rural Alaska where logistics are challenging,” he says, adding that communities benefit from projects that bring with them both alternative energy solutions and training for local residents, who comprise up to 90 percent of the company’s labor force on any given project. Bifelt’s company is set to begin work next spring on a solar energy project in the Northwest Arctic villages of Shungnak and Kobuk.
Photovoltaic is emerging as a solid alternative energy solution in rural Alaska where logistics are challenging. Matt Bergan
Sustainability Implications “The way things are both with the world, the climate, and the economy, if we could do a lot more projects in rural Alaska, I think it would go a long way toward helping sustainability in Alaska,” Bifelt says. “The costs in rural Alaska are so high that if you take a look at it, it makes sense.” Although the state’s Power Cost Equalization program provides some relief to rural energy customers, Bifelt notes that Alaska is seeing decreasing revenue from oil production, which is having an economic impact on every community. Oil production from North Slope fields has been declining for thirty years, dropping to about 500,000 barrels a day from a high of 2 million www.akbizmag.com
Kotzebue Electric Association containers house batteries and related energy equipment. Matt Bergan
barrels a day, a level that (at the time) accounted for one-fourth of US crude production. Between sustained low oil prices and the drop in production, oil will Alaska Business
provide 19 percent of the state’s revenue for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2021, the lowest figure since 1960, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Finance Division. February 2021 | 51
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“It’s not a good financial picture for the state,” Bifelt says. “The sooner that communities’ utilities look at renewable sources, sustainable sources, the better off they’re going to be. In five years, it’s going to be a different picture. The world’s going to be a different place in ten years.” In his January 2020 State of the State address, Governor Mike Dunleavy said his administration is planning “a lot more” action on renewable power and pushing the state to produce half of its electricity from alternative and renewable energy sources by 2025. Renewables already accounted for about 30 percent of the state's electricity generation in 2018, according to the US Energy Information Administration. For Martin Shroyer, KEA general manager, the annual savings KEA sees from alternative energy production is between $225,000 and $300,000 per year. “It’s pretty good savings,” he says, adding that this past year also saw lower fuel prices. Such cost reductions translate into real-world relief for the state’s rural households, which spend 27 percent of their annual income on home energy (compared to less than 7 percent in urban areas), according to Meera Kohler, president and CEO of the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative. “The cost of solar has come down tremendously, which made it more appealing,” says Bergan, who began his career in the energy industry installing wind turbines, later adding photovoltaic systems to his repertoire. Even though there isn’t enough sunlight to power solar panels for a third of the year in some parts of the state, the other two-thirds “matches up pretty well” with the needs of rural systems, he says.
The use of alternative energy, such as these wind turbines, received a boost about twelve years ago from the Denali Commission, an independent federal agency designed to provide critical utilities, infrastructure, and economic support in Alaska. Matt Bergan
According to Bergan, the cost of operating wind turbines is relatively high when expenses of manpower and parts necessary to keep the mechanical systems operating are considered. Solar panels, on the other hand, require little regular maintenance once they’re installed. “There’s no moving parts,” he says. “You’re not getting as much energy production as wind, but our maintenance costs were a lot lower from solar.” Shroyer says solar panels occasionally produce more power than customers use and in those cases KEA employs “beneficial electrification.” The utility, in effect, burns off the excess power by sending it to a heating device in a home or business, slightly reducing a customer’s heating bill.
Diesel power generation stations are designed to operate in winter temperatures of -40°F. Matt Bergan
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“It could turn on daily… it could turn on for a second,” he says. “Over the years, they’re saving 30,000 to 40,000 gallons of diesel.”
Money and Other Solutions AEA’s Sandstrom says that nearly 200 rural communities across Alaska employ diesel fuel generators as the primary means of producing power, with some systems supplementing with wind, hydro, and solar energy. The AEA itself owns five utilities that serve approximately 500,000 Alaskans and operates the Bradley Lake Hydroelectric Plant. Sandstrom says the use of alternative energy received a boost about twelve years ago from the Denali Commission, an independent federal agency designed to provide critical utilities, infrastructure, and economic support throughout Alaska. That support primarily fueled an interest in wind turbines. “That has waned somewhat,” he adds, citing maintenance issues and withering state and federal grants. In its strategic plan for 2018-2022, the Denali Commission lists as one of its goals continued investment “in projects and initiatives that improve the affordability, safety and/or reliability of fuel storage, the production and storage of energy, electrical distribution systems, and
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heating the built environment in rural Alaska.” Curtis Thayer, AEA’s executive director, says the largest drawback facing rural energy systems is a lack of funding for unmet needs, which would require a total of $800 million in bulk Air | Permitting & Compliance | Spill Response | Remediation fuel storage upgrades and ongoing Sustainability & Resiliency | NEPA Support replacement for equipment that has exceeded its 20-year life cycle. One potential solution is the recent This year SLR International Corporation celebrates adoption of 3D imaging to help our 20 year anniversary. Established in 2000, SLR circuit rider technicians remotely has built successful partnerships with leading walk local utility workers through companies using innovative environmental and solving maintenance issues in a advisory solutions backed by a team of technical computerized virtual environment. experts and scientific foundations. That allows technical repairs or other work to be carried out when distance Thank you to our valued Alaska clients for or weather conditions hinder timely their continued business over the assistance. “We are pioneering the years. use of 3D imaging in rural Alaska,” Thayer says. The state’s overall financial outlook poses giant challenges to Alaska’s energy flexibility; as the state has slogged through several years of recession, many programs have seen Alaska Locations huge reductions in funding. One of Anchorage: 907.222.1112 | Fairbanks: 907.452.2252 | www.slrconsulting.com them is the Renewable Energy Fund, which provides grant funding for the development of selected renewable AB - SLR Ad - 122120.indd 1 12/21/2020 11:37:53 AM energy projects. In past years, its annual funding levels reached as high as $50 million, compared with the current $2 million. Wh ile n oth in g rea lly m a ke s up for having enough funding, Alaska’s energy advocates are still finding ways to support renewable energy development. For example, Sandstrom says AEA is taking a two-pronged approach to address maintenance issues: it helps fund training programs provided by the Alaska Vocational Technical Center in Seward, and it operates the Circuit Rider program that makes energy technicians available to rural communities based on need. These efforts replenish the knowledge—and reduce the costs— needed to maintain rural energy systems. Vocational training can help stymie the outward migration of young people from rural communities by providing local job opportunities, and a local skilled workforce reduces the costs of travel or housing that infrastructure maintenance might otherwise require.
I
n recent years, Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation (UIC) has dramatically transformed itself into one of the most impressive and dynamic companies in Alaska. Thanks to its effective leadership team, topnotch employees, and extraordinary growth in revenues and income, UIC is more profitable and stronger than ever. UIC is also among Alaska’s largest and most diverse enterprises, with about fift y subsidiaries engaging in more than twenty-five different industries and business lines throughout the U.S and abroad. The company offers an array of services, including vertical and infrastructure construction, architecture, engineering, logistics support, marine, environmental, and oil and gas services for both private and public clients. Organized as an Alaska Native Corporation in 1973, UIC currently employs more than 3,500 worldwide, including 350 employees in Alaska. AN AMAZING METAMORPHOSIS Just a few years ago, UIC went through some major challenges and setbacks. Since then, a remarkable transformation has occurred with the addition of the executive team of President/CEO Delbert Rexford and
COO Jeevan Pokharel—a leader who is well known for turning around and revitalizing companies.
adherence to cultural values. He explains, “Our employees overwhelmingly care about UIC, and the end result is success by living and practicing Iñupiat values in all aspects of our organization.” Emphasizing teamwork, Rexford cites this quote from best-selling author Patrick Lencioni: “If you can get all the people in the organization rowing in the same direction, you could dominate any industry, in any market, against any competition, at any time.”
Rexford extols Pokharel’s commanding skills, with realistic visions, strategies, and leveraging resources to effectively execute operations. “I am elated to have a world-class COO achieving monumental milestones and making differences at every level of our organization,” Rexford states. “Our collective success is in large part due to Mr. Pokharel’s sound decision making, business development plans, and effective acquisitions, all assuring profitability in each of these ventures.” Pokharel also attributes the company’s success to the efforts of all UIC employees, including their
KEY SUCCESSES UIC—which ranked No. 11 on Alaska Business magazine’s 2020 Top 49ers list—is excelling in all aspects. The company is realizing double-digit revenue increases and even more impressive profitability. Despite some of the recent global economic challenges, including the pandemic, this trend continues. UIC is already expecting 2021 to be another record year. All of these achievements, together with significant reductions in debt, have directly resulted in creating unprecedented equity for UIC’s shareholders. “We are proud to report that the company has been able to pay out record-breaking
“UIC’s turnaround the past two years since Jeevan’s arrival has been remarkable. It is the most remarkable turnaround in profitability that I may have witnessed within a company the size of UIC. I credit Jeevan’s leadership with Delbert and the support of their team to get behind both. He had a clear vision of what needed to get done and executed as planned. Congratulations to the UIC team. UIC shareholders must be very grateful. I’m looking forward to the next chapter with UIC.” — Sam Mazzeo, Sr. VP, Alaska Commercial Banking Group, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
dividends these last two years,” Pokharel says.
Pokharel points out: “Our growth strategy is already paying off. For example, in 2018 we planned to expand in the West Coast. UIC today has a significant presence and new operations in California, Colorado, Arizona, Hawaii, and Washington. These new opportunities are valued at $250 million and were successfully obtained within just the last two years. UIC is also exploring several other potential contracting and joint-venture opportunities. We are constantly looking for growth areas with promising potential and great leadership.”
“UIC is poised to capitalize on its phenomenal financial results, liquidity position, existing borrowing capacity, and the company’s strong relationships with banks and sureties. This will all result in explosive growth in the near future,” Pokharel explains. Rexford reiterates, “We see a very bright future for the company and all our shareholders.” As a testament to its operational prowess, UIC has also amassed billions of dollars in contract backlog, plus tens of billions more currently in the pipeline. “This is further evidence of the quality and credibility of our outstanding employees and client relationships,” Pokharel says. “UIC is being recognized as a strategic leader and world-class company. We expect UIC’s reputation and performance to only improve in the future.” In a similar vein, Rexford says, “A year ago, we compared ourselves with other large Alaskan companies; now with our unparalleled successes, we believe we have honed our skills and experience to set our eyes on becoming a true global player with deep Alaskan and Iñupiat grassroots values.” HELPING INDIVIDUALS AND OTHER BUSINESSES UIC offers valuable opportunities to help Alaskans advance their careers and business goals. With all of UIC’s growth and opportunities, the company is very focused on bringing more “great talent” into its operations. “We continue to attract, add and retain top-notch talent and keep turnover to a minimum,” Pokharel says. “We are already experiencing the addition of great team members and partners
who appreciate the strengths, opportunities and stability available at UIC.” Pokharel also encourages individuals and contractors to explore their options with the company. Additionally, the company is seeking more avenues for business partnerships, potential acquisitions, and expanded work activities in Alaska and in the Lower 48. Rexford states that “Our UIC Board of Directors has directed us to grow globally in a strategic and methodical manner with a healthy perspective for consistent, sustainable profits now and into the future.” As part of UIC’s growth strategy, the company intends to expand into other business lines, further diversifying its business portfolio. This last year, UIC acquired a majority interest in a premier group of Seattle-based construction companies; acquired an East Coast firm, which helped land over $450 million in contract value; added a heavy civil construction division in Alaska; and added a construction division focusing on local, state and federal government sectors.
AlaskaBusiness Profile
Though rapidly expanding, UIC remains committed to taking care of all its core businesses and customers. “Alaska will always be our home, and our local operations have very successfully performed and been awarded many contracts throughout the state,” Rexford says. “UIC looks forward to working collaboratively with all entities to deliver the highest quality products and services per our clients’ expectations.”
6700 Arc�c Spur Rd. Anchorage, AK 99518 Ph: 907-677-5200 UICAlaska.com
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Rethinking Outdoor Spaces Architects embrace natural, emotional beauty of Alaska By Julie Stricker
The Eielson Visitor Center takes full advantage of expansive views of Denali from Mile 66 of the Denali Park Road. Chris Arend Photography
W
hen Bobby Wilken opened HooDoo Brewing Company on Halloween 2012, he envisioned a modest tap house where Fairbanks residents could get together to socialize over a craft beer. The brewery was busy all winter and when the weather warmed, patrons began hanging out on a tiny deck next to the front parking lot. Wilken fenced in a small area, adding electrical spools for tables, and the rustic biergarten quickly became a favorite hangout, gradually expanding over the years. In 2017, with a vision of European biergartens, “we decided to try to design the coolest biergarten we’d ever been in,” Wilken says. He added a covered area for food trucks to park, tables and benches, and heaters and outdoor lighting. “There’s not a lot of great spaces in Fairbanks to just order a pint of beer,” he continues. “There’s not a lot of great outdoor spaces in Fairbanks.” Even during a Fairbanks winter, HooDoo’s biergarten is a popular stop. 56 | February 2021
With their winter gear, patrons will stop inside to order a beer and then hang out with their friends in the biergarten to enjoy it, although Wilken acknowledges that as the thermostat drops way below zero, traffic drops just as dramatically. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early spring of 2020, the state announced that businesses with a liquor license could expand any outdoor spaces to encourage social distancing. Wilken sent in a proposal that doubled the size of his biergarten, which was accepted that day. “People already knew we had this great outdoor space,” he says. “The more room the better, and people were already pretty wary about going inside.” Rivers Wood Products gave him 12foot pallets to use as fencing and the Riverboat Discovery, which suspended operations due to COVID-19, loaned HooDoo umbrellas and high- and lowtop tables. Alaska Dreams, which caters local events, gave Wilken a good deal on tents, since many of its events also were canceled.
“It worked out really well,” he says. “We limited capacity, but there was still plenty of room for us to sell a decent amount of beer and stay in business.”
Connecting Physically, Emotionally Although the novel coronavirus pandemic has highlighted Alaska’s love of outdoor spaces, for local architects, melding the interior and exterior is a core part of their design. Melisa Babb, a landscape architect for Bettisworth North Architects and Planners, says COVID-19 has forced people to take a closer look at our outdoor spaces and how they are designed. “For Alaskans, I think that this has highlighted the fact that, despite our fantastic environment, we tend to focus inward when we are planning our communities and our built environment,” Babb says. “The streetscape and the areas surrounding buildings need to be addressed as spaces that are just as important as the interior of a building.
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Bobby Wilken
Bobby Wilken
“It’s at a level where you literally walk right out into that space.” The designers incorporated the mature birch trees on the site, weaving the design of the building around the trees to preserve as many of them as possible, says Bettisworth North architect Tracy Vanairsdale. “In those pockets where we preserved those trees, we wove the waiting area,” Vanairsdale says. “So, they were all south-facing. They all have ribbons of windows, so they literally have a visual connection from that very important spot of the building. And that became the whole circulation pattern. And so, I would say as an architect, that’s our job, to look for those opportunities
Even during a freezing winter HooDoo’s biergarten remains a popular stop for Fairbanks residents. Bobby Wilken
on how we can connect, even if it’s not physically connecting, it’s emotionally, those sensitivities.” Outside the Chief Andrew Isaac Center, sidewalks and rest areas wind through a natural landscape
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“In many other winter cities, we have found that as businesses and employers start providing outdoor furniture and seating options for what used to primarily take place indoors, clients and residents of buildings are willing to continue those outdoor activities well beyond just the summer months,” Babb says. “I’m delighted to see activities move outdoors. It promotes a healthier lifestyle for residents and improves community connectivity. I hope that those outdoor options don’t disappear along with the virus when the vaccine is available.” When designing the Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center in Fairbanks, Bettisworth North architects worked directly with residents of the fortytwo villages served by Tanana Chiefs Conference to create a space where they would feel connected to the familiar landscapes of Interior Alaska, according to architect Charles Bettisworth. “The waiting area in the clinic is bordered by an outdoor space that includes the visual of a creek and the landscape of Interior Alaska,” he says.
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Built for Alaska
Beadwork is a traditional craftwork used to adorn clothing and accessories. Examples can be found in the exterior window panels of the Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center. Bettisworth North
lined with indigenous plants such as blueberries and Labrador tea, as well as a medicinal garden, all within view of the building’s interior. Fairbanks International Airport is another project Bettisworth North architects designed to give travelers an immediate sense of place, Vanairsdale says. “The idea was that as you arrived in Fairbanks, you needed to have an idea about what this place was like,” she says. “When you come into the baggage claim, you have this incredible view back to the hills to the north. That was part of connecting people to Fairbanks when you arrived.” The airport entries are a warm orange, which give the building an inviting, attractive feeling, especially in the winter.
Blending In While some Alaska buildings are designed with bringing the outdoors inside, another aspect is creating a design that blends seamlessly with the landscape. That was one of the goals for RIM Architects when its architects started looking at redesigning the Eielson Visitor Center in the middle of Denali National Park, according to James Dougherty, managing principal of RIM’s Anchorage office. Although some form of visitor facility has existed on the site at Mile 66 of the Denali Park Road—one of the few flat stretches of ground in that area—the ‘60s-era structure was badly damaged in the magnitude 7.9 Denali Fault earthquake that struck the Alaska Range in 2002. When redesigning the center, 58 | February 2021
architects had to take into account a huge increase in visitors since the ‘60s, as well as the site’s remoteness and the surrounding wilderness, which includes spectacular views of Denali. “It was always envisioned that the center would take advantage of the views of Denali, but it wasn’t understood what the proper response would be in terms of architecture,” Dougherty says. “We actually developed six fundamentally different approaches to how we would tackle the problem on that site.” The design that rose to the top, however, essentially reused and expanded the existing facility. “In the back of the minds of the core team that was developing this, they really thought that the successful home run would be that sort of unobtrusive building that sort of disappeared in nature,” Dougherty says. “Once the park superintendent got on board—he basically proclaimed that whatever the solution was, he didn’t want to see anything from the parking lot that was more than four feet tall—and that’s the one that eventually got built.” The new Eielson Visitor Center incorporates much of the materials from the former building, such as repurposing the wooden handrails to create interior woodwork, he says. Concrete was crushed and used to resurface the expanded parking area. The building’s colors match the landscape. The center itself is powered by a micro hydroelectric system, supplemented by solar energy. A propane-powered generator is also onsite for backup.
Dougherty says that designing attractive, functional buildings in Alaska requires a certain amount of local knowledge about weather conditions. In the ‘80s, Anchorage saw enormous growth and the construction of major public buildings, such as the Z.J. Loussac Library and William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center. Many of the designs were the result of national competitions, which in some instances, overlooked conditions unique to the state. For example, the main entrance to the Loussac Library as originally designed required patrons to walk up two flights of exterior steps, which was problematic during Anchorage’s long, icy winters. Dimond and Service High Schools were originally constructed as separate buildings connected by open walkways, also problematic during Alaska’s winters. “We spent millions of dollars over the years retrofitting these prototype designs that are transplanted from elsewhere to make them work in Anchorage," says Dougherty. “I think another aspect that shouldn’t be lost in Alaska is [that] architecture is also a really technical challenge,” he continues. "How do you make buildings stand up? How do you keep the weather outside? How do you keep them comfortable inside? How do you make them reasonable to maintain? “And it’s that kind of covering those technical bases that, I think, has elevated the architecture of the last two decades. As people bring their understanding of the place and create really, really great technical solutions, those become right for the place.”
COVID Considerations Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, architects are again taking stock of how Alaska’s buildings function. After nearly a year of having their employees work remotely, establishing sneeze guards and washable elevator buttons, Dougherty says some businesses are rethinking the need for a central office space. Better online communication tools, such as video conferencing, are replacing the need to travel to different sites in different time zones.
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“You’re not just leveraging location, you’re leveraging time,” he says. Vanairsdale says COVID-19 has changed the whole office environment. Designers are paying closer attention not only to how people move around the building but to air circulation systems, as well. “Air-handling systems have always been important, and there’s been this concern of ventilation,” Bettisworth says. “Particularly in the interior during the winter, there’s been this concern about the recycling of interior air. So the new paradigm is to make sure you’ve got good filtration in the air, you’re using HEPA filters and that sort of thing to make sure you’re not recycling air that has got pathogens in it.” And while some restaurants, bars, and microbreweries are using their outdoor spaces more, sometimes adding igloo-type structures or tents and outdoor heaters, they still have to make sure patrons are distancing and the air circulation is optimal. “You can do all the other placeholders and people and spacing and all that, but if the ventilation system isn’t corrected or updated, then it would be a challenge,” Vanairsdale says. Having easy outdoors access is another trend that business managers are looking at, as well, according to Leah Boltz of Bettisworth North. The Bettisworth North office building in Fairbanks is located on the banks of the Chena River, with expansive windows that provide nearly all the interior light except for a couple of winter months. It also has a deck off the second floor. Boltz works in the company’s Anchorage office, which is rented. “We’ve honestly been looking at moving space in Anchorage and trying to find a new space, which we were doing before COVID hit but now has just been amplified,” Boltz says. “One of the main things that we want is real, meaningful access to the outdoors, to a space where we can either sit and work or be along a trail. Or even have a little outdoor area or access to a park nearby, particularly since we have landscape architects in-house who are designing parks and trails every day and we know how important they are."
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Northern Lights Interior lighting design in Alaska architecture By Bruno J. Navarro
Lighting and Mood
Chris Arend Photography
ARCHITEC T URE & ENG INEERING SPECIAL SEC TION
W
ith just three hours and fortytwo minutes of sunlight on the shortest day of the year, Fairbanks—like much of Alaska— presents multiple challenges for lighting designers looking to create a pleasant, comfortable environment. While the angle of the sun remains low throughout winter, hewing close to the horizon around the winter solstice, the other half of the year brings a wealth of daylight, creating two situations that can wreak havoc on circadian rhythms. “The dynamics of our light cycle up here are so unique,” says Dana Nunn, interior design director at Bettisworth North, an Anchorage architecture firm. She notes that the sun’s changing angles throughout the year can change the color and the quality of the light dramatically. “Figuring out how to balance that and give people a comfortable space to work in or to learn in, it’s important to layer light and controls, just so people can create a lighting environment that’s best for what they’re doing in the moment.” Yet energy consumption also plays a factor, with Alaska residents often paying higher energy costs than anywhere in the United States. That’s where LED technology, combined with integrated controls, can help manage energy use, Nunn says. Ideally, good lighting design incorporates a “variable and flexible lighting system so that things are just as well-lit in the winter as they are in the summer,” she says. “It would be great to start with a cooler color temperature at the beginning of the day, coming down to warmer temperature during the day.”
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Nunn says that decades of research, industry standard, and best practices help determine the ideal brightness levels for various spaces, depending on their intended use, measured in footcandles: full, unobstructed sunlight produces approximately 10,000 footcandles of light, while an overcast day generates about 100 foot-candles. Lighting levels in people’s work and living spaces can affect their anxiety, wellness levels, and mental acuity levels, Nunn says. That makes
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Alaska’s Natural Light Alaska’s architectural lighting considerations also vary by latitude. “There’s a little difference between lighting a building in Anchorage versus Togiak or Nuiqsut,” says Channing Lillo, vice president and principal electrical engineer at RSA Engineering. North of the Arctic Circle, summertime’s midnight sun might make a clear glass lobby or atrium space seem ideal. “It’s great for a few months out of the year,” Lillo says. www.akbizmag.com
But for the rest of the year it’s far more preferable to incorporate lighting controls to mimic daylight. “You want it just to feel right, and you almost don’t want to know why,” Lillo says. “Color temperature is amazing, and it’s probably one of the most misunderstood elements by consumers,” Lillo says, noting that depending on a building’s architectural details—richly colored cherrywood columns, a bright white ceiling, beige walls—it might make sense to match the color temperature to some of the finishes.
“We have a quality of light that is really kind of problematic to deal with. That sun being low in the sky means that you have this really intense light source in your view shed.” James Dougherty Managing Principal Alaska, RIM Architects
Color rendition is another important factor. When working on a project such as the North Gallery expansion of the Anchorage Museum, light with a high color-rendering index was critical to Alaska Business
present exhibits accurately, Lillo says. By contrast, school classrooms have different needs, he adds, noting that studies have found a connection between lighting temperature and children’s mental acuity. One such study by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology published in 2016 looked at the effect of different color temperatures on student performance. The experiment found that students were more alert and performed better on tests under “cool” bluish lighting that mimicked sunlight at 6500 on the Kelvin scale. Meanwhile, “warm” yellowish-white lighting rated at 3500 K encouraged the students’ recess activities.
Gains in Energy Efficiency Lillo says that high-efficiency lighting can pay for itself in the long run, despite slightly higher up-front costs—and the same goes for building upgrades. “It’s a small portion to just buy new lights,” Lillo says. “That would be step one. Just on that, you can basically save 33 percent from going from fluorescent to LED—just in bulb costs.” Automatic on/off switches can provide 20 percent to 30 percent in additional savings, he adds, although “that also makes it more complex.” Lillo says sustainable, energy-efficient building designs just make sense from an economic standpoint. “Those concepts will pay for themselves over the life of the building.” Additionally, Alaska has adopted International Energy Conservation Code that applies to new public buildings, such as schools, which Lillo says translates into a good use of public money. “It’s going to require that you have a highly efficient building, which is a better deal for the taxpayer in the long term.”
Harnessing Daylight “For many, many years, as an architectural entity, we’ve been circling around the notion of what makes something Alaskan,” says James Dougherty, managing principal, Alaska, at RIM Architects. “How do we capture something uniquely Alaskan?” One of the leading ideas that RIM focused on was the state’s abundance of summer sun, and its opportunities to “harness daylight”—an endeavor February 2021 | 61
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it important to take into account what outcomes designers are aiming for in a given architectural space. “We talk a lot about circadian rhythm,” Nunn says, noting that a lighting design’s effect in healthcare organizations and hospitals is critical— especially when natural window light is limited. For instance, one challenge may be designing lighting to shift circadian rhythm while still allowing patients to get quality, restful sleep. On the other hand, some clients might find that an aggressive lighting strategy best serves their interests, Nunn says, using the example of a tech company with employees working in three shifts. “We’re designing to meet building code at the very least, while also layering lighting with health and wellness concerns in mind,” Nunn says. “Oftentimes, the code has a target range.” Part of that process involves considering how the space will be used and what other light sources are in play, balancing those concerns to create “a more comfortable place to be,” asking questions, and working with a client to help them select lighting fixtures. In healthcare settings, Nunn says, high-accuracy color rendering is often ideal for patient care spaces, while areas such as hallways are lighted in a way to provide smooth transition. By contrast, in office settings, a mixture of light sources provides the ideal balance between overhead lighting, natural lighting, and personal light fixtures. “Everyone should have a task light between their screen and their eyes, and that brightness should not be brighter than that of the surrounding area,” she says.
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Bettisworth North worked closely with Perkins + Will designers to create flexible and inspiring lighting solutions at James C. Ryan Middle School in Fairbanks. Kevin Smith Photography
That leaves a designer with the task of finding “a happy medium from an economic standpoint,” Dougherty adds.
The Best Solutions
The interior of the Bill Sheffield Alaska Railroad Depot at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. RSA
that involves balancing it with artificial lighting. “The two go hand in hand,” Dougherty says. The approach aims to address seasonal changes in the availability of natural light by creating a system that works for both. In the past, one aspect of that was installing fluorescent lighting fixtures, Dougherty says, though now it's LED lighting—an investment that can quickly pay for itself in energy savings. Another strategy is increasing ceiling 62 | February 2021
heights to allow sunlight to reach deeper into the building, he adds. But solving one problem can sometimes inadvertently create another; larger windows let in more light, but “glass is not a very good insulating material of the building’s exterior, or the building envelope,” Dougherty says. “The more glass you have, the more heat loss you experience.” In the summer, that light-friendly glass also traps more heat unless the effect is mitigated.
“We have a quality of light that is really kind of problematic to deal with,” Dougherty says of Alaska. “That sun being low in the sky means that you have this really intense light source in your view shed.” Sunlight originating near the horizon can throw off workers’ ability to see their desktops, contributing to eye strain and headaches. That intense light might prompt office workers to pull the shade, but that might mean everyone is in the dark again, Dougherty says. On a sunny day, individual offices might have shades drawn while others keep them open, leading to “a jack-o’lantern effect,” Dougherty says. “You have this haphazard, higgledy-piggledy effect, where people pull their shades in April and leave them down until October. Some people say that’s kind of fussy, what the building looks like. They might say, ‘We don’t really care,’ but when you’re setting the high mark, you do care.” Some treatments for reducing the entry of sunlight into a building, such
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Electrochromic Glass Modern office buildings, built with an abundance of windows and state-of-the-art energy conservation techniques, actually use a significant amount of energy to cool during the day when warmth from computers and workers’ body heat is factored in. “It’s very expensive to cool that air. You're trying to reject as much of the light spectrum that brings heat and brings light into the space,” Dougherty says. “Most office buildings—even in Anchorage, Alaska—are controlled not by heat but by air conditioning. Anytime it’s above 35 degrees outside, your building is going into cooling mode. You’re not concerned about heating the building.” The most common way to maximize the sunlight in a space while blocking its heat is by using windows with a lowemissivity (low-E) coating, although calculating what glass is best to use in windows that face a given direction can be daunting. “There are so many factors that it can become overwhelming,” Dougherty says. However, the development of SmartGlass, a type of self-dimming glass that can greatly reduce light transmission, has given architects a way to reduce cooling costs while preserving great views and natural light, Dougherty says. The glass’s automatic tinting occurs slowly and uniformly, allowing artificial-lighting controls to supplement interior lighting as necessary. The electrochromic glass, sometimes called dynamic glass, was utilized in RIM’s design of the Fireweed Business Center for CIRI. Additionally, www.akbizmag.com
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as a woven stainless steel fabric, don’t necessarily work in Alaska, given the ice and snow that could accumulate on such exterior features and present a safety hazard. “Aesthetically it may be a good idea, but when you add up the ergonomics and the safety, it’s just not worth it,” Dougherty says. Instead, RIM looked at the potential of increasing the amount of incoming light directed toward the ceiling. This can be achieved by using a daylight diffuser—“It’s kind of like rice paper,” he says—or daylight panels that incorporate nanotubes to bounce sunlight off the ceiling, also reducing glare.
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the Anchorage building’s windows incorporated a section of clear glass along the top to help diffuse natural light along the ceilings, providing balanced, glare-free lighting. Doughterty says that CIRI was “very concerned about the people who would be working in their building” and looking at its future occupants from an intergenerational perspective. Dougherty adds that recognition of a warming global climate has been “a bit of a wake-up call” for industries, and that the carbon footprint of buildings will continue to be a concern. “There are broader societal issues that we’re trying to combat with this new building stock we’re putting out,” he adds. “We want people to be comfortable. We want occupants to be happy. It’s about making the business perform better with happy employees who are more productive.”
The Human Effect So, what’s it like to work in a building with next-generation lighting design? Ethan Tyler has worked for about two years in the Fireweed Business Center. “It’s just a really comfortable
STG office in Anchorage. RSA
An exterior view of the Bill Sheffield Alaska Railroad Depot at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. RSA
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space to work in, from a lighting standpoint,” says Tyler, who serves as the director of corporate affairs at CIRI, which is headquartered at the Fireweed building. The office’s tinted windows allow for dramatic views of the Chugach Mountains, Tyler says. And beyond the scenery, the interior design’s light panels direct sunlight into and throughout the building. “It’s aesthetically pleasing, but also the light is good for people.” Tyler says he notices a difference
when he enters buildings other than his own. “It’s funny, when you go into other buildings, you’re always comparing your space to their space,” Tyler says. “The openness, the light, the space— it just really all comes together for worker comfort.” The lighting, he adds, makes all the difference. “I like coming to work because I like my job anyway, but it definitely makes you want to be there.”
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Architecture & Engineering Directory ACUREN INSPECTION
AHTNA SOLUTIONS
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Frank Noble, Reg. Mgr. AK 7910 King St. Anchorage, AK 99518 acuren.com travis.thorson@acuren.com 907-569-5000
Timothy Gould, PE, F.SAME, Pres. 110 W. 38th Ave., Ste. 200L Anchorage, AK 99503 ahtnasolutions.com 907-563-3233
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Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
ASL is a self-performing 8(a) Government Contractor that performs a wide range of services nationwide including environmental, engineering, and geomatic services, as well as construction, IT, and professional services.
1976/2002 | 5,000/18
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
Materials engineering, nondestructive examination, and integrity management for the oil and gas, power, mining, transportation, and construction industries.
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AECOM Bill Craig, Sr. Mgr./Office Lead 3900 C St., Ste. 403 Anchorage, AK 99503 aecom.com 907-562-3366 AECOM Alaska is a team of engineers, scientists, planners, and support staff providing Arctic-smart engineering and environmental services for the complete project life-cycle from permitting for air, water, soils, and solid waste to planning and design.
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AMC ENGINEERS Ken Ratcliffe, Pres. 701 E. Tudor Rd., Ste. 250 Anchorage, AK 99503 amc-engineers.com info@amc-engineers.com 907-257-9100
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
AMC Engineers is committed to the design of well-engineered and sustainable mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems, supporting the full range of institutional and commercial projects.
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1981/1981 | 26/25
AHTNA ENGINEERING SERVICES Timothy F. Gould, PE, Pres. 110 W. 38th Ave., Ste. 200A Anchorage, AK 99503 ahtnaes.com 907-646-2969 Ahtna Engineering is a self-performing federal and commercial contractor. The firm performs services nationwide including engineering, construction, environmental, administrative, and professional services. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
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BETTISWORTH NORTH ARCHITECTS & PLANNERS Roy Rountree, Pres./Principal Arch. 212 Front St., Ste. 200 Fairbanks, AK 99701 bettisworthnorth.com info@bettisworthnorth.com 907-456-5780 Anchorage Office: 2600 Denali Street, Suite 710. Architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design for healthcare, education, military, housing, libraries, museums, public safety, civic buildings, senior care, and commercial projects. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1976/1976 | 38/38
ARCADIS Kent Crandall, AK Ops Leader 880 H St., Ste. 101 Anchorage, AK 99501 arcadis.com kent.crandall@arcadis.com 907-276-8095 Arcadis is a leading provider of construction and program management services and a leading global design, project management, and consultancy firm.
BLUE SKY STUDIO Catherine Call, Mng. Member 6771 Lauden Cir. Anchorage, AK 99502 callbluesky.com catherine@callbluesky.com 907-677-9078 Architecture with a focus on residential and food service projects.
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
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Structural engineering design and CA for new buildings, additions to existing buildings, and analysis of existing buildings, including seismic evaluations and condition surveys, design of tanks, modules, and pedestrian bridges. Seismic upgrades.
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BRISTOL ENGINEERING SERVICES COMPANY Travis Woods, Pres./CEO 111 W. 16th Ave., Third Fl. Anchorage, AK 99501 bristol-companies.com 800-563-0013 Civil engineering, permitting, and planning; total project management encompassing planning, design, and construction. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
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Civil, commissioning, corrosion control, electrical, forensic, fire protection, industrial design, instrumentation and controls, mechanical, pipeline integrity management, pipeline and process facility design, project management, and structural. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
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COMBS ENGINEERING Chris Combs, PE 503 Charteris St. Sitka, AK 99835 907-747-5725 Mechanical engineer providing HVAC and plumbing design services. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
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CORVUS DESIGN Peter Briggs, Pres. 2506 B Fairbanks St. Anchorage, AK 99503 corvus-design.com office@corvus-design.com 907-222-2859 Landscape architecture and planning services including landscape design, site planning, waterfront planning, playgrounds, recreation planning, community engagement, landscape permitting, graphic design, interpretive design, NEPA, and visual simulation. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
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CRW ENGINEERING GROUP D. Michael Rabe, Mng. Principal 3940 Arctic Blvd., Ste. 300 Anchorage, AK 99503 crweng.com bmorris@crweng.com 907-562-3252 Civil, environmental, structural, electrical, www.akbizmag.com
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permitting, energy upgrades and audits, and construction management and inspection services.
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Some of our additional in-house services include environmental, land survey, and land use planning. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
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DAT/EM SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL Jeffrey Yates, GM 2014 Merrill Field Dr. Anchorage, AK 99501 datem.com sales@datem.com 907-522-3681 DAT/EM Systems International develops solutions for the photogrammetric, engineering and GIS industries. The DAT/ EM Photogrammetric Suite includes Summit Evolution 3D stereo mapping software, LandScape point cloud viewing and editing toolkit, Summit UA
DOYON ANVIL
DCI ENGINEERS Paul Rogness, Principal 341 W. Tudor, Ste. 105 Anchorage, AK 99503 907-519-7600 Structural engineering. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1988/2013 | 300/7
DESIGN ALASKA Chris Miller, Pres. 601 College Rd. Fairbanks, AK 99701 designalaska.com mail@designalaska.com 907-452-1241 Design Alaska provides architecture; civil, structural, mechanical, fire protection, electrical, and environmental engineering; landscape architecture; and surveying. The firm also offers planning, energy modeling, LEED, and CxA services. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1957/1957 | 55/55
DILLON Christopher Dillon, Pres. 2031 Shore Dr. Anchorage, AK 99515 dillon@alaska.net 907-229-4755 Construction management. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
2004/2004 | 1/1
DOWL Stewart Osgood, Pres./CEO 4041 B St. Anchorage, AK 99503 dowl.com info@dowl.com 907-562-2000 DOWL is a multi-disciplined consulting firm that has been providing civil engineering and related services in Alaska since 1962. 68 | February 2021
David Burlingame, Pres. 3305 Arctic Blvd., Ste. 201 Anchorage, AK 99503 epsinc.com eps@epsinc.com 907-522-1953
Terry Caetano, Pres./GM 509 W. Third Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 doyonanvil.com tcaetano@anvilcorp.com 907-677-3021
EPS delivers complete electric power systems study, planning, design, and construction administration services from prime and emergency power production to final distribution for commercial, utility, industrial, and government clients of all sizes.
Full-service consulting engineering for the petro chemical industry specializing in exploration, pre-EIS, and early phase development. Extensive experience in brown field revamp projects.
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1984/1984 | 50/50
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1987/1987 | 8/6
ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS
ECI Brian Meissner, Principal 3909 Arctic Blvd., Ste. 100 Anchorage, AK 99503 ecialaska.com Office@ecialaska.com 907-561-5543 ECI is an architectural/interior firm that provides strategic planning and design services to strengthen northern communities. We are based in Anchorage, and for thirty-nine years have been creating people places throughout the state. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1981/1981 | 15/15
EDC John Faschan, Pres. 213 W. Fireweed Ln. Anchorage, AK 99503 edc-alaska.com john@edc-alaska.com 907-276-7933 Mechanical and electrical engineering services. Rural water and sewer systems, HVAC and energy, fuel systems, fire protection, piping and pumping systems, facility power systems, SCADA, and controls, roadway lighting. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1980/1980 |8 /8
EEIS CONSULTING ENGINEERS Richard Button, Principal Engineer 624 W. International Airport Rd., Ste. 104 Anchorage, AK 99518 eeis.net 907-258-3231 Architectural services, structural, civil, mechanical, mechanical process, electrical, and instrumentation engineering. Projects include camps, office buildings, warehouses, hangars, and various projects for rig and production support.
1996/1996 | 156/140
ENTERPRISE ENGINEERING Kelly Waring, Pres. 2525 Gambell St., Ste. 200 Anchorage, AK 99503 907-563-3835 EEI provides multidiscipline engineering and specialty services throughout Alaska and worldwide. As experts in fuel systems and civil site design, the Anchorage office is home to a thriving team of thirty-eight professionals who are excited to solve complex problems. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1972/1992 | 68/40
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT Larry Helgeson, Principal Eng. 206 E. Fireweed Ln., Ste. 201 Anchorage, AK 99503 emi-alaska.com lhelgeson@emi-alaska.com 907-272-9336 Environmental and civil engineering, Phase I and Phase II ESAs, asbestos management and design, HUD lead paint activities, UST closure, SWPPPs, SPCCs, GIS mapping, and safety training. A team of dedicated professionals working to make Alaska cleaner. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1988/1988 | 15/15
FRANKLIN & ASSOCIATES Nelson M. Franklin P.E., PE/Owner 225 E. Fireweed Ln., Ste. 202 Anchorage, AK 99503 907-277-1631 Engineering services, structural engineering, forensic engineering, insurance claims. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1990/1990 | 1/1
GOLDER ASSOCIATES Jeremiah Drage, Sr. Consultant/Group Leader 2121 Abbott Rd., Ste. 100 Anchorage, AK 99507 907-344-6001 Arctic and geotechnical engineering, groundwater resource development, environmental sciences, and remedial investigation.
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1989/1989 | 17/17
1960/1980 | 7,500/26
Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com
ARCHITEC T URE & ENG INEERING DIREC TORY
HDL ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS David Lundin, Principal/Pres. 3335 Arctic Blvd., Ste. 100 Anchorage, AK 99503 hdlalaska.com info@hdlalaska.com 907-564-2120 HDL provides civil, geotechnical/ hydrogeological, hydrology/hydraulics, transportation, and water/wastewater engineering; surveying and mapping, environmental permitting, construction administration/materials testing, and real estate services. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
2000/2000 | 90/90
HDR Tim Gallagher, AK Area Mgr. 2525 C St., Ste. 500 Anchorage, AK 99503 hdrinc.com dave.casey@hdrinc.com 907-644-2000 Comprehensive infrastructure development services for transportation, water/ wastewater, solid waste, power, mining, and oil and gas, including engineering, environmental, planning, permitting, cultural resources, and stakeholder engagement. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1917/1979 | 10,000/105
PROUD SUPPORTERS OF THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKAN COMMUNITIES
Civil | Structural | Mechanical | Electrical Fire Protection | Corrosion Control Project Management | Landscape Architecture Commissioning
800 F Street | Anchorage, AK 99501 www.coffman.com
IVY & CO. ARCHITECTS/MARK A. IVY CORP. Mark Ivy, Principal Architect 3835 Spenard Rd. Anchorage, AK 99517 ivyandco.com bonnie.ivy@ivyandco.com 907-563-5656 Innovative residential and commercial designs for the Alaska environment. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1984/1984 | 5/5
JACOBS Katie Bloom, Ops Mgr. 949 E. 36th Ave., Ste. 500 Anchorage, AK 99508 jacobs.com 907-762-1500 Jacobs leads the global professional services sector delivering solutions for a more connected, sustainable world. Jacobs provides a full spectrum of services including scientific, technical, and program management. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1947/1969 | 55,000/100
JENSEN YORBA WALL Wayne Jensen, AIA/Pres. 522 W. Tenth St. Juneau, AK 99801 jensenyorbawall.com dan@jensenyorbawall.com www.akbizmag.com
Alaska Business
February 2021 | 69
ARCHITEC T URE & ENG INEERING DIREC TORY
907-586-1070 Architecture, planning, programming, design, and construction administration for architecture, interior design, space planning, and construction management. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1935/1935 | 10/10
KAE Cyrus Randelia, Principal/Sr. Eng. PO Box 91970 Anchorage, AK 99509 kaeinalaska.com maia@kuskoae.com 907-276-2126 Engineering and construction firm providing civil designs, construction management and construction contracting services for boardroads, boardwalks, roads, sanitation systems, and water distribution systems. 8(a) and DOT DBE certified. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1997/1997 | 30/7
KINNEY ENGINEERING Randy Kinney, Member 3909 Arctic Blvd., Ste. 400 Anchorage, AK 99503 kinneyeng.com info@kinneyeng.com 907-346-2373 Kinney Engineering is a multi-disciplined firm providing a wide range of services. Areas of expertise include traffic planning and analysis, transportation engineering; civil engineering; public involvement, NEPA documentation; and GIS services. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
2007/2007 | 38/37
KPB ARCHITECTS Mike Prozeralik, Pres. 500 L St., Ste. 400 Anchorage, AK 99501 907-274-7443 An award-winning architecture, planning, landscape architecture, and interior design firm specializing in arctic/cold climate design, federal, education, multi-unit/multifamily housing, healthcare, and culturally sensitive projects. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1981/1981 | 15/15
KUNA ENGINEERING Jay Hermanson, GM 4300 B St., Ste. 605 Anchorage, AK 99503 kunaeng.com kguyer@kunaeng.com 907-339-6500 Professional consulting services for energy; water/environmental; civil, electrical, structural and mechanical engineering; surveying; transportation; planning; and construction/program administration. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1981/1981 | 48/48
70 | February 2021
LANGDON ENGINEERING & SCIENTIFIC SERVICES Albert Swank, PE/Owner 318 W. Tenth Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 le-m@ak.net 360-620-7046 Engineering, civil, structural, mechanical, machine/manufacturing engineering, engineering physics, nuclear engineering, particle accelerators, nuclear medicine isotopes. US-DOE, DOD, and Foreign National Nuclear Physics Labs. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1980/1980 | 5/5
LCG LANTECH Wallace Swanson, Pres./Principal-in-Charge 250 H St. Anchorage, AK 99501 lcgak.com info@lcgak.com 907-243-8985 LCG Lantech (formerly Larsen Consulting Group) is a multi-disciplined firm providing architecture, structural, civil engineering, land surveying, mapping services, and landscape architecture to rural and urban client bases.
fmonrean@kpunet.net 907-254-8640 Civil engineering, surveying, wastewater design, subdivisions, structural engineering, storm drainage design, foundation engineering, inspections, engineering reports, marine structures, permitting, etc. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1997/1997 | 1/1
MERRICK ALASKA Chris Sherry, Chairman/CEO/Pres. 3201 C St., Ste. 105 Anchorage, AK 99503 merrick.com hello@merrick.com 907-341-4720 Merrick Alaska is a full-service, multidisciplinary division of Merrick & Company that offers surveying, geospatial, and engineering services to our Alaska clients, including the oil and gas industry. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1955/2014 | 720/29
MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL
1993/1993 | 14/14
Jeff Baker, Sr. VP/AK Ops Mgr. 3900 C St., Ste. 900 Anchorage, AK 99503 mbakerintl.com 907-273-1600
LIFEWATER ENGINEERING COMPANY
Engineering: transportation, pipeline, geotechnical, mechanical, civil; GIS and LiDAR; environmental/permitting/NEPA; public involvement.
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
Bob Tsigonis, Pres. 1963 Donald Ave. Fairbanks, AK 99701 LifewaterEngineering.com Info@lifewaterengineering.com 907-458-7024 We design and manufacture the onsite wastewater treatment plants for the Arctic and beyond. These plants serve hotels, lodges, man camps and residential applications. We are the largest plastic fabrication shop in Alaska. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1998/1998 | 9/9
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1940/1942 | 3,510/45
MICHAEL L. FOSTER & ASSOCIATES Michael Foster, PE/Owner 13135 Old Glenn Hwy., Ste. 200 Eagle River, AK 99577 907-696-6200 A/E firm for planning, investigation, design, permitting, oil spill cleanup, environmental remediation, construction, and expert witness/litigation support services. Civil, geotechnical, and environmental design, and cold region construction experts. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
MBA CONSULTING ENGINEERS Bradley Sordahl, Principal/Chief Mechanical Engineer 3812 Spenard Rd., Ste. 200 Anchorage, AK 99517 mba-consulting.net 907-274-2622 MBA Consulting Engineers, established in 1989, is a full service mechanical and electrical consulting engineering firm specializing in Arctic, subarctic, and northern maritime design. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1989/1989 | 12/11
MEA Fred Monrean, PE PO Box 9343 Ketchikan, AK 99901
1998/1998 | 20/20
MORRIS ENGINEERING GROUP Mark Morris, Principal PO Box 210049 Auke Bay, AK 99821 907-789-3350 Electrical consulting; engineering; design; inspection; construction administration. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1997/2004 | 7/6
NANA WORLEY Wyche Ford, Pres. 3700 Centerpoint Dr., Ste. 700 Anchorage, AK 99503 nanaworleyparsons.com info@nanaworleyparsons.com 907-273-3900
Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com
Fiercely Independent
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1997/1997 | 200/200
Like You.
NEW HORIZONS TELECOM Leighton Lee, CEO 901 Cope Industrial Way Palmer, AK 99645 nhtiusa.com 907-761-6000 New Horizons is an engineering and construction company with the focus and expertise to create complete telecommunications infrastructure solutions. Design and integration of RF, SATCOM, OSP, and ISP cabling for commercial and government sectors. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1978/1978 | 75/75
NORTECH Peter Beardsley, Pres. 2400 College Rd. Fairbanks, AK 99709 nortechengr.com info@nortechengr.com 907-452-5688
Let Altman Rogers help grow your business with big firm resources and the personal attention only a locally owned firm can provide. Auditing, Review, Compilation Tax Consulting & Preparation Accounting & Payroll
Management Consulting Election & Tabulation Services Personal Attention
Anchorage | Juneau | Soldotna altrogco.com | 907 907-274-2992 274 2992
Multi-disciplined consulting firm with registered professional engineers and certified industrial hygienists providing environmental, engineering, oil spill contingency planning, water/wastewater, compliance, industrial hygiene, and health services. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1979/1979 | 25/25
NORTHFORM ARCHITECTS Robert Meyer, VP 2525 Gambell St., Ste. 404 Anchorage, AK 99503 northformak.com robert@northformak.com 907-339-9200 Architecture services for new construction and renovations, including interiors, master planning, and space programming. Project types: healthcare, labs, higher ed, cultural, social services, commercial retail & hospitality, multi-family housing. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
2017/2017 | 7/6
NVISION ARCHITECTURE Paul Baril, Principal 1231 Gambell St., Ste. 400 Anchorage, AK 99501 nvisionarchitecture.com llucia@nvisionarch.com 907-349-1425 Full-service architectural firm. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1982/1982 | 11/11
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Alaska Business
February 2021 | 71
ARCHITEC T URE & ENG INEERING DIREC TORY
NANA Worley provides multi-discipline engineering and design, project management, procurement, project controls, and construction support services for various industries including the hydrocarbons, mining infrastructure, and power industries.
ARCHITEC T URE & ENG INEERING DIREC TORY
PDC ENGINEERS A RESPEC COMPANY Matt Emerson, Pres. 1028 Aurora Dr. Fairbanks, AK 99709 pdceng.com 907-452-1414 PDC is a RESPEC-owned company made up of Alaskan multi-discipline engineers. We are aligned with four sectors: facilities, transportation, utilities, and land development. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1975/1975 | 107/107
PM&E SERVICES Damien Stella, Principal 123 E. 24th Ave., #11 Anchorage, AK 99503 907-222-5059
engineering and surveying company with architectural and structural engineering capacity serving southern Southeast Alaska from offices in Ketchikan and Craig. We also specialize in materials testing and inspections. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1989/1989 | 18/18
REDPATH USA CORPORATION George Flumerfelt, Pres./CEO 16345 Lena Loop Rd. Juneau, AK 99801 redpathmining.com 907-789-3752 Mining contractor: development and construction, production mining, raise mining. Hydroelectric: penstocks, tunnel repair, grouting. Alaska projects: Pogo Mine, Kensington Mine, Allison Lake, Sitka Blue Lake, Eklutna-Chugach, Lake Dorothy AEL&P.
Project management and civil engineering support to a broad range of clients from municipal utilities to commercial and light industrial facilities.
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
Bob Galteland, Pres./CEO 4300 B St., Ste. 302 Anchorage, AK 99503 reidmiddleton.com 907-562-3439
1999/1999 | 1/1
PND ENGINEERS Jim Campbell, Pres. 1506 W. 36th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99503 pndengineers.com reception@pndengineers.com 907-561-1011 General civil, structural, geotechnical, marine, arctic, and coastal engineering; surveying; sanitary/wastewater; permitting; hydrology; metocean; quality assurance; inspection; construction engineering; site remediation; value engineering. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1979/1979 | 118/89
R&M CONSULTANTS Len Story, CEO 9101 Vanguard Dr. Anchorage, AK 99507 rmconsult.com email@rmconsult.com 907-522-1707 Civil, waterfront (marine), structural, and geotechnical engineering; land surveying; geology; environmental; transportation and land use planning; construction administration; materials testing; special inspection; hydrology; right of way services. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1969/1969 | 97/97
R&M ENGINEERING-KETCHIKAN Trevor Sande, Pres. 7180 Revilla Rd., Ste. 300 Ketchikan, AK 99901 907-225-7917 R&M Engineering-Ketchikan is a civil 72 | February 2021
1962/1991 | 3,000/30
REID MIDDLETON
We offer structural engineering, civil engineering, and surveying throughout all market sectors, including buildings, bridges, and waterfront to public and private sector clients throughout the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and California. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1953/1991 | 72/8
RIM ARCHITECTS Larry Cash, Founder/Board Chair 645 G St., Ste. 400 Anchorage, AK 99501 rimarchitects.com alaska@rimarchitects.com 907-258-7777 RIM Architects has provided excellence in comprehensive architectural design and client service throughout Alaska since 1986. RIM also has offices in California, Guam, and Hawaii. The firm provides full-service architectural design.
RSA ENGINEERING Roger Weese, Pres. 670 W. Fireweed Ln., Ste. 200 Anchorage, AK 99503 rsa-ak.com info@rsa-ak.com 907-276-0521 Mechanical and electrical consulting engineering services for more than thirty years. RSA specializes in providing mechanical and electrical design solutions that are affordable, maintainable, and sensible for the project location. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1983/1986 | 36/35
SALT Michael Fredericks, Pres. 645 G St., Ste. 301 Anchorage, AK 99501 salt-ak.com nschmidt@salt-ak.com 907-279-6563 SALT, formerly RIM Design + RIM First People, is a Native-owned, woman-owned small business in Alaska. Comprehensive design services including corporate, retail, healthcare, education, hospitality, FF&E, BOMA, Bldg File Mngt, stakeholder facilitation Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1978/1978 | 6/6
SDG Luanne Urfer, Principal/Owner 247 S. Alaska St. Palmer, AK 99645 sdg-ak.com luanneu@sdg-ak.com 907-745-3500 SDG is a woman-owned, small business design firm in Palmer offering innovative land architecture and environmental solutions. Using our specialized process, we create exceptional, high quality, efficient planning and development services integrating Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
2009/2009 | 3/3
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1986/1986 | 70/21
RODNEY P. KINNEY ASSOCIATES Rodney Kinney, Jr. PE SE/Pres. 16515 Centerfield Dr., Ste. 101 Eagle River, AK 99577 rpka@rpka.net 907-694-2332
SHANNON & WILSON Kyle Brennan, VP/Anchorage Office Mgr. 5430 Fairbanks St., Ste. 3 Anchorage, AK 99518 shannonwilson.com info-anchorage@shanwil.com 907-561-2120
RPKA is an Alaska Native, family owned, civil engineering/survey firm with forty years of broad-spectrum experience traversing Alaska, specializing in urban and rural infrastructure projects, and contract and construction administration.
Statewide geotechnical and environmental engineering. Offices in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Palmer. Services include geotechnical analysis/design; frozen ground engineering; environmental compliance, assessments/remediation, PFAS; earthquake analysis.
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1980/1980 | 13/13
1954/1974 | 300/53
Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com
Gord Johnston, Pres./CEO 725 E. Fireweed Ln., Ste. 200 Anchorage, AK 99503 stantec.com 907-276-4245 Communities are fundamental. That’s why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind. We care about the communities we serve—because they’re our communities too. We’re designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers innovating together. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1954/1972 | 22,000/85
STEPHL ENGINEERING Matt Stephl, PE 3900 Arctic Blvd., Ste. 204 Anchorage, AK 99503 stephlengineering.com 907-562-1468 Engineering firm specializing in trenchless technology engineering including horizontal directional drilling, auger boring, pipe ramming, sliplining, cured in place pipe lining water sewer, CCTV camera inspection, and pipe condition assessment. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1996/1996 | 8/8
SUMMIT CONSULTING SERVICES David Cramer, Principal HC 72 Box 850 Tok, AK 99780 scsalaska.com 907-291-2339 Remote Alaska community improvement project civil design and construction management services (including force account). Remote community waste management equipment sales and training.
engineeringak.com 907-262-4624
vernr@veiconsultants.com 907-337-3330
Civil, structural, geotechnical and environmental engineering services: construction materials testing; water lab; serving Alaska's construction and natural resource industries since 1978. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
Civil and environmental engineering, land surveying for local communities, governments, and private clients. Full range of services from feasibility studies through design, permitting, and construction administration.
1978/1978 | 9/9
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1981/1981 | 6/6
TRIHYDRO CORPORATION
WILLIAM MERRIMAN ARCHITECTS
Kurt Tuggle, Pres./CEO 312 Tyee St. Soldotna, AK 99669 trihydro.com information@trihydro.com 907-262-2315 Trihydro specializes in strategic project implementation, air quality and process management, engineering and surveying, environmental, water resources, and IT consulting. We serve a diverse clientele: petroleum, federal and state, mining, and natural resource.
William Merriman, Owner/Principal 700 W. 59th Ave., Unit G Anchorage, AK 99518 merrimanarchitects.com office@merrimanarchitects.com 907-929-2950 Led by Will Merriman, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, William Merriman Architects was founded to be singularly focused on residential architecture in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest in 2013. Licensed architecture practice in Alaska and Washington.
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
1984/2015 | 476/9
2013/2013 | 2/2
VEI CONSULTANTS Vern Roelfs, Pres. 1345 Rudakof Cir., Ste. 201 Anchorage, AK 99508 veiconsultants.com
We ship anywhere in Alaska
USE WASTE OIL TO HEAT YOUR FACILITY!
Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
®
1995/1995 | 12/12
ENERGY SYSTEMS The World Leader in Used-Oil Heating Systems
TAKU ENGINEERING William Mott, GM 406 W. Fireweed Ln. Anchorage, AK 99503 takuengineering.com billmott@takuengineering.com 907-562-1247 Taku Engineering is an Alaskan-owned and operated multi-discipline engineering firm dedicated to providing innovative engineering and corrosion control design solutions. Year Founded/Est. in Alaska | Worldwide/Alaska Employees:
– Burns waste oil – Generates more heat – Long service life
We are the exclusive distributor for Clean Burn waste oil heating equipment in Alaska. We carry a full range of Clean Burn Genuine OEM parts and offer sales, installation help, unit cleaning and return services.
2001/2001 | 15/15
Nenana Heating Services, Inc. Inc. PO Box 9 • Nenana, AK 99760
TAURIAINEN ENGINEERING & TESTING
(907) 832-5445 or (800) 478-5447 E-mail: NHSI@alaska.net cleanburn.com/nenana-heating
Mike Tauriainen, Principal Engineer 35186 Kenai Spur Hwy. Soldotna, AK 99669 www.akbizmag.com
Alaska Business
February 2021 | 73
ARCHITEC T URE & ENG INEERING DIREC TORY
STANTEC
T R A N S P O R TAT I O N
New Heights Innovation in the air and on the ground keeps Alaskans flying By Isaac Stone Simonelli
74 | February 2021
N
ecessity continues to drive innovation in Alaska’s aviation industry from COVID-19 protocols and expanded flight services to glass cockpits and FAA’s Visual Weather Observation System. In a state that’s 663,000 square miles with only 1,082 miles of highway, demand on the aviation industry to meet remote community needs is unparalleled. In 2020, the industry’s top concern was adjusting to COVID-19 to ensure employee and passenger safety.
Responding to COVID-19 At Alaska Airlines, this led to numerous changes, including the company roll out of contactless services, says Marilyn Romano, Alaska regional vice president for Alaska Airlines. “Sometimes a crisis can also help you accelerate things that were already on a priority list somewhere,” Romano says, referring to contactless travel, which allows passengers to do everything from booking to pre-ordering a cheese platter without ever having to physically hand someone a credit card. “To be able to get that moved to the top of the list, focused on safety, was actually exciting for us because it was an innovation that we really, really wanted to do,” Romano says. Before the pandemic, Alaska Airlines aircraft were already equipped with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, which cycle outside air into the plane, fully refreshing it every three minutes, Romano says. Even so, as part of its COVID-19 protocols, Alaska Airlines put in place mandatory mask and social distancing requirements, as well as made hand sanitizer packets available for passengers. “And then our enhanced cleaning,” Romano says. “We have those incredible teams that go on to our airplanes and do major touchpoint cleanings, and then we do electrostatic spraying.” While all of Alaska’s air carriers have now developed and implemented comprehensive cleaning plans, early in the pandemic accessing PPE and sanitation and cleaning supplies wasn’t easy for anyone, says Grant Aviation President Rob Kelley. “There was a period of time where hand sanitizer was pretty much impossible to come by, so we were producing it in house according to the World Health Organization [recommendations],” Vice President of Station Operations Cory Clark says. Adding to the period of frantic activity as local carriers scrambled to source supplies and update flight protocols to meet state and federal guidelines, Ravn—Alaska’s largest rural airline— grounded its fleet. Alaska’s no travel mandate took effect on March 28, and by April 2 Ravn had discontinued about Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com
90 percent of its operations, filing for bankruptcy on April 5. Ravn’s closure created a void for cargo and freight delivery that needed to be immediately addressed, despite passenger numbers hitting record lows and an industry already dealing with unprecedented challenges. Fortunately, other local carriers stepped in to ensure that remote communities continued to receive scheduled flights. “And a lot of times that's life sustaining medicine, food, and supplies,” Kelley says. “They can't go down to the local grocery store like you and I can. If they go somewhere, they’ve got to go by flight.” Grant Aviation, having seen warning flags prior to Ravn folding, was prepared to join with other local carriers to meet demand, Vice President of Operations Dan Knesek explains. So instead of parking part of its fleet due to low passenger numbers, Grant Aviation shifted gears, keeping its team employed and the state’s rural towns and villages safe and supplied as the pandemic continued to weave its way through Alaska.
A Safer Flight Throughout the year Grant Aviation continued to incorporate new aviation innovation into its business model. “A lot of the new aircraft being manufactured today won’t work in the environment that we have to fly in, which is small, short, skinny, gravel strips in the Bush of Alaska,” Knesek says. “What we've been doing is putting new innovations into our current fleet.” One significant change is the use of glass cockpits, which Knesek explains provides a “huge amount of safety to our pilots.” The system shows pilots a digitized view of the terrain around the plane and airport on a glass panel even when they’re in thick cloud cover. The company has also recently finished installing new autopilots and avionics in its King Air 200 aircraft and has spent the last eighteen months putting similar upgrades in the Cessna 208 Caravans. “With the new solid state servos and digital autopilot, we're seeing a huge increase in the aircraft reliability,” Knesek says. www.akbizmag.com
“Sometimes a crisis can also help you accelerate things that were already on a priority list somewhere.” Marilyn Romano, Regional Vice President, Alaska Airlines
Without an autopilot, Grant Aviation pilots can’t fly under the FAA’s instrument flight rules. This rules out flying in clouds and low inclement weather. “This is allowing us to be more
reliable and operate better during these winter months,” Knesek says. Operation and safety advances can be implemented both on and off the aircraft, Kelley and Knesek say, and some of the most important
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New Beginnings, New Horizons By Tasha Anderson Even before COVID-19 made business incredibly difficult for airlines across the world, Alaska’s regional air carriers were dealing with some turbulence. RavnAir grounding its fleet and subsequently filing for bankruptcy early in 2020 was a particularly harsh blow to many Alaska communities that depended on its services. But despite the challenges of the pandemic, Ravn Alaska and Rambler Air—both under new ownership—are eyeing the skies once again and gearing up to provide critical aviation services for Alaskans.
Rambler Air Ascent Global Logistics announced in November that it acquired Hageland Aviation Services, a Part 135 air carrier, which was founded in 1981 in Mountain Village and most recently operated as Ravn Connect. With the acquisition, in 2021 Ascent Global Logistics is launching Rambler Air, which will provide commuter flights and passenger and cargo charter. Rambler Air’s fleet will be comprised of eight Piper Chieftain Navajos and two Beechcraft 1900Ds and will be headquartered at Lake Hood in Anchorage. Ascent Global Logistics President and CEO Tom Stenglein says, “We enter Alaska with more than four decades of running USA Jet, a 121 and 135 certified airline, in the Lower 48 states. We look forward to bringing our track record of safety, operational excellence, and reliable service to Alaska.” And according to Rambler Air Director of Operation Luke Hickerson, the company is planning on creating up to forty-five professional aviation jobs in Alaska: “We have assembled a team of Alaska’s best in aviation with a passion for serving the unique transportation needs of our state. This is a market we are investing in for the long haul.”
Ravn Alaska In early August, CEO Rob McKinney and President Tom Hsieh purchased Ravn’s Part 121 airlines and associated assets and restarted Ravn Alaska operations in November 2020 in six Alaska communities: Anchorage, Dutch Harbor, Sand Point, Homer, Kenai, and Valdez. This past December, Ravn Alaska resumed daily flights from Anchorage to Fairbanks. Though new to the Alaska aviation industry, McKinney and Hsieh are both familiar with regional aviation services. Before taking over ownership and operations of Ravn Alaska, they operated FLOAT shuttle, a shuttle service that provided flights to commuters in Southern California. When COVID-19 grounded that service abruptly, the two looked at other opportunities. “Ravn seemed unique that there were some unique challenges to it, but it had some really good things going for it, too, that we thought it was just the perfect solution for us,” McKinney says. Revitalizing Ravn Alaska also spoke to the company’s desire to make a positive contribution in the community. “We saw how [those communities] were suffering with no air service whatsoever, and we thought we would be the ones that would come and resurrect a company for the right reasons— bring it back to life, make it be of service to people—versus maybe a private equity group that would just split it up for the parts and try to make money that way.” 76 | February 2021
aviation innovations in Alaska never take wing. For example, the FAA Weather Camera System put in place between 2007 and 2009 has had a significant impact on safety and reliability for smaller aircraft. “We installed 230 sites in Alaska, and during that time we worked with Canada to teach them our technology,” FAA Aviation Weather Cameras Program Manager Walter Combs says. “The program was actually funded, originally, by Ted Stevens, who recognized that aviation accidents in Alaska, a large majority of them, were actually weather related—and CFIT accidents, controlled flight into terrain, are almost always due to lack of visibility.” Though it was more common in the past, there are still many places in Alaska where pilots need to climb into their planes, take off to check out the weather, and determine if they can make it through the “pinch point.” These points, such as mountain passes, are places where the weather can change quickly and a pilot can start losing visibility. What weather cameras have brought to the table is the ability for pilots to check pinch points before taking to the air, Combs says. “They get online and they look and see what the pass looks like on their route,” he continues. “They can look at all the weather information along their route, as well as a whole host of aviation data information that we now provide on our website.” The website also includes data from Canadian camera systems. “We address the safety aspect of pilots flying into the clouds, but we're also addressing the efficiency: pilots aren’t flying seven round trips halfway up into the canal and back,” Combs says. “Safety and efficiency is our primary goal, and we're hitting those goals with the programs.”
New Tech Combs’ most recent project will impact at least 140 communities reliant on air travel in Alaska. The new technology is a Visual Weather Observing System (VWOS) that can be implemented in communities that don’t have an Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS).
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“In order for us to fly IFR [instrument flight rules] to a village, not only does it have to have an FAA approved instrument approach procedure but it also has to have an FAA approved weather reporting system,” Grant Aviation’s Knesek says. “The current systems that are out there cost millions and millions of dollars to install and maintain.” Without these expensive, certified AWOS setups providing certified weather reports to pilots, they are unable to fly into remote villages when there is heavy cloud cover or inclement weather. “The aviation industry has been quite vocal about, ‘We need more AWOS,’” Combs says. “The problem that we've got is the cost of the AWOS is so extreme that the agency just really can't afford to put new systems in.” The VWOS that Combs is testing and building would cost about 10 percent of what it costs to install and maintain an AWOS system. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 paved the way for this new technology. In 2017, Representative Don Young wrote the FAA asking that either it fund more AWOS in Alaska or eliminate the requirement for airports without the expensive device. In response, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 made it possible for an alternative system to provide “noncertified weather” to pilots operating in Alaska and Hawaii, Combs says. The weather camera systems’ weatherheads are missing three vital data points that pilots need for non-certified weather observations: ceiling, visibility, and pressure, Combs says. The VWOS system Combs is working on incorporates sensors on the weatherheads so the VWOS observation includes that data. “It will have all of the fields necessary for a pilot to make a flight decision under this new category of service called non-certified weather,” Combs says. The system is being designed specifically so pilots can remain in compliance with both the Reauthorization Act and the “AC 135-45-Use of Noncertified Weather Observations in Noncontiguous States” document. www.akbizmag.com
Though the system is set to be tested in four places in Alaska, it’s not yet ready to be rolled out at the 140 community airports without an AWOS in Alaska. “We're testing the usability, viability, the dependability, and accuracy of the VWOS system,” Combs says, noting that the team is also testing integrated self-check and self-validations systems that rely on new technology. However, working technology is only one aspect of a fully functioning system. “We also have to test and analyze and perfect the operators' use of our systems,” Combs says. “We want to demonstrate that our system is not just usable but that it supports all the needs of the pilot flying in, to, and out of these airports.” Despite the significantly lower price tag, funding remains one of the biggest hurdles the FAA needs to overcome to implement the system once it’s been proven, Combs says. Knesek and Kelley both point toward Combs’ VWOS system as a significant innovation in the industry on the cusp of coming to fruition. They also
look toward SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet system. “The way we're expecting it to be, it'll give us the ability to do so much more even at our bases but also with our planes in the air,” Kelley says. Kelley expects the system to allow ground operators to talk with pilots the entire time they’re flying. “We do not have that capability now. But with the signal coming from a satellite versus ground base, you don't have all the impediments to the connection, because it's coming from the sky rather than coming from all the rough terrain of Alaska,” Kelley says. Innovations in the aviation industry continue to take on many forms. Technology on the ground and in the air is complemented by advances in services and expansion of destinations to connect Alaskans in even the most rural parts of the state to Outside. “It's what we call innovation through necessity,” Combs says about his projects with the FAA. “There're heavy needs in Alaska… It's tough to travel here. It's tough to live here sometimes— you know, desperation and innovation go hand in hand.”
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Richard Armstrong
E N V I R O N M E N TA L
Hoarfrost, Permafrost, and Low Oxygen How the Arctic challenges engineers working on ice By Vanessa Orr 78 | February 2021
T
he Arctic’s harsh climate not only includes extreme variations in light and temperature but also extensive snow and ice cover, large areas of permafrost, and short working seasons. Parts of the area can be extremely fragile, requiring those who work there to take the utmost precautions when it comes to preserving the pristine environment. Development is limited in many ways: by the need to protect and preserve the unique ecosystem and by logistical challenges, including the lack of roads, ability to transport materials and equipment, and the exorbitant cost of doing business. For this reason, many companies choose to work with Arctic specialists who possess both an understanding of the landscape as well as invaluable experience in this demanding region.
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“To be an Arctic specialist, one has to have experience with cold climate means, methods, and materials applications in the Arctic, as well as an understanding of the logistics challenges,” explains Richard S. Armstrong, founder of RSA Engineering. “For village projects, this requires a knowledge of available technology, technicians, parts, and equipment, as well as understanding that simplicity in design and maintainability is essential for remote Arctic locations.”
Cold Climate Challenges Armstrong is well aware of the challenges facing those who work in Arctic environments; he commissioned projects in the Arctic for the National Science Foundation (NSF) at Summit, Greenland and here in Toolik. He’s also been involved in the plan review, construction inspection, and long-range planning of new projects for the US Antarctica Program, managed by NSF, at South Pole Station, McMurdo Station, Palmer Station, and other remote science facilities. Armstrong has also worked
on numerous power generation facilities throughout the North Slope Borough as well as aircraft fueling systems statewide. Through these projects, Armstrong has been involved in almost every aspect of cold climate monitoring and development, including permafrost melting forecasting and adjudication; solid and liquid waste disposal; and finding solutions to high-altitude, extreme cold impacts on equipment and combustion processes. “The South Pole is 9,200 feet above sea level and is covered in almost 10,000 feet of ice, which combine to cause significant low pressure problems; there is not enough oxygen in the air to provide good combustion,” Armstrong says. “The effect of having less oxygen on any combustion product, whether boilers, furnaces, or truck engines, is that they lose quite a bit of power at these higher altitudes.” He adds that understanding how combustion systems work in this atmosphere is imperative. “If there are air blockages because of hoarfrost, it’s serious; a boiler that is
“In both Greenland and Antarctica, there has been significant loss of ice. While these changes can be attributed to a number of different factors, global warming has contributed, at least in part, to issues including foundation degradation impacting buildings in permafrost thaw areas and the loss of structural integrity of roads, runways, and embankments due to thaw.” Richard S. Armstrong, Founder, RSA Engineering
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“Working in the Arctic involves costly mobilizations to remote sites for a very short working season, so data quality is of the utmost importance. Companies are basing their decisionmaking on environmental data, and they can’t just mobilize a drill rig back out to a remote site if data quality is compromised.” A team unloads a plane in Antarctica.
Rodney Guritz, Principal Chemist Arctic Data Services
Richard Armstrong
A ship delivers supplies to McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Richard Armstrong
starved for oxygen can start to produce carbon monoxide, which can cause a fire or result in carbon monoxide poisoning,” he says. “This is something that guys in Florida don’t worry about too much.” Solid and liquid waste disposal is also a concern as colder temperatures slow down decomposition. 80 | February 2021
Armstrong gives the example of Merrill Field in Anchorage, which was built on a landfill. “The landfill was capped with 8 million cubic yards of refuse in 1987, and it was expected that after twenty-five years, gas generation would stop,” he says. “That sucker is still generating methane.”
Armstrong says the development of more renewable sources of energy is better for the environment, and in turn, for projects built in colder climates. “The fewer combustion systems and liquid fuels the better because these things can create serious issues if they leak,” he explains. “With the advent of electric cars have come much improved battery systems, which provide more opportunities to harvest solar and wind energy and store it in batteries. This will be a big key to successfully harnessing energy in the Arctic.” Structural failures resulting from melting permafrost are also a huge concern when building in colder climes. In many places in western Alaska, for example, roads and runways are built on permafrost, which causes problems as the climate heats up. “Even at 31.5°F, you only have marginal permafrost, which melts like an ice cream cone,” says Armstrong. “As a result, structural capacity is lost and you have road erosion and foundation failures where houses sink into the ground.
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Richard Armstrong
“At a water and sewage treatment plant that was built on permafrost in the North Slope, the permafrost material started to melt even though it had a cooling system running under the floor,” he continues. “It got so bad the building had to be condemned.” To prevent these types of issues, professional engineers must take the Northern Design Course offered by the
University of Alaska as a prerequisite to getting their licenses. “This covers electrical, mechanical, civil, and environmental issues, because people who work here need to understand everything from combustion issues to the fact that oil doesn’t flow at certain temperatures,” says Armstrong. “That knowledge is part of what makes an Arctic specialist.”
In addition to the International Code Council family of codes with Alaska amendments, Arctic specialists must also understand cold climate alternatives (engineered solutions to situations that do not work if done in strict accordance with code). For example, on remote Antarctic projects, these can include everything from exiting systems
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At the year-round research station in Summit, Greenland, the “Big House” sits on the Greenland ice sheet amid temperatures that range from -31°F to 14°F. Richard Armstrong
An icebreaker at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Richard Armstrong
where snow drifting can block outward opening exit doors to alternate designs for combustion air inlets or alternate fire suppression systems for when prescribed water quantities are not available.
Protecting the Environment When working in a pristine environment, any work, from scientific testing and monitoring to facility development, needs to be approached with the utmost care. 82 | February 2021
“In the North Slope Borough and in Summit Station in Greenland, one of the biggest concerns is to avoid contaminating the soil,” says Armstrong. “In areas where scientists are studying the atmosphere, you have to watch the wind direction to make sure to position combustion items in a way that they won’t contaminate the air sampling stations.” In the South Pole, areas are out laid out in zones, he explains, including a quiet sector, clean air sector, and dark
sector. “You have to really think through where you position things relative to the science that is going on,” he says. “For example, when a C-130 aircraft comes in on skis, it has to come from and depart from a certain direction so as not to contaminate the air sampling ports at air testing facilities.” Testing itself is difficult; when scientists were mapping Antarctica, they wanted to see if there was any life in the streams that ran 10,000 feet under the ice. “One of the main challenges was making sure that when they penetrated the aquifer, they didn’t introduce any contaminants,” says Armstrong. “They had to take extra care to sterilize the hot water drills they were using and to make sure that they were using pure water that didn’t have any diesel or other contaminants in it. “They also started drilling in the area where the subsurface water would be flowing out into the ocean and worked backwards toward the core of the continent so that if there was an environmental accident, it would only affect the water going downstream,” he adds. Development in the Arctic requires following the science, and the need for
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“To be an Arctic specialist, one has to have experience with cold climate means, methods, and materials applications in the Arctic, as well as an understanding of A tent camp at Summit Station in Greenland, where one of the biggest concerns is avoiding soil contamination.
the logistics challenges. For
Richard Armstrong
village projects, this requires
accurate data can’t be underestimated. “Working in the Arctic involves costly mobilizations to remote sites for a very short working season, so data quality is of the utmost importance,” says Rodney Guritz, a principal chemist at Arctic Data Services, which provides third-party chemistry and data quality consulting services to environmental contractors. “Companies are basing their decision-making on environmental data, and they can’t just mobilize a drill rig back out to a remote site if data quality is compromised.
“Collecting high quality data requires detailed planning, careful sample collection, understanding of remote logistics for shipping those samples, and high-quality lab work,” he continues. He adds that when it comes to laboratory work, there is often a direct relationship between quality and cost, and paying for higher-quality data is well worth it considering the high cost of collecting samples in the Arctic. Arctic Data Services is involved in numerous site remediation projects
a knowledge of available technology, technicians, parts and equipment, as well as understanding that simplicity in design and maintainability is essential for remote Arctic locations.” Richard S. Armstrong, Founder, RSA Engineering
A Land of Opportunity We met Alaska on Yakataga Beach, where we drilled our first well in 1925. A century later, Alaska continues to prove itself to be a land of abundant opportunities. As one of Alaska’s Top 3 oil producers, we ensure delivery of safe, reliable energy by providing jobs to Alaskans and constantly seeking new avenues for collaboration. Cheers to another 100 years.
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Richard Armstrong at the National Science Foundation’s South Pole Station. Richard Armstrong
Six Tips for Emails and Newsletters
E
mail. Love it or hate it! The massive flow of email traffic can feel overwhelming and sometimes leaves me feeling ambivalent and stupefied. Here are six tips to help make your emails and newsletters more “Open-Worthy!” Make sure your emails and e-newsletters are mobile-friendly —That means making sure whoever reads your email or e-newsletter can do it on any device, which is anything smaller than a monitor you use in your office. Avoid sending from your generic company email address — Make sure your emails are personal and come from a real human... not info@yourcompany. com or whatever generic address your company uses. Be CAN-SPAM compliant - The fourletter uninvited email word —SPAM — is never a good marketing strategy. There
By Christine Merki, Account Manager
are rules for commercial messaging and the CAN-SPAM Act outlines what you can and can’t do. SPAM is viewed as uninvited, unimportant, and often offensive. Use yourself as the reference point: if you wouldn’t open it or if it’s uninteresting to you, chances are a potential customer or existing client won’t click on it either. Consider the value of the subject line — Keep your subject lines short, clever but not trite, persuasive, and to the point. Use a reputable email provider — There are several email marketing automation platforms to choose from. Do your homework to find out which one will work best for you, your marketing objectives, and your company. Be human and helpful — Every email must have a point to it and every email should be helpful in some way to the
recipient. Try adding an email forwarding option, use hyperlinks and call-to-action buttons when appropriate, and don’t buy email addresses. Christine has worked in Anchorage media for almost 20 years. Her writing talents have earned her top honors as a recipient of the Alaska Broadcasters Association Goldie Awards. Her sales and marketing skills have helped countless clients connect with their target audience to achieve annual goals. She unapologetically lures clients in with her homemade raspberry jam and lives with her salmon slaying beau and a ferocious cat named Maggie.
CHRISTINE MERKI
907-257-2911 | cmerki@akbizmag.com
– SPO N S O R E D C O N T E N T–
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for the Department of Defense and participates in site assessment, characterization, and cleanup projects, all of which require a large amount of sampling and data collection. Despite the fact that quality data is so important to understanding remote locales, the lack of access and expense can sometimes limit what studies are done. “Unfortunately, due to cost and location, remote areas don’t always get the attention they deserve,” says Guritz. “While there ought to be as much data collected at remote or rural contaminated sites as there is at sites around Fairbanks or Anchorage, on the whole, that’s generally not the case.” And while the science is important, there are other considerations to take into account as well. “The measure of success isn’t always quantitative,” Guritz explains. “When you’re working in rural Alaska with Native communities, qualitative measures, such as community support and buyin on a project, are super important as well.”
Changing Times Call for Collaboration
collaborate on projects that impact this unique ecosystem. “As part of the NSF projects, I’ve been doing reviews of other people’s design work and have found that collaboration is key,” says Armstrong. “Working with others and asking, ‘Did you think about doing it this way?’ and explaining the reasons why goes a long way to getting where you need to be and allows everyone to fully understand the impacts of a project. “The North Slope Borough does a lot of that, and more sophisticated private companies also do a peer review during development of designs,” he adds. “You pick up a lot of good ideas that way.” Bringing the expertise of Arctic specialists to the table adds a unique point of view that can help save time, money, and the environment. “There are quite a few firms in Alaska that are working in Antarctica and the Arctic, and we live and breathe this environment,” says Armstrong. “Bringing cold climate experts to the table is a good way to avoid mistakes.”
The Arctic is at the forefront of climate change as the pace of warming is more than double that of elsewhere in the world. Not only is this affecting the environment through coastal erosion and sea ice melt, but Arctic communities are increasingly dealing with relatively new issues like crumbling infrastructure from melting permafrost and destructive wildfires. “In both Greenland and Antarctica, there has been significant loss of ice,” says Armstrong. “While these changes can be attributed to a number of different factors, global warming has contributed, at least in part, to issues including foundation degradation impacting buildings in permafrost thaw areas and the loss of structural integrity of roads, runways, and embankments due to thaw.” One of the best ways to protect the Arctic is for those who work in the area, from environmental services companies and engineering firms to developers and scientists, to
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OIL & GAS
ExxonMobil’s North Slope Legacy By Julie Stricker
I
to have oil seeps and Alaska Natives had burned tarry lumps of sand for generations. Then-President Warren G. Harding set aside an Indianasized chunk of land in 1923 as Naval Petroleum Reserve 4, now the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Drilling was slow and arduous, until one of the workers tested a pressure valve—and the gas erupted from the pipe so strongly that the crew ignited a 50-foot flare. The following March, the companies confirmed the presence of oil, lots of oil. It was a major turning point for Alaska—and Humble Oil, which in 1972 officially adopted the name Exxon, was on the ground floor. By this time, however, the companies—Standard Oil, Esso, and Humble—that became Exxon had been active in Alaska’s oil and gas industry for more than half a century, operating under a variety of names.
In 1921, Exxon predecessor General Petroleum opened its first field office in Anchorage. At the time, Anchorage was slowly emerging from its roots as a dusty, muddy tent community near the mouth of Ship Creek where the Alaska Railroad was headquartered. It wasn’t the most appealing community, with many of its early residents leaving to serve in World War I or in search of greener pastures after construction of the railroad was completed. The city was incorporated on November 23, 1920, with a population of about 1,850 residents. But there were much bigger things on the horizon.
AlbertoLoyo | iStock
n 1963, several major oil companies braved bone-chilling winds and blizzard conditions to drill exploratory wells on the North Slope, coming up with dry hole after dry hole after dry hole and burning money along the way. By 1967, only ARCO (Atlantic Richfield Company) and Humble Oil & Refining Co. were left. After much debate, crews moved the sole drill rig to Prudhoe Bay. Petroleum geologist Tom Marshall chose the area as part of Alaska’s 100 million acre land holdings after statehood because it reminded him of Wyoming oil basins. The 1964 selection of that chunk of frozen tundra drew skepticism from many, but Alaska’s North Slope had long been known
86 | February 2021
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‘On the Map’ By now, Alaska was on the map for oil and gas potential, with natural seeps reported at Katalla, southeast of present-day Cordova, and the north side of Controller Bay in 1896. Alaska’s first commercial oil production was in Katalla in 1902. Small-scale production continued in the area until 1933, when the local refinery was damaged by fire and the site was abandoned. In 1925, General Petroleum drilled its first well at Yakataga Beach, located on the north shore of the Gulf of Alaska about midway between present-day Cordova and Icy Bay. The area was promising, US Geological Survey geologists wrote in 1925, but likely only for shallow wells, under 1,200 feet, with small production of just 15 to 25 barrels, with deeper drilling a possibility. “The cost of test drilling will probably be three times that of similar work in California because of the remoteness of the field, the physical difficulties of getting drilling material on the ground, camp and road construction, and the importing of skilled men,” the geologists’ report says. It continues, saying the “rapid exhaustion of the world’s store of petroleum and the steadily increasing demand for a diminishing product give an important aspect to these undeveloped oil fields.” In 1958, an in-house General Petroleum publication quoted one of the members of the Yakataga Beach drilling crew as saying the area was “where wonderful things happen and where men are men and hardships are taken with a smile.” The harsh conditions endured by the Yakataga Beach expedition led to years of stories. One of the original expedition members was Jack Samuelson, who recalled just how hard it was to even get to the site. “Under a chilly moon and a freezing wind, the party left Yakutat headed for Icy Bay, a very appropriate name for the place,” the General Petroleum story goes. “After a night of bad weather and every man willing to contribute his part to the feeding of the fish, morning found us heading www.akbizmag.com
into a bay completely covered with icebergs, little ones and others bigger than skyscrapers. “This was in the first part of May and we were locked out by the ice, with the only hope that a westerly wind and an outgoing tide would scatter the ice so that a few leads could be found where the strong little craft and the scow she was towing would be able to wiggle into Mud Bay to unload the freight and men.” They finally straggled to shore and landed with tractors and oil field
equipment, only to have to send the boat back to Yakutat repeatedly until the hundreds of tons of equipment needed for the next two years to drill an exploratory well were in place. After all that, the 2,005-foot Sullivan No. 1 well was a dry hole.
Becoming ExxonMobil In 1926, General Petroleum was purchased by Standard Oil of New York. It was a pattern that persisted over the next several decades as geologists scoured the state, including Cook Inlet,
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the Alaska Peninsula, Norton Sound, Yukon Flats, Beaufort Sea, and the North Slope, looking for oil after Middle Eastern countries nationalized their oil industries. Drilling on the Alaska Peninsula, the Kenai Peninsula, and the first efforts on the North Slope all came up dry. In 1955/1956, Humble Oil drilled a 14,375-foot exploration well at Bear Creek on the Alaska Peninsula but did not find commercial quantities of oil. In 1965, Mobil made a significant discovery at Granite Point, an offshore site in Cook Inlet, about 50 miles southwest of Anchorage. By 1968, it had a total of seven producing wells on its offshore platform, with a total production of 24,000 barrels per day. The company noted that the first shipment of crude oil from its Alaska holdings arrived in Los Angeles on August 8, 1967, and oil was soon regularly transported from the Drift River Terminal to Mobil ’s Los Angeles refinery. In 1958, General Petroleum held leases on 50,000 acres on the Kenai Peninsula and another 50,000 near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River. Then came the strike at Prudhoe Bay, which changed the fortunes of thenHumble Oil—and much, much more. The 1989 oil spill from the Exxon Valdez tanker in Prince William Sound marked a low point, spilling more than 250,000 barrels of crude oil. Nearly 11,000 people participated in the cleanup effort and Exxon spent more than $4.3 billion, including compensatory payments, cleanup costs, settlements, and fines. In the aftermath, the company overhauled its operational systems to prevent future incidents. In 1999, after merger with Mobil Oil, what is now ExxonMobil has become one of the top three producers of oil in Alaska and holds huge gas reserves on the North Slope. It is a multinational oil and gas corporation, headquartered in Irving, Texas, and the largest direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil, according to the company. With an estimated 60 percent of Alaska’s oil and gas resources at Prudhoe Bay, and many new discoveries in recent years, 88 | February 2021
ExxonMobil continues to invest in drilling wells and looking for new ways to enhance the recovery of oil and gas, extend the life of the fields, and increase production. According to US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management estimates from 2016, there are 50 billion technically recoverable oil-equivalent barrels yet to be discovered in Alaska. Seventy percent of its workers and contractors live in Alaska. “These resources, including 25 trillion cubic feet of known natural gas resources at Prudhoe Bay, Point Thomson, and other fields, could help meet Alaska’s in-state energy needs and could bring commercial volumes to the broader marketplace for generations to come,” according to ExxonMobil.
Recent Efforts Today, ExxonMobil is the largest working interest owner at Prudhoe Bay, which is operated by Hilcorp Alaska. Since production began, Prudhoe Bay has produced more than 12 billion barrels of oil. ExxonMobil also is a co-venturer in the Endicott oil field, about eight miles east of Prudhoe Bay in the Beaufort Sea, also operated by Hilcorp. Endicott was discovered in 1978 and is located 2.5 miles offshore; it includes two manmade islands for drilling and production. The first, the Endicott Main Production Island, began operating in 1987 as the first offshore Beaufort Sea production system. It is linked to the mainland by an above-ground pipeline that connects to the Trans Alaska Pipeline. The company also has a stake in the Kuparuk Unit, operated by ConocoPhillips. Discovered in 1969 west of the Prudhoe Bay unit, the Kuparuk River Unit is the secondlargest oil field in North America, according to ExxonMobil. It began producing in 1981 and includes more than 800 wells, three processing centers, 600 miles of surface pipeline, forty-one drill sites, and other operations facilities. ExxonMobil is also a co-venturer in the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), which spans more than 800 miles from the North Slope oil fields to tidewater
at Valdez. TAPS includes the 360mile haul road, eight pump stations, a pressure-relief station, and the Valdez oil terminal. The pipeline cost more than $9 billion to build in the ‘70s and remains an engineering marvel. More than 17 billion barrels of oil have moved through it since startup on June 20, 1977. One major focus today is ExxonMobil ’s Point Thomson operation, midway between Prudhoe Bay and the village of Kaktovik on the edge of the Beaufort Sea. ExxonMobil estimates the Point Thomson reservoir holds an estimated 8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 200 million barrels of natural gas condensate—about a quarter of known gas resources on the North Slope. The field was discovered in 1977, but with no dedicated gas pipeline and the nearest infrastructure miles away, development was slow. In 2006, then-Governor Frank Murkowski sued ExxonMobil over the delays and a protracted legal battle ended with a settlement in 2012. Four years and $4 billion later, Point Thomson went into production. It can produce up to 10,000 barrels per day of natural gas condensate—a high-quality hydrocarbon similar to kerosene or diesel—which is transported by a 22mile pipeline to TAPS. The company has been working with the closest Alaska Native village to Point Thomson, Kaktovik, and the North Slope Borough since 2008 on topics such as site design, location, and operations. ExxonMobil also helped Kaktovik establish the Kaktovik Community Foundation. Its initial donation was used in part to develop a community ice cellar. The company has also taken steps to minimize its development’s impacts on polar bears, which are common along the Beaufort Coast. According to ExxonMobil, “With our Alaskan partners, the ongoing work and investments in Point Thomson are also laying the foundation for future gas development. Alaska has the opportunity to become a global natural gas leader. We are excited to be contributing to the next chapter in Alaska’s energy legacy.”
Alaska Business www.akbizmag.com
NEW POSSIBILITIES The economic potential of the Arctic is vast, but envisioning a future with abundant opportunities can feel like a dream. The reality is that the next generation of Arctic people could be working in alternative energy, tourism and technology. Change is the only constant and it’s coming to our communities. We need to educate, imagine, innovate and explore. We must develop new opportunities to expand the economy like our future depends on it — because it does.
Our voice . Our v i s ion .
voiceofthearcticinupiat.org
INSIDE ALASKA BUSINESS Talkeetna Alaska Teleport | OneWeb OneWeb has restarted ground station activities at Microcom’s Talkeetna Alaska Teleport. This marks the beginning of many critical steps necessary to initiate beta testing of the OneWeb system. Although this constellation will provide worldwide broadband service, terminal beta testing and beta testing with customers throughout the state will soon follow. Pacific Dataport and OneWeb are working together to deliver broadband to 100 percent of Alaska communities starting in 2021. Pacific Dataport’s founder, Microcom, has invested millions and built the Talkeetna Alaska Teleport for OneWeb’s regional connection to the internet. alaskateleport.com | oneweb.world
ASTAC Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative turned up three new 4G LTE sites recently, making it the first telecommunications company to bring wireless coverage to the northern reaches of the Dalton Highway where no other coverage had existed previously. These sites will improve safety and connectivity along the remote, 414-mile critical Alaska corridor for both ASTAC and AT&T wireless customers. ASTAC has plans to turn up three additional sites on the Dalton Highway in 2021. astac.net
DHSS Governor Mike Dunleavy has directed the Alaska Department of Law to draft an executive
order reorganizing the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services into two distinct executive branch departments: the Alaska Department of Health and the Alaska Department of Family and Community Services. This reorganization will streamline and improve the delivery of critical programs and services while creating more flexibility and responsiveness in both departments resulting in improved outcomes. dhss.alaska.gov
Travel Juneau Travel Juneau launched Juneau Cares, a program designed to align Juneau visitor businesses in reopening Juneau’s visitor economy responsibly. “We recognize the need to grow confidence among locals and guests while fulfilling our mission to market Juneau responsibly to independent travelers and meeting planners,” says Travel Juneau’s President and CEO Liz Perry, who also notes the important role that the City and Borough of Juneau played in providing CARES Act funding. traveljuneau.com
Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines has reached an agreement in principle with Boeing to restructure the airline in preparation of receipt of a total of sixty-eight Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft with options for an additional fifty-two planes. Alaska is scheduled to receive thirteen planes in 2021; thirty in 2022; thirteen in 2023; and twelve in 2024. The delivery schedule will largely replace Alaska’s Airbus fleet
and moves the airline substantially toward a single, mainline fleet that’s more efficient, profitable, and environmentally friendly, while enhancing guest experience and supporting company growth. alaskaair.com
Sealaska Heritage Institute Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has sent 1,300 learning kits to middle school students in six communities enrolled in its Opening the Box: STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education program. The boxes, known as “Maker Kits,” were delivered to middle schools in Angoon, Sitka, Hoonah, Wrangell, Klawock, and Juneau. They are meant to help children learn basic fundamentals of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math in a hands-on, engaging way that incorporates Indigenous stories, Northwest Coast art, cultures, and languages. sealaskaheritage.org
Harvest Alaska Harvest Alaska completed its acquisition of BP Pipelines (Alaska) Inc.’s midstream ownership interests on December 18, following approval by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska on December 14. Harvest immediately acquired BP’s approximately 49 percent interest in the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) and 49 percent of Alyeska Service Company and other Alaska midstream interests. Alyeska will continue to operate the pipeline as it has for decades. harvestmidstream.com
ECONOMIC INDIC ATOR S ANS Crude Oil Production 499,074 barrels -2% change from previous month
ANS West Coast Crude Oil Prices $51.28 per barrel 8% change from previous month
Statewide Employment 356,191 Labor Force 8.1% Unemployment
1/4/2021 Source: Alaska Department of Natural Resources
1/4/2021 Source: Alaska Department of Natural Resources
11/1/2021. Adjusted seasonally. Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development
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RIGHT MOVES Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt Kayla Tanner joined Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt’s Anchorage office in its natural resources, real estate, and construction Tanner industry groups. She advises on matters involving disputes, employment, and benefit issues affecting her clients in the real estate, construction, and natural resource industries. As a practiced litigator, Tanner pursues her clients’ interests in lease, contract, employment, and property damage claims.
Northrim Bank Northrim Bank announced the promotion of Blake Rod to AVP—Branch Manager at the Lake Otis Community Branch; Ian Sikeo to Assistant Branch Manager at the Eastside Community Branch; and Kevin Anderson to Corporate Training Manager. Rod has been with Northrim Bank since 2018. He holds a bachelor’s in business management from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Rod Rod is the coordinator for Northrim’s School Business Partnership at Fairview Elementary School in Anchorage. Sikeo joined Northrim in 2010 and worked as lead teller, universal banker, and branch supervisor before being promoted to assistant Sikeo branch manager. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a minor in computer science from Charter
College. Sikeo was awarded the Northrim Customer First Service Award in 2020 and has received the US Army Good Conduct Medal. He served in the US Army and US Army National Guard. Anderson joined Northrim Bank in 2019 with six years of experience in the financial industry. He holds a bachelor’s in psychology from UAA. Anderson
R&M R&M Consultants has expanded its Fairbanks service offerings to include land surveying with the addition of Craig Knight as a Senior Land Knight Surveyor. In his new role in the geomatics department, Knight works as a project manager and lead surveyor responsible for collecting, processing, and mapping survey data. He also manages surveying and mapping projects in accordance with current standards of practice. Knight has twenty-six years of experience surveying areas such as public lands, construction staking, oil and gas well plats, ground penetrating RADAR, utility locating, and 3D-scanning.
Architects Alaska Architects Alaska announced the addition of three new team members in 2020. Bill Zamora joined the company as an Architectural Designer and brings more than nineteen years of design and construction Zamora administration experience.
In his new role, Zamora provides design and production support. Michael Castro joined the firm as a Project Manager and Castro is responsible for successful and collaborative project completion. He has more than twenty-five years of experience, previously working at firms in Alaska, California, Kansas, and, most recently, Oregon. Architects Alaska brought Laurel Green on board as a Financial Controller. She brings more than seven years of experience to the Green company and holds a master’s in international business logistics. In this position, Green oversees all financial and accounting operations for the Anchorage, Wasilla, and Montana offices.
Eklutna, Inc. Kyle Foster is Eklutna, Inc.’s new CEO. Foster joined the Eklutna team as general manager in July 2020. As CEO he leads the parent company, Foster providing leadership and working with the senior management teams of Eklutna’s subsidiaries. Foster received his bachelor’s in international business from Seattle Pacific University and his master’s in business administration from West Texas A&M University.
US Coast Guard Station Ketchikan Petty Officer 2nd Class Alta Jones, a boatswain’s mate at Station Ketchikan, has been meritoriously advanced to
RIGHT MOVES IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY NORTHERN AIR CARGO
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Petty Officer 1st Class in recognition of her outstanding contributions and accomplishments both on and off duty. Jones Jones was recognized for exceptional proficiency while conducting Coast Guard operations and responding to a 250-ton vessel dragging an anchor. After arriving on scene and overcoming 115-mph winds, she was able to safely maneuver the much larger vessel into an area of safety, ultimately preventing a major pollution incident and saving the two lives aboard. Additionally, Jones was recognized for performing duties well beyond her normal paygrade and filling critical leadership vacancies at Station Ketchikan.
Municipality of Anchorage Anna Henderson is the new Municipal Manager for the Municipality of Anchorage. Henderson has served the municipality for fourteen Henderson years, most recently as deputy municipal manager. She previously worked as general manager of ML&P, where she led all aspects of utility business and was instrumental in the municipality’s lengthy and complex effort to sell ML&P to Chugach Electric. Henderson is a graduate of UAA with a bachelor’s in business administration.
ASRC Energy Services Aaron Holmen has been promoted to Vice President of Finance at ASRC Energy Services (AES). Since joining the company in March 2019 Holmen as its director of financial planning and analysis, Holmen has led
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the budgeting, forecasting, long-term planning, implementation, and business strategic analysis of the financial team. Prior to AES, he worked as the group controller at Furie Operating Alaska and was controller/business analyst for Schlumberger’s drilling group and other business lines in Alaska and Colorado. Prior to this, Holmen worked as an audit manager at KPMG in Minneapolis. He holds a CPA license and obtained his bachelor’s in finance and accounting from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.
UA CED Margo Fliss recently became the third certified Strategic Doing Workshop Instructor in Alaska. As the Manager of Strategic Fliss Engagement at the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development (UA CED), Fliss leads planning sessions for clients across the state. She holds a master’s in public policy from Mills College and a bachelor’s in political science and government from UAF. She earned her Foundations in Design Thinking certification from IDEO in 2018 and currently serves on the boards of the University Economic Development Association and thread Alaska.
Dorsey & Whitney Anchorage attorney Bonnie J. Paskvan has been promoted to partner at Dorsey & Whitney. Paskvan’s legal practice includes complex Paskvan commercial, M&A, board governance, corporate compliance, regulatory, finance, and other transactional matters within a variety of industries. She
Alaska Business
has significant experience working with Alaska Native corporations and currently serves as co-chair of Dorsey’s firm-wide Indian & Alaska Native Law Practice Group. Prior to joining Dorsey in 2018, Paskvan was general counsel for Anchorage-based Calista Corporation.
Tlingit & Haida The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska announced the hire of Nathan Soboleff as Grants Soboleff and Resources Director. In this role, Soboleff manages the newly formed Grants and Resources department which aims to implement an organizational strategy that centralizes Tlingit & Haida’s grant processes; actively identifies viable funding opportunities that support program expansion and align with the Tribe’s mission, vision, and goals; works with Tlingit & Haida's administration and management teams; and researches, writes, and coordinates the grant application process in addition to providing postaward grant reporting and compliance support. Soboleff has a bachelor’s in natural resource management from Oregon State University and a master’s in fisheries management from UAF. He has more than fifteen years of professional experience in grant writing and grants management including more than eight years procuring grant-based budgets for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Wildlife Conservation and Bartlett Regional Hospital. Soboleff was born and raised in Juneau and is a father to three children. Outside of work, he enjoys fishing, hunting, and going out on the water with his family and friends.
February 2021 | 93
ALASKA TRENDS
Y
ou probably already know this, but STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. And you’ve probably also heard that careers in STEM provide some of the most lucrative opportunities in the state of Alaska. But did you know that by 2029, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will be 797,800 new STEM jobs in the United States? This is a projected growth rate of 8 percent, compared to the non-STEM occupation growth rate of 3.4 percent. At its core, the aim of STEM education is to develop the next wave of problem solvers and critical thinkers. These are the engineers, the architects, and other lovers of mathematics that ensure Alaska’s bridges are sturdy—and our economy sturdier.
8% Projected Growth by 2029
9.7 Million STEM Jobs in 1990
17.3 Million STEM Jobs in 2018
17.3+ Million Jobs Employment in STEM occupations has grown 79% since 1990, from 9.7 million to 17.3 million nationwide. These occupations include computer, math, engineering, and architecture. STEM careers also include physical and life scientists and health-related jobs such as healthcare practitioners and technicians.
Nationally, STEM occupations are projected to grow by 8 percent by 2029 compared to non-STEM occupations, projected to grow by 3.4 percent. (US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
(Pew Research Center)
797,800 New Jobs
2.2% vs 5.5% Unemployment
In total, it is estimated there will be 797,800 new STEM jobs in the United States by 2029.
Nationally, the STEM unemployment rate is 2.2% while the non-STEM unemployment rate is 5.5%.
(US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
(Education Commission of the States)
3 in 10
High School or less Some College
Overall, about three-in-ten STEM workers report having completed an associate degree or have some college education but no degree.
BA Degree Postgrad
(Pew Research Center)
5x Faster
STEM 7% 28% 36% Non-STEM 37%
31%
29%
21% 12%
US jobs that demand technical training are growing 5 times faster than those that don’t. (National Math & Science Initiative)
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$33,000
High School or less
Higher Income
$45,569
STEM workers enjoy a pay advantage compared with non-STEM workers with similar levels of education.
$40,505
Some College
$54,745
The STEM Advantage in ALASKA STEM workers in Alaska earn an average of $73,000 a year, $28,000 more per year on average than non-STEM workers.
$55,695 Bachelor's degree
(Alaska Department of Labor)
$75,948 Non-STEM Income STEM Income
$67,847
Master's degree
Non-STEM Worker in Alaska STEM Worker in Alaska
$91,137
Professional/ doctoral degree
$91,242 $120,000
(Pew Research Center)
24x2
$39 vs. $19 Wage
Licensed Engineers in Alaska must complete 24 hours of professional development every 2 years. (Alaska State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers & Land Surveyors)
The median hourly wage for STEM jobs in the United States is $38.85 per hour ($86,980 annually), compared to $19.30 for all other jobs. (Education Commission of the States)
Specialties Engineering specialties in Alaska Agricultural Chemical Civil Control Systems Electrical Environmental Fire Protection Industrial www.akbizmag.com
Mechanical Metallurgical and Mineral Processing Naval Architecture and Marine Nuclear Petroleum Structural (Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development)
Alaska Business
Cold Climate Course An Arctic Engineering class is required to be a licensed Engineer or Architect in Alaska. February 2021 | 95
AT A GLANCE What book is currently on your nightstand? Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. What cause or charity are you passionate about? Education. It’s not a charity per se, although some teachers might beg to differ with the salaries they make [he laughs]. What vacation spot is on your bucket list? My wife and I and our kids have traveled a lot, but I would like to go to Italy. If you could domesticate a wild animal, what animal would it be?
Images ©Kerry Tasker
There’s a whole bunch of ravens that have been hanging around my office recently, and ravens are really cool. I don’t know that I would want to cage a bird, but I am intrigued by them.
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OFF THE CUFF
Jim Campbell J
im Campbell is the CEO of PND Engineers— and a firm believer that anyone living in
Alaska should visit Hawai’i at least two or three times a year. Campbell has been building bridges and cultivating relationships in Alaska for twenty-five years—something he credits largely to the listening skills he has learned from his perfect wife, Eileen. At the end of the day, his favorite part of the job is working with people. Alaska Business: What do you do in your free time? Jim Campbell: Who has free time [he laughs]? Well, I do like to ski, ride bikes, travel, and hike. Anchorage is great for crosscountry—it’s fantastic. AB: Is there a skill you’re currently developing or have always wanted to learn? Campbell: I think that probably working on my golf game sometime here in the next couple decades might be on the list. I’ve never been a golfer, but it is amusing. AB: What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done? Campbell: Not too long after my wife and I got married, she was seven months pregnant and we were remodeling the house and I tore the floor out of our one bathroom. I was remodeling it and had to tear up the entire subfloor because it was all rotten. She was seven months pregnant and the bathroom had no floor in it and you just had to balance on the floor joists as you went to the tub or the toilet or the sink. She kept a good humor about it. AB: What is your favorite local restaurant? Campbell: I really love Middle Way Café. I love Snow City. I love Campobello and the Hearth. Anchorage has a lot of good places. www.akbizmag.com
AB: Other than your current career, if you were a kid today, what would your dream job be? Campbell: I think every job has tradeoffs; they all have good parts and they have downsides. That’s a tough question. I think being a teacher could be really satisfying but having to deal with administrators and irate parents could be frustrating. I think that my natural inclination is to be a builder. And of course, who wouldn’t want to be ski patrol? AB: Dead or alive, who would you like to see perform live in concert? Campbell: Recently I’ve been listening to a bunch of Amy Winehouse—she’s fantastic. She probably would be really fun to see. But honestly, I shouldn’t single out anyone… there would be a hundred others on the list. AB: What’s your greatest extravagance? Campbell: These days if you have to go to the doctor for anything, it sure feels like an extravagance when you get the bill [he laughs]. But I guess if I’m at the grocery store, I don’t pay attention to the prices—if I want a good steak: I don’t even look. I just buy it. AB: What’s your best attribute and worst attribute? Campbell: I always want to joke—I don’t know if you watch The Office with Steve Carell—but there’s that joke “I care too much.” And we always joke in my household that I care too much. But I guess one good thing, and I wasn’t always this way, but over thirty-plus years of being married to my wife, she really has taught me to listen better and not to interrupt.
Alaska Business
February 2021 | 97
ADVERTISERS INDEX 3-Tier Alaska........................................... 29 3tieralaska.com
Michael Baker International...............27 mbakerintl.com
Ravn Alaska............................................... 11 RavnAlaska.com
Crowley Alaska Inc................................75 crowley.com/ab
Matanuska Telephone Association (MTA)...........................................................33 mtasolutions.com
SeaTac Marine.........................................57 seatacmarine.com
Delta Constructors................................87 deltaconstructors.net
NANA Regional Corp............................19 nana.com
Alaska529.................................................... 7 Alaska529Plan.com
Design Alaska..........................................59 designalaska.com
Nenana Heating Services Inc............73 nenanaheatingservices.net
Alaska Communications.......................3 acsalaska.com
ExxonMobil.............................................. 83 exxonmobil.com
New Horizons Telecom Inc...............41 nhtiusa.com
Alaska Mergers & Acquisitions LLC.................................... 98 fink@alaska.net
First National Bank Alaska (FNBA)...........................................................5 fnbalaska.com
NORTECH - ARCTOS Alaska.............81 nortechengr.com
Alaska PTAC..............................................25 ptacalaska.org
Fountainhead Hotels............................12 fountainheadhotels.com
Altman Rogers & Co............................. 71 altrogco.com
Great Originals Inc................................ 71 greatoriginals.com
Anchorage Sand & Gravel.................. 43 anchsand.com
HDL Consulting Engineers LLC........59 hdlalaska.com
Bettisworth North................................. 45 bettisworthnorth.com
Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company...................................................63 hecla-mining.com
Ahtna Solutions, LLC............................ 49 ahtnasolutions.com Airport Equipment Rentals (AER)........................................................... 99 airportequipmentrentals.com
Carlile Transportation Systems........................................................9 carlileconnect.com
Construction Machinery Industrial (CMI)..........................................2 cmiak.com
IBEW Local 1547.....................................22 alaskaelectricalapprenticeship.org
Central Environmental Inc. (CEI).............................................................79 cei-alaska.com
Kinross Fort Knox.................................. 24 fb.kinross.com
Coffman Engineers.............................. 69 coffman.com
Lynden Inc............................................. 100 lynden.com
Conrad-Houston Insurance Agency...................................................... 85 chialaska.com
Material Flow & Conveyor Systems Inc..............................................23 akflow.com
Northern Air Cargo........................92, 93 nac.aero Northrim Bank.........................................15 northrim.com Novagold Resources Inc..................... 17 novagold.com Oxford Assaying & Refining Inc..............................................77 oxfordmetals.com Pacific Pile & Marine.............................91 pacificpile.com Parker Smith & Feek..............................65 psfinc.com PDC Inc. Engineers...............................67 pdceng.com
SLR Alaska.................................................53 slrconsulting.com Society For Marketing Professional Services – Alaska....................................67 smpsalaska.org Span Alaska Transportation LLC................................31 spanalaska.com Stantec.......................................................53 stantec.com The Plans Room.....................................25 theplansroom.com Tutka, LLC..................................................37 tutkallc.com Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation (UIC)...........................54, 55 uicalaska.com Voice of the Arctic Inupiat................. 89 voiceofthearcticinupiat.org West-Mark Service Center................. 85 west-mark.com
PND Engineers Inc................................39 pndengineers.com
World Trade Center Anchorage................................................13 wtca.org
R & M Consultants Inc..........................63 rmconsult.com
Yukon Equipment Inc...........................21 yukoneq.com
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Shannon & Wilson................................ 69 shannonwilson.com
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