A Letter from the Editor

By Stacey Butler, Director of Marketing & Communications Florida Engineering Society (FES), ACEC Florida

I am pleased to welcome you to Engineering Florida’s latest issue, the first of our second volume. This month, we delve into the dynamic intersection of engineering excellence and sustainability initiatives within the Sunshine State.

Florida's engineering landscape is evolving rapidly, propelled by a collective commitment to fostering sustainable practices that not only preserve our environment but also enhance the quality of life for generations to come.

In this issue, we spotlight the remarkable efforts of Florida communities in promoting sustainability, with a special focus on the pioneering Babcock Ranch masterplanned development. This groundbreaking community is a beacon of hope, demonstrating how thoughtful urban planning and innovative engineering solutions can create thriving communities while minimizing our ecological footprint.

We showcase burgeoning solar projects across Florida, featuring the contributions of key players such as the Florida Municipal Power Agency, Duke Energy, and Florida Power & Light, among others. These initiatives underscore the state's vast potential for renewable energy production, harnessing abundant sunshine to sustainably power homes, businesses and industries.

In our exploration of green hydrogen technology, we examine the progress being made in building the first end-to-end green hydrogen production facility in the U.S., right here in DeBary. The facility is designed to test the efficacy of green hydrogen in the power grid.

We also take a look back at the cover story of our first issue last year and bring you an update on the permanent repairs being made to the Sanibel Island Causeway after Hurricane Ian. And we hear from Brent Whitfield at Chen Moore, who discusses the state of water resources across Florida.

Our organizational partners who make this publication possible are also actively looking for sustainable solutions for a wide range of projects, and their findings are represented here as well. Be sure to check out all of our partner pages!

As stewards of Florida's engineering community, it is our mission to inspire, inform and catalyze positive change. Through the diverse range of stories in this issue, we aim to ignite conversations, foster partnerships and empower individuals and organizations to contribute towards a more sustainable and resilient future for Florida and beyond.

Thank you for joining us on this journey of discovery and enlightenment. Together, let us continue to engineer a brighter, greener, more sustainable tomorrow for all.