Spottlight on the Buildings Around Us
Have you noticed the buildings around you today? Really, have you stopped and noticed them? Have you thought about how and why the building stood through our weather changes? Have you questioned how the lighting fixtures are perfectly spaced to provide exactly enough light at every angle of the room you’re in? What about the plumbing? Do you have any idea how the piping might run through the building to maintain the perfect amount of water pressure at all times? Or how strategically the sprinklers are set up- making sure no tiny space is missed in the event of an emergency. Have you noticed it?
We’re at the time of year when we find ourselves in and out of shopping malls, staying for a few extra hours at work, visiting shopping centers, or enjoying holiday meals at large-scale restaurants. As you and your family embark on travelling, visiting, shopping, or whatever your holiday season may be filled with- we’d like to challenge you to take a closer look at the buildings around you.
Spottlight on GIS
GIS technologies allow you to make your data work for you. Instead of storing information in multiple locations- maps, spreadsheets, notepads, clipboards, cell phones, email chains- now we have the ability to put it all in just one, single place.
Facilities, businesses, organizations, municipalities, and individuals are all dealing with a data problem. All over, people are collecting great data and not putting it to work. Hours, days, months are spent gathering data, sorting, re-sorting, and re-sorting again to analyze it for a particular need. Or worse… data is collected over and over again and ends up sitting and going to waste.
Your data should be understandable. It should be reliable. And, it should be accessible.
GIS technologies allow you to make your data work for you. Instead of storing information in multiple locations- maps, spreadsheets, notepads, clipboards, cell phones, email chains- now we have the ability to put it all in just one, single place.
IN THIS ISSUE
Spottlight: The Power of the Checklist
Checklists are an incredibly simple, incredibly powerful tool.
Think about your days at work. What would you describe as the “best feeling in the world”? What is it that gives you that giddy feeling of joy and calmness all in one?
Maybe for you it is the feeling of relief, knowing one more thing is off of your plate. There is one less thing to worry about, to stress over, to contemplate. Maybe instead of relief, that best feeling in the world is accomplishment, it’s completing the job, or the task, or the assignment, or even the challenge. Maybe the best feeling in the world to you is consistency, knowing everything is under control, everything’s all done the same, every time, you never have to worry about it.
Maybe you’re sitting here thinking, like many of us, the best feeling in the world, isn’t just one. It’s when all of those things: relief, accomplishment, and consistency all happen at once.
Checklists. The incredibly simple, incredibly powerful tool that can do just that.
Relief that it will get done. Studies have shown that retention rates are 10% better if we write something down. By writing it down, you’re significantly increasing the chance of it happening. Feel relief that as long as it’s there, on your checklist, it will get done. Have trust in yourself again; write it down.
But checklists also offer a second opportunity for relief. Utilizing checklists from other experts allows you to focus on what you know best and feel relief from battling the unknown. What’s your expertise? You should be spending most of your time doing just that. Don’t reinvent the wheel. By locating and utilizing checklists related to your area of work, you’re giving yourself relief of the constant fear that you aren’t doing the steps correctly - that you’re missing something. Stop wasting time worrying. Start spending your time doing what you do best.
Accomplishment that feeds your brain. There are neuroscience studies that have concluded that when we cross out tasks as completed, our brain actually releases dopamine. Have you ever caught yourself in your office doing a little celebration dance when you get a job done? There’s something magical about being on a roll, that feeling helps you to keep going and get what feels like a million more things done. That’s your dopamine working. Crossing tasks off of our list provides a sense of accomplishment that feeds the pleasure senses and neurotransmitters in your brain, making you feel happy. Although, this may not be news to you. We all already know the happy feeling of a really great, productive day at work. Did you know having a checklist could help you feel that way more often?
Consistently good results.Many businesses develop checklists for essential processes like onboarding new hires, processing payroll, or checking compliance to prevent errors. In this case, checklists make sure that things get done the way they should, every single time. A good checklist provides your team with guidance, ensuring the same results, no matter who is using it, or what the morning looked like.
It’s time to take the pressure off of you. Stop worrying about when things will get done, who will do them, and whether or not they will be done correctly. Feel relief knowing it’s all taken care of. Feel accomplishment in being on the right path and crossing it off your list. And feel the power of consistency, knowing it will always be done correctly.
It’s time for you to spend more of your time being creative, productive, and efficient. You’re the expert in your field. Do what you do best.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Want to read more about the power of a checklist? Check out two of our favorites:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-checklist-manifesto/id433442266?i=1000093292503
https://gettingthingsdone.com/
Spottlight on Social Infrastructure
What we’re actually talking about is social infrastructure. These are spaces intentionally designed to support the formation of human connections and interactions. Social infrastructures are the places where human bonds are formed. They are the spots where relationships begin and where human interaction is created.
We’re living in a world where technology has challenged what we know about social connections. In some ways we fear our constant connection. In other ways, we fear our disconnect.
There will never be a replacement for face-to-face human connection. Here lies the power of developing social infrastructure.
Maintenance and improvements to social infrastructures requires the same care and attention as standard infrastructure systems. As attentive as we are to the streets you drive, so too are we attentive to the spaces that drive your relationships. From surveying to engineering to environmental planning and assessment - all of the hands on our deck support effective design and preservation of social infrastructures.
In This Issue
Spottlight on Water Quality
Water quality month reminds us to take a long, hard look at what our households, communities, and places of employment are doing to protect sources of water. But what does water quality mean?
Water quality month reminds us to take a long, hard look at what our households, communities, and places of employment are doing to protect sources of water. But what does water quality mean? Is it the water in our lakes? Is it the water coming out of our faucet? Is it the authorities that distribute our water? Is it the wells that provide water to homes? Actually, it’s all of those things, and then some more! How much do you know about water quality? Maybe it’s easier to answer how much you don’t know about water quality. The first step in advocating for keeping our water clean is learning the facts. So this month, we’re talking all things water in celebration of #WaterQualityMonth.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Spottlight on Summer
This month we tip our hats to mechanical engineer Willis Haviland Carrier and celebrate the idea that helped make those long, hot days a little more comfortable: air conditioning.
REGULATORY UPDATE: America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 - Risk Assessments and Emergency Response Plans
Baby it’s Hot Outside!
Oh those lazy days of summer . . . The longer days filled with trips to the beach, cookouts with garden-fresh vegetables, and evenings in the park. This month we tip our hats to mechanical engineer Willis Haviland Carrier and celebrate the idea that helped make those long, hot days a little more comfortable: air conditioning.
Willis Haviland Carrier was an American engineer, best known for inventing modern air conditioning.
Regulatory Update
America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 Risk Assessments and Emergency Response Plans
New Requirements for Drinking Water Utilities
On October 23, 2018, America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) was signed into law requiring community water systems serving more than 3,300 people to complete a risk assessment and develop an emergency response plan.
Spottlight on Workplace Safety
Every year, more than 4.1 million workers suffer a serious job-related injury or illness.
June is National Safety Month!
According to the Department of Labor In the four decades since the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) was signed into law, workplace deaths and reported occupational injuries have dropped by more than 60 percent. Yet the nation's workers continue to face an unacceptable number of work-related deaths, injuries and illnesses, most of them preventable:
Every day, more than 12 workers die on the job – over 4,500 a year.
Every year, more than 4.1 million workers suffer a serious job-related injury or illness.
In This Issue:
Spottlight on Schools
Whether you manage a single facility or millions of square feet over many locations, your focus is education. Our focus is you. SSM answers the multi-faceted needs of educational campuses with a single source for engineering and consulting services.
Whether you manage a single facility or millions of square feet over many locations, your focus is education. Our focus is you. SSM answers the multi-faceted needs of educational campuses with a single source for engineering and consulting services. We understand what institutions of learning need, and we deliver cost-effective, sustainable services. We’re solution-oriented.
Spottlight on Resources
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY : Chester and Montgomery County
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program
Chester and Montgomery County
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds have been allocated to the Pennsylvania portion of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) metropolitan area for projects in Pennsylvania’s five counties (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia) that contribute to the attainment of the Clean Air Axct (CAA) standards by reducing emissions from mobile sources. READ MORE
Lancaster Conservancy
Water Connects Us All
Lancaster Water Week was conceived along the banks of the Conestoga River by friends Fritz Schroeder (Lancaster County Conservancy) and Spike Brant (Nimblist). While kayaking along the river offers much beauty and solace, it is also a front row seat to the amount of erosion, pollution, and disregard some have for this amazing fresh water resource.. Visit lancasterwaterweek.org for more information about Lancaster Water Week events.
Spottlight on the Park
Where the Heart is. People are the heart of every community. It’s a perfect day to go out for a walk in the park. Enjoy nature’s beauty and being outside. #TakeAWalkInThePark
Did You Know . . . that each day we use an estimated 500 million straws?
That’s an average rate of 1.6 straws per person per day! (http://www.ecocycle.org/bestrawfree)
If you’re focusing on sustainability . . . maybe it’s time to trade-in the plastic straw. Recently, many fast-food restaurants, cities, parks, and businesses have taken a step toward reducing the use of plastic and have pledged to ban plastic straws in their areas. Reusable stainless steel drinking straws aren’t just a stylish new fad, they’re a way to help keep plastic straws out of our oceans and landfills. Not only are they incredibly durable and long-lasting, but when they are at the end of their life and it’s time to dispose of, you can rest assured knowing that stainless steel is the most recycled material on earth. Need some more reasons to make the switch? Read more
A Walk in the Park
On March 30th we celebrate National Take a Walk in the Park Day an (unofficial) annual holiday encouraging people to get active and enjoy the physical and mental benefits that come from walking in nature. It’s a perfect day to go out for a walk in the park. Enjoy nature’s beauty and being outside. According to timeanddate.com, “Walking in nature - away from the dust and pollution of streets and cars - can boost moods and reduce stress.”
How can you celebrate?
Grab your favorite walking shoes, leave your phone behind and breathe in the fresh air as you walk around your local park.
Bring a good friend or a family member with you on your walk. What better way to enjoy nature and maintain your health than to share it with a loved one?
Join the online conversation and share a post of you enjoying nature’s beauty. #TakeAWalkInTheParkDay
We’re celebrating some of our community recreational projects:
Jordan Greenway Trail - SSM prepared construction drawings for a one-mile section of paved multi-use trail along the Jordan Creek within property owned by Whitehall Township.
Structural Assessment for Coal Breaker at Eckley Miner’s Village - SSM's structural engineers assessed the existing condition of the timber-framed structure and provided engineering analysis and design to replace or reconstruct a portion of the coal breaker, called the tipple.
Bingaman House Recreational Center - Lake Antietam Park
Spottlight on Emergency Responses
When you call us, we’ll be there.
Responsive. Efficient. Building on relationships.
When you call us, we’ll be there.
We are successful when our clients are successful. This is the philosophy by which each of us at SSM works every day. And our clients tell us that this attention to our clients separates us from our competition.
Our proven experience. Our ability to mobilize, undertake, and successfully complete the scope of work in a timely fashion. Our team becomes part of our client’s team, and are always available to respond to short notice meetings or emergencies. We can be contacted for service 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
In This Issue
Spottlight on Long-Term Thinking
From technology advances to clean energy initiatives the landscape is changing . . . are you ready?
From technology advances to clean energy initiatives the landscape is changing . . . are you ready? Are you taking advantage of the cost-saving programs available today that will help you prepare for the future?
In this Issue
