etica ENGINEERING SERVICES

the etica group, inc. provides Engineering Services for a wide variety of clients in the Municipal, Commercial, Industrial, Pharma  and other business sectors.    etica prepares utiltiy, stormwater, water, wastewater, curb & sidewalk, and sustainable site designs for construction on public and private projects.  As a certified WBE firm, etica is a proud teaming partner with numerous national engineering consulting firms on large public projects in the Indianapolis and New Haven areas.

Engineering and Sustainable Site Services provided by etica include:

• Utility & Infrastructure Design
• Waster & Wastewater System Design
•  Stormwater Permiting & Design
•  Sustainable Site Design
• Environmental Permitting
•  Engineering Studies
•  Site Layout
• Conceptual Site Planning

  

REPRESENTATIVE STAFF PROJECT EXPERIENCE

 

This unique project involved both the concept development and detailed design of a 3.73 acre Sustainable Garden located in the heart of an urban setting.  For this project for the etica group, inc. and our sub-consultants assisted the Owner and the Owner’s Rep  in the development of the project concept goals:

♦ Develop the site as an example to promote and enjoy ‘green’, sustainable, and environmentally correct use of land and urban space

♦ Develop a passive educational experience through a visual and sensual experience, zero waste of materials, reuse of both on-site and off-site salvaged materials, and reduction in energy use

♦ Capture and contain all 1” storm events on-site to reduce stormwater flows to city CSO system and reduce discharges to the streams and rivers

♦ Develop an informative and interactive site through simple and subtle translation, circulation, and messages throughout the garden experience 

the etica group, inc. prepared the detailed construction site plans and both the Indiana Department of Environmental Management Rule 5 and City of Indianapolis environmental permit applications.  The project site work was started in the Fall of 2008 and plantings were installed by volunteers in the Spring of 2009.  The project received the first annual 2009 (re)thINK Award at the Indianapolis Monumental Affair for Excellence in Design and incorporation of Sustainable Features.  The project also received the 2010 INASLA INPAWS Award for use of Best Use of Native Species in a project.

 Indianapolis, Indiana

Two sustainable Master Plan concept projects were performed which resulted in an overall design concept to transform an industrial parking lot setting into a “Research Park Campus”.  The initial concept project involved evaluation of the current parking lots and the development of three levels of sustainable concepts to upgrade the lots.  The increased awareness and desire for increased sustainability within the industrial campus in late 2008 motivated the desire to explore potential improvements of three parking lots within the north campus edge. The concept plans developed offered several green and sustainable recommendations including:   

♦ Reduction of the campus carbon footprint through the use of solar powered lighting and high efficiency fixtures as well as Night Sky Compliant (NSC) fixtures to reduce light pollution

♦ Elimination of storm water from the City Combined Sewer System (CSO) through the use of permeable pavements within the parking lots

♦ Increase in landscape vegetation and the introduction of bio-swales that also reintroduce the storm water into the soils and ground water system

♦ Greener and more sustainable campus infrastructure with reduced maintenance and management concerns

In early 2009, etica developed the North Edge Concept Plan design for the entire area.  This concept design proposed a sculpted landscape perimeter edge of mounding and native vegetation that both framed and enclosed the parking lots in addition to hosting a campus loop trail system used for walking, hiking, and jogging. Nodes for reflection, meditation and outdoor meetings were strategically located within these natural zones and the Sustainable Garden became the central focus of the natural based environment with pedestrian connections to the community. The organic geometric organization of the vehicular circulation and parking lots was enclosed with mounding, landscape plantings, and bio-trails. An existing street corridor was proposed to become the pedestrian promenade that links the south campus to the north, and east to west, thus providing a transitional space from the exterior to the interior campus experience.

Construction work on both new and expanded facilities and modifications to existing infrastructure at an Indianapolis based pharmaceutical company is a never ending process.  In conjunction with both building and communications duct design performed by other engineering firms, the etica group, inc. was contracted by the pharma company to prepare appropriate Rule 5 Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans for submittal to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.  In addition, permit applications for several construction projects planned for the Technical Campus were prepared and submitted to the City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development. 

Using project design information provided by other engineering firms contracted to the pharma company, the etica group prepared the SWPPP for several sites and addressed the means, methods, and communication procedures to be followed to ensure that potential stormwater runoff was controlled from the construction sites.  The additional permitting work involved the preparation of both pre-construction and post-construction stormwater plans to evaluate the increased runoff from the site due to the increased impervious area created by the new construction.

The City of Indianapolis experienced continued odor control problems from the Belmont and Southport Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) Plants.  While a number of focused studies had been performed previously, the purpose of this comprehensive Odor Control Study was to review past odor control studies, inspect and benchmark the operational status of existing odor control facilities and odor control procedures at the two AWT plants, and to develop, evaluate, recommend, and prioritize odor control improvements at both plants in order to mitigate on-site odor and corrosion problems and off-site odor problems.

The Odor Control Study, Planning and Preliminary Design efforts culminated in the preparation and submittal of a Report outlining odor control study results.  Included in the document were interim and long-term odor control alternatives, estimated capital and O&M costs, priorities and recommendations to minimize on-site odors and corrosion problems, and prevention recommendations for the off-site release of odors.  The Report also established and confirmed preliminary design criteria for recommended odor control capital projects for use in subsequent detailed engineering design. 

Indianapolis, Indiana 

This project involved the design of an extension to the 54 inch diameter Bridgeport Interceptor Sewer which is part of the Indianapolis Sanitary Sewer Collection System.  The Indianapolis Department of Public Works (DPW) required the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) to have this sewer extension designed and installed to provide conveyance capacity for the IAA Midfield Terminal Expansion Project wastewater loads.  Tasks included in this project were determination of alternative routes, plan & specification preparation, piping selection, development of design plans in accordance with IAA Midfield Project standards, and construction cost estimating. 

                                                                                                                Indianapolis, Indiana 

This utility design project involved the design for 16 inch and 20 inch diameter HDPE water mains to be constructed along 79th Street between Marsh and Lafayette Roads in northwestern Marion County for USFilter – Indianapolis Water.  These water mains provided a loop required to resolve water pressure and supply issues in this segment of the distribution system.  The project scope included a Utility Corridor Survey, establishment of Alternate Piping Alignments, and Construction Document & Plan Preparation in accordance with USFilter – Indianapolis Water standards.

Indianapolis, Indiana

The North United Methodist Church sanctuary was constructed in 1930 and as a result of facility expansions a complex network of storm and sanitary sewers were constructed.  In recent years, the facilities have been plagued with numerous sewer backups during heavy storm events.  The project goal was to replace the existing combined storm/sanitary piping system with a separate systems which would correct conditions that may have contributed to the backups.  This project included investigation of all available information in addition to coordination with the Owner and the mechanical engineer to define the layout of the intertwined storm and sanitary piping system.  

Indianapolis, Indiana

This project involved the design of a sanitary sewer collection system to allow the elimination of failing individual septic systems in a neighborhood which was not currently served by the Indianapolis sanitary sewer system.  The project provided sanitary service to approximately 55 homes in the neighborhood.  Tasks included in this project were sewer routing based on neighborhood conditions, the preparation of proposed alternative routes, and working with DPW engineering personnel to finalize the design route.

 

In order to qualify for ARRA funding grants, the IndyParks Department decided to move quiclky on a project to design a new multi-use trail along a previously determined route.  the etica group, inc. performed the engineering design for the project in compliance with INDOT standards since INDOT was the funding manager for the project.  The project intent was to design a multi-use trail to provide a connection between the east entrance of the Eagle Creek Park to Intech Park.  The design was prepared to facilitate use by both pedestrian and handicap individuals in addition to bicyclists.  

The project was inaugurated in October 2011 by Indianapolis Mayor Ballard at a press conference on the Mayor’s Bike and Pedestrian Trail initiative.  etica worked on  all phases of the project and was able to value engineer the project scope in order to save IndyParks over $100,000  in construction costs while meeting the “fast track” deadline and ensuring that IndyParks was able to secure the matching Federal Funding.