Anastasia Barnes

This is one of my favorite times of the year, as the trees begin to green and the hints of spring coax us outside to enjoy the fresh air and cool breezes. It’ s also a great time for our annual focus on Landscape Architecture and Civil Engineering, celebrating the outdoor spaces being designed to elevate experiences for patrons while honoring and protecting the natural landscapes and positively impacting our world.

Our cover story is about Weston & Sampson’ s work transforming a 15- acre brownfield site into a park for the neighborhood in Framingham, Mass. The Mary Dennison Park model is an alternative“ park first” approach used to mitigate the cleanup costs and leveraging

on-site soil management to sculpt and create interactive and unique spaces for users. Read Brandon Kunkel’ s story on page 12 for all the details and to find out how the park is serving as an example for future projects.

This issue also includes our annual focus on Advanced Technology and Artificial Intelligence( AI). On page 20, hear from the experts on how AI and new technologies are helping raise the bar and create faster, more efficient workflows

At Suffolk’ s second annual Climate Tech Forum, Heather Henriksen, chief sustainability officer at Harvard University, delivered the keynote and reflected on the importance of implementing practical solutions at scale.

across the entire industry. Suffolk also recently convened its second annual Climate Tech Forum, which brings together construction industry leaders, climate tech startup founders, investors and institutional partners to explore practical strategies and real-world case studies for accelerating sustainable innovation across the built environment. Read more on this exciting event on page 21.

Construction Safety Week takes place on May 4-8 and this year we are spotlighting it in the issue, beginning on page 26. Find out how to participate and read the ways New England firms are ensuring a culture of safety. Please keep us informed on what your firm is doing to keep its projects and people safe!

I was fortunate to be able to attend the opening night of the BTEA’ s Building Trades Recovery Week and was really impressed with what former NFL player Kendrick Bourne had to

share, and Kevin Hines, a survivor and suicide prevention advocate, was a great speaker. BTEA has been bringing SUD awareness to the construction industry for six years now, and each year seems to become more powerful.

I also got to attend the Women Who Build Summit and was privileged to hear Shabana Basij-Rasikh speak about her own journey and the evolution of School of Leadership, Afghanistan( SOLA). Shout out to the Construction Institute for holding a great conference, and it was great to see all my friends and colleagues who attended!

Our next issue has a focus on Healthcare Facilities. Be sure to send us news of your projects or industry perspectives on how this sector is evolving. The deadline for content and ad reservations is May 22.

Enjoy the read!

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From two decades of steady growth to a trusted presence across the East Coast and beyond, e2 engineers brings practical thinking and creative design to every project.