Hull Energy Leader to Speak at Water Workshop

Hull’s Senior Energy Consultant Craig E. Kasper will share his expertise at the Operator Training Committee of Ohio’s (OTCO’s) Water Workshop & Exhibition held March 23 - 24, 2010 at the Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio. 

OTCO believes that proper water and wastewater treatment are vital to the quality of life and focuses on the needs of operators of treatment plants, distribution & collection systems; engineers, managers, and lab technicians.

Craig creates alternative and renewable energy opportunities in the public and private sectors; identifies, designs and implements energy efficiency improvements for commercial and industrial customers; and works with electric utilities on various infrastructure upgrades.

For more information, please visit OTCO’s website at http://www.ohiowater.org/otco/ or contact Craig E. Kasper in our Bedford office at 440.232.9945 or cekasper@hullinc.com.

Ohio EPA Announces 2011 Ohio Brownfields Conference & Call for Presentations

Ohio EPA announced that the 2011 Ohio Brownfields Conference will be held on January 19 - 20, 2011 at the Embassy Suites in Dublin, Ohio. This conference brings together environmental consultants; economic development, brownfield and other municipal officials; state government officials; developers; environmental attorneys and cleanup contractors.

A Call for Presentations is open and the deadline for submittals is May 21, 2010. Interested parties should visit
 http://www.epa.ohio.gov/derr/OhioBrownfieldConference.aspx.

For more information, please contact Hull's Marketing Director, Tiffany Gibson at 614.793.8777 or tgibson@hullinc.com.

Hull Chairman and Founder Receives "Engineer of the Year" Award


As engineers across the world continue to shape the culture and quality of life for our civilization, a well-known Toledo organization honors one of Hull & Associates, Inc.’s very own.

An industry leader in engineering and environmental consulting, Hull is pleased to announce that Chairman and Founder John Hull was named “Engineer of the Year” by the Technical Society of Toledo during their annual awards luncheon.

John founded Hull & Associates, Inc. in 1980 and has more than 34 years of experience with a wide variety of engineering and environmental issues, particularly in the landfill industry.  He is a registered Professional Engineer in 13 states and is recognized as a Board Certified Environmental Engineer in solid waste management by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers.

John is being recognized for his outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the profession of engineering. Candidates were judged in seven categories including technical knowledge, professional interest and habits, personal character, leadership, public relations, civic spirit and contributions to the community, state, and or nation.

At Hull, we know that John is very deserving of this great honor, not only for the difference he has made building a successful firm with integrity and innovation, but the impact he has had as a husband, a father, a mentor, a partner, and friend.

Congratulations John and thank you for your many years of devotion to this firm, commitment to the engineering profession, and desire to make a difference in this world.

For more information about the award, please contact Hull's Marketing Director, Tiffany Gibson at (614) 793-8777 or tgibson@hullinc.com.

Ohio Governor Announces State Energy Grant Awards

Governor Ted Strickland announced the award of more than $13 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant funding for 25 projects through Ohio’s State Energy Program. Hull & Associates, Inc. was directly involved in securing $1,208,125 in funding for the following three solar electric projects, which were announced by Governor Strickland at a press conference in Cleveland:

• Hull & Associates, Inc., Bedford Office (Cuyahoga County) - $266,254 to install a 93 kW solar photovoltaic system at its office building in Northeast Ohio.
• Hull & Associates, Inc., PNA Solar Project (Wood County) - $680,782 to install a 250 kW solar array project on Pilkington North America, Inc’s (PNA) Plant 21 site.
• Hull & Associates, Inc., IGS Energy (Franklin County) - $261,089 to install a 93 kW solar photovoltaic system on their corporate office building.

A copy of the press release announcing the awards is available online at:http://www.governor.ohio.gov/News/PressReleases/2009/November2009/News113009/tabid/1349/Default.aspx.

Additional information about the Ohio Energy Program is available online at: http://www.development.ohio.gov/recovery/StateEnergyProgram.htm.

For more information about Hull’s Energy services, contact Steve Giles, Energy Market Leader, at 614.793.8777 or sgiles@hullinc.com. For more information about Hull’s funding, government relations and grant writing services, contact Jenny Carter-Cornell, APR, at 419.385.2018 or jcornell@hullinc.com, or Kara A. Allison, APR, at 614.793.8777 or kallison@hullinc.com.

Hull Turns 30

John Hull, Chairman and Craig Kasper, CEO reminisce on Hull’s past and look toward the future.

Three decades, 30 years, 360 months – you get the drift. The saying is “time flies when you’re having fun.”  Well, it hasn’t all been fun, but it has been interesting.

While society’s business needs haven’t changed much – a healthy, safe place to live and healthy, safe food to eat – the things that define “quality of life” have shifted somewhat and the emphasis on certain topics like “sustainability” has grown.

As engineers, scientists, and planners, those of us at Hull & Associates, Inc. have also changed – we’ve grown from experience and modified our practices to reflect the current forms of our clients and society.  T-1 lines, central servers, WiFi, and full-time communication have replaced TI-35s, our old Apple II computer, and the fax machine, yet some of the basic ingredients for successful service to our clients remain the same: completing quality work on time, identifying innovative solutions, sharing risk with our partners and maintaining trust.  All of these attributes are still in demand and will undoubtedly remain so.  We rechecked our Culture Statement a little while ago:

“We are a team of energetic and diverse professionals who apply engineering, science, and strategic planning to recognize and create value for our clients, employees, and the communities in which we do business.”

Not too fancy, not too long – if we keep to it, Hull & Associates, Inc. will remain sustainable.  I would like to thank all of our employees and clients, past and present, for all your support.

Sincerely,

John H. Hull, Chairman

As the current CEO, I first need to thank John for being a great mentor, partner and friend.  I have known John since my senior year in college and worked closely with him for 21 years.  He gave me, as well as many other individuals, a chance and an opportunity – always sharing his success with us.  But I feel I need to set the record straight on John’s use of technology. John’s first computer at Hull was an “Etch-a-Sketch” that he would shake vigorously to reboot.  He also was a pioneer in the PDA technology, 10 years before it was perfected – and probably the reason it looked like a 1970s vintage TV hanging from his belt.  And then there was our first “mobile” phone.  We called it “The Anvil” because of its extreme weight and size.  It was the perfect instrument to block your truck tire while making a call.

However, with all of John’s technological challenges, he supported the investment.  He did this because, as with everything John supports, he believes it better serves our clients and makes our employees happier. 

John built this firm on integrity, a characteristic he practices every day and instills in our firm as one of our core values.    He constantly thinks of innovative and new ways of conducting business, while tirelessly devoting his time to all aspects of the firm.  There have been hundreds of employees and clients who have benefited from just knowing John.  After 30 years, he continues to demonstrate his technical skills, keen sense of business, and caring for all our employees and their families.  He is the great entrepreneur and founder of our firm, which has sustained our success for 30 years and prepared us for what the future brings.  

Happy Birthday Hull & Associates, Inc. and thank you John.

Your Friend

Craig Kasper, CEO

Hull CEO Lectures at Harvard Business School

Building upon a relationship with Harvard, which began in 2006, Hull & Associates, Inc. (Hull) CEO Craig Kasper guest lectured an intensive seminar titled, “Integrating Business and Design for Sustainable Development” intended for students with career interests in real estate development or anyone interested in integrating design with business objectives in ways that are consistent with high standards around sustainability.

The seminar, a joint course of the Harvard Business and the Harvard Design Schools, brings together values of the design and business worlds related to the development of large-scale projects within the concept of ”integrated design.”

Kasper discussed Lakeview Bluffs, one of the largest brownfield redevelopment projects in the country and the case study completed by Harvard Doctor of Design candidate Andreas Georgoulias in October 2007, under the supervision of School of Design professor Spiro N. Pollalis. The study has become a basis for class discussions at Harvard drawing national attention.

Hull is also sponsoring a research program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design called “Integrated Design in Brownfields and Sustainable Urban Development.” The 2009 fall semester course kicked off with a graduate student class titled: “Toward Socially-Inclusive Sustainable Development.” The class is a case study of an area around a brownfield property in Warrensville Heights, Ohio.

For more information regarding the seminar, please contact Craig A. Kasper, CEO in our Dublin office at 614.793.8777 or ckasper@hullinc.com.

Hull Continues Waste Market Advocacy Efforts

As the New Year is upon us, Hull continues to monitor and participate in pending solid waste rule changes.  We expect 2010 to be an active year on both the landfill development and operational front, as well as in the regulatory area.  Although the economy continues to be challenged and market stability is uncertain, we are optimistic that governmental agencies, waste management and energy providers, and the community, will follow a positive path together.  Our goal will be to continue to advocate for systems and solutions to assure for the safe and responsible management of waste materials, the use of industrial products, and conservation of our natural resources.  As in the past, we will continue to post periodic observations on the policy changes and market observations on our website and in our quarterly e-newsletter (insideHull).

Below are a few observations for your consideration:

We are continuing to await Ohio EPA’s issuance of their draft beneficial use policy.  While these rules were expected to be out for comment in the Fall of 2009, their release appears to have been delayed.  The policy is expected to adopt a permit-by-rule approach for most cases, rather than the traditional permitting process historically followed by the Ohio EPA Division of Solid & Infections Waste Management (DSIWM).  Hull will be reviewing and commenting on the policy when released, and will provide our comments to interested parties upon request.

As for the new construction and demolition debris (C&DD) rules, Ohio EPA reported that they are awaiting a few key decisions by the Director, but that they are planning on releasing draft rules for another interested party comment period sometime next year, hopefully by Spring.  These C&DD rules (the 520 series) will only be applicable to "new facilities," including those expanding and brand new facilities that would need to obtain a permit to install.  DSIWM will begin revising the existing C&DD chapter (the 400 series) sometime in the near future.   Also, the current plan is to release the 520 C&DD rules with the multi-program ground water monitoring rules (the 506 series), which will have the new approach for assessment and compliance monitoring.  Hull will be reviewing and commenting on the policy when released, and our comments will be available to stakeholders.

Ohio EPA has developed Guidance Documents for establishing higher operating values (HOV) demonstrations and alternative timelines for temperature, oxygen, and nitrogen in landfill gas collection systems.  Hull, as part of National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA), participated in providing comments to Ohio EPA for the initial draft guidance that was issued.  Ohio EPA considered the input of NSWMA and incorporated many of the changes that were submitted by the group.  Hull has sent a letter supporting the new guidance document and the role that NSWMA played in negotiating a workable strategy for developing a consistent approach for both industry and Ohio EPA with respect to HOV demonstrations and alternative timeline requests. 

Ohio EPA, as part of their 5-year review process of the regulations, has asked interested parties to provide comments on the existing Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Industrial Solid Waste (ISW), and Residual Solid Waste (RSW) landfill rules by December 31, 2009, to determine whether to continue them without change, amend them, or rescind them.  While the landfill rules need to be reviewed by 2011, Ohio EPA has decided to start the process early.  As part of this review process, Ohio EPA will also be evaluating whether the landfill program and the associated rules meet Governor Strickland’s Common Sense Business Regulation approach, which calls for state agencies to simplify their rules, treat those affected by the rules as customers and partners, and streamline inefficient and drawn-out regulatory processes.  The approach calls for a “top to bottom” review of current regulations, eliminating those that are unnecessary or needlessly burdensome while establishing regulatory performance standards that will make Ohio a more competitive place to do business.  Ohio EPA has stated that it is interested in comments and suggestions for improvements to the landfill based on actual experiences.  As such, Hull will be submitting general comments on our experience with the MSW rules, and will provide a statement in support of the existing ISW and RSW rules without any significant recommendations for changes to this  program.

Finally, Hull continues to monitor coal combustion product (CCP) management issues, particularly with respect to how this material is mandated to be managed on a federal and statewide level. U.S. EPA informed us that they are currently developing new rules in-house that may be released for input through a public hearing process. Many are speculating that the draft rules, or a position statement from US EPA, will be out by the end of the 2009 calendar year.  At the state level, Ohio EPA provided their input to U.S. EPA on their position that CCP should be managed as a non-hazardous solid waste. 

For more information regarding Hull’s Waste Management services, please contact John Hull, PE, BCEE in our Toledo office at 419.385.2018 or jhull@hullinc.com or William Petruzzi, PG at 419.385.2018 or bpetruzzi@hullinc.com.

Harvard University Completes Case Study of Lakeview Bluffs Redevelopment

Lakeview Bluffs. It's one of the most creative brownfield redevelopment projects in the country underway today and it has been more than 30 years in the making. After nearly 10 years of negotiations, careful planning, risk assessment, and remediation, this 1,100-acre former home of the Diamond Shamrock Painesville Works, located on Lake Erie, is beginning to bear fruit - literally.

Contractors place armor stone to protect the Lake Erie shoreline from erosion.

It was during a tour of the 1-acre test vineyard in April 2007 with visiting scholars from Harvard University that the foundation for a formal case study of this dynamic redevelopment project really gained momentum. Building upon a guest lecturing opportunity at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design during the Brownfields 2006 Conference in Boston, Hull CEO Craig A. Kasper and Todd Davis, CEO of Hemisphere Development LLC, agreed to meet with professors and doctoral candidates from Harvard to provide the extensive background needed to complete the study.

"The Harvard University Graduate School of Design is world-renowned and extremely well-respected for its technical, social and political research associated with design and development projects," said Kasper. "To forge an educational and research relationship with Harvard, particularly for this project, is an incredible opportunity and we are extremely proud to have been selected for this study."

Doctor of Design candidate Andreas Georgoulias completed the case study in October 2007 under the supervision of School of Design professor Spiro N. Pollalis. The study itself has not only become a basis for class discussion at Harvard, it is drawing national attention from across the brownfield industry.

"The Lakeview Bluffs project was important for us in creating a case study aiming at the understanding of the intricate and complex processes of assessing, sharing, and managing risk," said Georgoulias. "Issues such as new identity creation and constraint-based design, together with the innovative collaboration of the engineering firm Hull and the developer Hemisphere, are some of the important lessons we learn from this case."

The 39-page study provides a comprehensive look at the historic operations on the property, the "mothballed" and underutilized condition of the site following the cessation of operations in 1976, the emergence of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) in 1980 and the 20 years of environmental litigation that followed, the redevelopment proposal for the site and the creative deal structure it took to make it happen, partnering with IMG to formulate the master development concept plan for the project, and the years of environmental assessment and remediation required to make Lakeview Bluffs a reality.

Stream restoration work is improving the Grand River Corridor.

Today, remedial and construction work is well underway at Lakeview Bluffs, including the construction of more than 1.2 miles of shoreline revetment along Lake Erie as part of the creation of a lakefront beach and park; the construction of an 18-hole golf course, golf academy and clubhouse; and the restoration of extensive streambank area along the Grand River. Construction projects include expansion of the vineyard; the development of The Bluffs golf residential community, winery and trout club facilities; the Lakefront Town Center and Lakeview Bluffs Resort Village, hotel and sports academy complex; and additional residential communities south of the Grand River.

Harvard is preparing to conduct an additional case study of Lakeview Bluffs specifically focused on risk communication. Click here to view a copy of the study.

"We were very satisfied with our collaboration with all the firms involved in this project and we look forward in future case studies that address critical educational and industry issues," said Georgoulias.

Hull continues to participate in guest lecturing opportunities with the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, including a presentation in November 2007. Using Lakeview Bluffs as a case in point, this specific presentation focused on the technical, financial, and reputation risks that various stakeholders take in redevelopment projects and featured presentations by Kasper, Georgoulias and John Beauchamp, a senior vice president with XL Insurance.

For more information on the Harvard case study, contact Craig A. Kasper, PE at (614) 793-8777 or ckasper@hullinc.com, or Bill Rish, Ph.D at (614) 793-8777 or wrish@hullinc.com. For more information on Hull's Urban Revitalization Practice and value added strategies for redevelopment projects, contact Practice Leader Brad White at (513) 459.9677or bwhite@hullinc.com.