60th AGC-PR Convention

Saturday, September 9, 2023 was an amazing day for San Diego Project Management, PSC. Some of our employees were awarded during the 60th AGC PR Convention.
Congratulations Jorianys Del Valle Velez & Miguel Rivera Palou you make a difference in this company!

Words from our Principal, Patrick Balcazar, PE.:

San Diego Project Management was recognized for its Safety record and it’s effort in Diversity & Inclusion Team by the AGC - Puerto Rico Chapter.
I want to thank all members of the firm because for SDPM integrity and quality is reflected in our ability to be safe and diverse as we perform for our community and industry.

PS

Team members won also individual awards in Safety, Project of the Year, Superintendent of the Year and the Jacinto Galib Award. SDPM has got a lot of talent. We continue to grow individually and as a firm.

SAME San Juan Chapter sponsored Summer STEM Camp.

The San Juan chapter of the American Society of Military Engineers (SAME) subsidized this year the participation of two eleventh-grade students in a STEM camp for the development of students in areas related to engineering. This year was interesting since two female students were sent who represented Puerto Rico excellently in said program. The students were: Adriana Rodríguez Fernández and Yoeida Ramos Robles.

In this article, we share the experiences of these students during said STEM camp.

Yoeida Ramos Robles

During the month of July, in the week from the 6th to the 13th, I was in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I was there with SAME, its acronym stands for Society of American Military Engineers, and its mission is to develop leaders and collaborate between government and industry to create multidisciplinary solutions to solve problems in the security structure. On my trip to the mainland United States of America, I carried out many activities, including the construction of a concrete beam, which was put under pressure on the last day of the camp. The first day we had to build a tower that could support the weight of a stone, the winning tower was the biggest and strongest. Other activities included creating epidemic control areas, escaping from a building with a fire hose, creating an irrigation system, taking supplements across a river, etc. All these activities fostered teamwork and innovation. I loved all these events, but my favorite activity was the “Engineering Reaction Course” which included various events such as building a pulley, observing chemical reactions, and building a tower.This camp impacted my aspirations in many ways. Primarily, thanks to this camp or boarding school, I was able to identify which aspects of STEM I like, such as chemistry and engineering.

Also, I got to learn about the US Air Force and Space Force academy. One of the questions that it helped me clarify is the organization of pandemic events to avoid cross contamination. It also helped me to clarify my aspiration to be a pilot and my aspirations for different aspects of biology (through conversations) and the development of space equipment such as satellites and rockets. In addition, this camp helped me to identify what aspects I would not like to study, such as the construction of irrigation systems.

 Some of the ways this experience connects to my future career is the military aspect. I have always admired the work of the military. My family has been in the military, as we are part of the United States, and it is for this reason that this camp is related to my future. Another side towhich it is related is the opportunity to interact with people from different states of the UnitedStates, my aspiration has always been to reach the whole world with my career and interact with and help people from the places I visit. These paragraphs are hardly superficial words because for me,this camp not only meant something for my future and work, but also my development as an individual and integration and teamwork. Not being able to express in words how much I have grown and learned about myself and my interests in terms of my future career. I feel very grateful and satisfied with this experience that my sponsors gave me.

Adriana Rodríguez Fernández

Unforgettable! That word perfectly describes my experience in the SAME STEM Camp 2023. It was a week that made me see the world differently. This experience taught me not to be afraid of anything, to be open to every opportunity that comes my way. I met people from different parts of the world and their cultures, what they liked and what brought them to the camp. SAME largely contributed to discovering what I want for my future, specifically my career. We did so many activities that I even lost count. The camp was at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois on July 17-22. We competed making boats, we built dog houses, we made three-legged chairs, we made a rocket out of a bottle, and I even dressed as a firefighter. We also went to visit the St. Louis Arch. I mean that SAME opens doors; with them I discovered things about myself that I didn’t know. It was a unique opportunity, and I would love to do it again and as I said at the beginning, it is unforgettable.

SAME JAX POST RECOGNITION: Medium Organization of the year: San Diego Project Management

So Proud…

SDPM has been recognized as the SAME Medium Size Firm by the Jacksonville Post.  Being recognized by our peers in AE and Construction business in Florida and Puerto Rico is an honor.

 Congratulations, Charlie Perham, F SAME, Colonel (Ret) USAF

The SAME San Juan Chapter would like to congratulate Charlie Perham, F SAME, Colonel (Ret) USAF in his new position as SAME President.

In this picture: Mr. Cesar Ramírez Fulcar, PE (Project Manager) & the new SAME Presidente

#societyofamericanmilitaryengineers #SAME #SAMESANJUANCHAPTER #SAMEJACKSONVILLEPOST

World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Today, we reflect on and recognize those workers we have lost and the difference they made in the construction business. The annual World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28 April promotes the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases. I want to congratulate all organizations for ensuring better working conditions. Is essential that all leaders throughout an organization focus on enhancing social dialogue and show a visible commitment to safety and health.

-Mr. Julio Irizarry

Safety Manager

SOCIETY OF AMERICAN MILITARY ENGINEERS (SAME) SAN JUAN CHAPTER’S IGE 2023

ENGINEERING IN THE POETRY DAY 2023

Who said that a poem and engineering had nothing in common? Well, here's a poem about engineering on Poetry Day.

To all the women in San Diego Project Management, PSC,

We celebrate you on your day. You make things possible in this Company.

the Power of the Smile in Work Enviroment

TOday is the Day of the Power of the Smile

We give for granted the value and power of a smile to ourselves and others. We automatically smile when we feel good, but also, we can smile if we want to feel better because our face relaxes, and our expression improves, giving a feel-good sensation. To smile is incredibly important in our relationship with our community and, in the case of this article, to our colleagues.

San Diego Project Management, PSC encourages good relationships and a feel-good work environment. We offer an annual family day on our anniversary, Christmas, and other important dates.  That's why today the international day for the power of the smile; we offer some simple tips to improve our relationship with others through the smile.

When you smile as you speak, the face relaxes, and the expression improves. In addition to feeling better, the tone of the voice changes, becoming warmer, open, and more pleasant to the ear of your interlocutor. 

While your interlocutor can not see you during a phone call (unless your conversation is through a webcam), it is essential to smile while you speak; your voice will sound accessible, making the interlocutor more receptive. It doesn’t matter if the content of the communication is negative, put a smile on your face you’ll notice a difference in acceptance by whoever is on the other end of the line.

Smile every day, and with everyone, not only your superiors; it doesn’t matter their position in the company. This will build solid and healthier relations with everyone, creating a healthy environment. 

Want an energetic environment? Enter the office or the construction site, in our case, with a happier gesture. It will help to cheer up your co-workers, especially when discussing issues. 

You will see that just by smiling, little by little, they will pay you better attention, and communications will also be more respectful with colleagues, bosses, subordinates, and everyone.

Humor it’s a great antidote to stressful working environments. With a positive attitude, work can become one of the greatest sources of enjoyment, development, and achievement in your professional life. It is a way to become more focused, creative, and productive. This has been discovered in numerous industrial psychological studies.

Not everything is smiling. There are certain moments you must refrain from using a smile. As you need to train yourself to smile, you must do the same on the contrary. Everything has its moment. Avoid smiling when: comments of dismissal, adjustments, hardships, and so on; the only thing you will gain it’s a frown. On these occasions, keep your face neutral, and you'll avoid adverse situations.

 Knowing when and how to smile and apply it to our working environment is a means that allows one to give a lot of oneself to improve the quality of life of others and contributes something to the common good.

Now, could you give us your best smile?

 Puerto Rico on the bullseye of the USACE.

On June 16, 1775, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (#USACE) was born, just two days after the ARMY.

Our Principal, Mr. Patrick Balcazar, PE was part of this outstanding institution since 1977. Today, he is no longer part of the USACE, but he continues his relationship with them as a contractor.

To celebrate the 🎂 birthday of the outstanding United States Mary Corps of Engineers, we want to share three exciting facts about them.

Army Corps of Engineers’ motto is “ESSAYONS.”

The term, which is a French phrase meaning “Let us try,” is a nod to the French engineers who aided the American army during the Revolutionary War. It is a nod to the French engineers who aided the American army during the Revolutionary War.

2. The exact origin of the emblem of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Corps Castle, is unknown because 1838 fire at West Point that destroyed its records.

In 1840, the castle was unofficially adopted by the Army Corps of Engineers as its symbol, becoming official in 1902.

3. The USACE has built plenty of structural marvels around the country.

A few highlights include the Speaking of the building; the USACE has built plenty of structural marvels around the country.

A few highlights include the Bonneville Dam and NASA’s launch facilities. A USACE engineer also oversaw the construction of the Panama Canal.

Thinking Out Loud: A non-stop electrical service for VA Hospital in San Juan.

A Non-stop electrical service for VA Hospital in San Juan.

When Hurricane María swept the whole territory of Puerto Rico, the evident unstable and fragile electrical system problem came to the surface. Everybody knew this sad truth, but the government ignored it like nothing was happening.

That is why VA Medical Center (VAMC) decided that to continue to provide their vital health services non-stop, they needed to take the matter into their hands. That is how the largest Non-Recurring Maintenance Contract Project for the VA Caribbean Healthcare System in San Juan came alive. 

The basis of design (BOD) comes from an engineering study document prepared by the firm Mendez, Brunner, Badillo Architects, and Engineers in a previous assignment from VA. The analysis was a feasibility study for an underground service cable to the VAMC in San Juan, in coordination with the AEE, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico utility company. San Diego Project Management, PSC and Mendez, Brunner, Badillo Architect, along with other firms, work together in the design construction phase to include environmental and construction permits with the municipal and state authorities and other Federal Agencies. The design is 100% complete.

The project consists of a design for an underground 38 KV electrical feeder from the Hato Rey Transmission Center (HRTC) to the VA Medical Center (VAMC) new 15 MW power substation and then to Centro Médico de San Juan (CMSJ) sectionalizer. The design will consist of a new 2000 mcm underground line from HRTC to Piñero Avenue utilizing the existing duct bank and manholes previously constructed by PREPA and continuing this line to the new VA power substation from there to the CMSJ sectionalizer. The design shall include the connection of the feeder to the HRTC, to the VA power substation, and the CMSJ sectionalizer. Work shall include but not be limited to feeders, ducts and manholes, switches, and other appurtenances. It will be the first underground electrical distribution project to service a public institution in Puerto Rico. San Diego Project Management, PSC is working on an untypical VA project since all the work is off-campus. In this case, our company’s goal is to provide redundant, reliable energy to the Hospital no matter the circumstances.

Cost of Design: $2M Cost of Construction: $10.9

Thinking Out Loud: Phase I- the dedication of Puerto Rico National Cemetery in Morovis.

We are proud of a particular project in which we worked as QC management because it serves a great purpose, the burial of our veterans and their loved ones.

We are proud of a particular project in which we worked as QC management because it serves a great purpose, the burial of our veterans and their loved ones.

It was a hard job. San Diego Project Management, PSC worked during the whole pandemic to complete the first stage of this cemetery on time.

The new National Cemetery in Morovis, Puerto Rico, is a 247-acre terrain. But the Phase I consist of the development of approximately 9,300 gravesites for casket interment, 3,000 columbarium niches, 1,750 in-ground sites for cremated remains for a total of 14,050 internment sites. It also includes memorial walls to commemorate those whose remains are not available for interment. To optimize the use of available land for gravesites, the project installed pre-placed concrete crypts. The first Phase completed an early turnover burial area, with temporary administrative and maintenance facilities, temporary committal shelter, minimal roads, and utilities. It is developing approximately 50 acres to provide for about ten years of burial capacity. In addition to the gravesite development, the construction includes access roads and entrance area, flag/assembly area, committal shelters, an administration building/public information center with electronic gravesite locator and public restrooms, maintenance complex, honor guard building, memorial walkway/donations area, utilities, signage, site furnishings, fencing, and irrigation system. 

Last Saturday, December 12, 2020, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today dedicated a new 247-acre national cemetery in Morovis, Puerto Rico. It is the 153rd VA National Cemetery

VA Secretary Robert Wilkie and  Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Randy Reeves unveiled the dedication plaque for Morovis National Cemetery. 

"The Veterans of Puerto Rico are second to none in their record of service, sacrifice, and heroism," said Wilkie. "It is most fitting we should end the year dedicating the newest shrine to our Veterans here on the Island of Enchantment."[i] 

This new Morovis National Cemetery is being constructed as a replacement cemetery for Puerto Rico National Cemetery in Bayamón, which was dedicated in 1949.

Due to the pandemic, this was a closed dedication; that's why all pictures taken during the ceremony belongs to the National Cemetery Administration.

[i] https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5582

 Thinking out loud: Giving a bit of our hearts on Thanksgiving Day.

Today is Thanksgiving Day. Usually, San Diego Project Management, PSC would have a dinner together. As we all know, life has changed a lot this year. There is no reasonable way to have our Thanksgiving dinner. But, we found a way to make something special for such important occasion. We collected money and toys to donate to a kids' institution. The name is unimportant. The pleasure of making something different and good for others is what is making us happy and satisfied. We feel that SDPM is not only a company; it is an entity with a vast beating ❤️ ready to spread some love among our community. Happy Thanksgiving Day!

2020 Nobel Peace Prize

The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the World Food Program (WFP) in recognition of its “for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.”

Every year this organization collaborates in 83 countries delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition.

Carmen Burbano de Lara is the youngest director of the WFP at the global level, of the World Food Program, and San Diego Project Management, PSC want to recognize her contribution to this noble cause.

#PonteTuCamisa, San Diego Project Management, PSC

#PonteTuCamisa, San Diego Project Management, PSC

23 de septiembre de 2020

Desde hace once años el comediante Raymond Arrieta y la Liga Puertorriqueña Contra el Cáncer (LPCC) unen esfuerzos para recolectar dinero para el Hospital Oncológico de Puerto Rico a través de la Caminata Da Vida. 

El COVID-19 ha arrasado con Puerto Rico y el mundo, confinándonos a un aislamiento social para prevenir su propagación. Respetando las órdenes ejecutivas impuestas por el gobierno, y creyendo en la necesidad de estas, este año no hubo la popular caminata anual Da Vida. Sin embargo, sus creadores y participantes no se han cruzado de brazos; su iniciativa sigue en pie desde sus casas.

Raymond Arrieta a convocado a todo aquel que desee mostrar su apoyo al Hospital Oncológico a subir a las redes sociales personales y de Telemundo PR una fotografía haciendo uso de la camiseta Da Vida con el hashtag #PonteTuCamisa. 

El comediante es el gran héroe de esta iniciativa, pero todos tenemos nuestros grandes héroes en la lucha contra el cáncer. Siempre hay quien sin buscar grandes méritos aporta un grano de arena a la lucha contra esta malignidad. En San Diego Project Management, PSC contamos con el Ing. Julio Irizarry Vega —Gerente de Seguridad de uno de nuestros proyectos en el pueblo de Morovis—, quien debido a la enfermedad de su padre se ha identificado con el movimiento de la Caminata Da Vida. Su sensibilidad ante la causa de la lucha contra el cáncer en Puerto Rico lo ha llevado desde el 2010 a pedir vacaciones durante la época de la caminata para unirse a este magno esfuerzo de amor al prójimo.

Este año, en vista de que la caminata a través de lo pueblos de la Isla quedaba cancelada se le ocurrió el hacer del movimiento una causa común entre sus compañeros inmediatos de trabajo, uniéndolos bajo el color amarillo de la camisa de este año. La fotografía de esta desprendida participación fue compartida en el chat de la compañía, donde muy animados el resto de los compañeros se conmovieron ante el esfuerzo realizado.

El Ing. Patrick Balcázar, Principal de San Diego Project Management, PSC ha alabado este esfuerzo diciendo: “Aportando a nuestra comunidad no solo como profesionales sino, también, como personas y vecinos."

Esperamos que el año que viene pueda unirse todo San Diego Project Management, PSC con un mismo propósito: contribuir a la lucha contra el cáncer en nuestra amada Isla.

Thinking Out Loud: Infrastructural Development and the Protection of Aquatic Ecosystem.

In order to live, the human, as well as all living organisms, are driven to coexist in communities. The primary form of organization that permits existence is the ecosystem. Composed by living organisms called biotic components and nonliving chemical and physical parts of the environment called abiotic components, the ecosystem links these two factors through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Plant tissue and light play a significant role in the initial movement of energy flow sequence because energy enters the system through photosynthesis. A relation that turbidity monitory guard, looking for ways to protect aquatic ecosystems from the impact by human hand.

Marine and freshwater ecosystems are the main types of aquatic ecosystems. Depending on their conditions, bodies of water provide housing for different types of biotic and abiotic components.All ecosystems are affected and controlled by internal and external factors. Topography, soil,  climate are some of the elements that control the structure of an ecosystem, but are not influenced by the ecosystem. Instead, internal factors like decomposition, root competition, disturbance, shading, and the species present on that space do affect the ecosystem as a whole.  Therefore, you can imagine ecosystems as dynamic entities with the power to recover from disturbances in their balance and the strength to recover from different disorders given at different times. 

Aquatic ecosystems are in constant threat by human hand: unsustainable exploitation of its resources, microplastic, marine, and water pollution; as well as the land development near streams and the coast can yield significant harm to its natural system.

Looking for protecting the natural ecosystem of a body of water near or on a construction developing area, the turbidity monitoring system was designed.

The fundamental parts of this protection method are light and suspended sediment in the water. That’s when turbidity enters the game. Turbidity is the measurement of water clarity; and is used to calculate how much-suspended sediments (like clay, soil, and others) enter the waters around an intervened site.  The depth determines clarity that sunlight penetrates the water. Not only soil and mud are considered pollutants but also heavy metals, bacteria, pesticides, and other contaminants. A high number of suspended particles can cut down on the depth of light penetration through the water affecting the vegetation growing in the water, and that can affect the ecosystem on the water body.

Turbid water can provide data concerning the health or well-being of the water body itself. The appearance of high turbidity does not necessarily mean the water body is suffering; that is why it is good to have in hand historical data of the site to track any significant event.

There are different ways to monitor turbidity in aquatic ecosystems. Still, the one followed by San Diego Project Management, PSC in the Dorado Bridge Flood Control, is using a coliwasa sampler of approximately 14 feet of length and two clean 32 oz plastic bottles to extract the sample from the river. Once the samples are collected, it’s transferred to a 10 ml test bottles for analysis. A portable turbidimeter (Extech TB400) is used to perform the analysis. The two samples collected are: one in the surface and in the mid-depth of the river. (source from: The Turbidity Monitoring Reports template made by Jaziel Martínez)

The portable turbidimeter design allows you to take measurements on-site instead of bringing the samples back to the lab. Measures up to 1000 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit) with 0.01 NTU resolution.

(source from: https://www.tester.co.uk/extech-tb400-portable-turbidity-meter)

It is impossible not to impact the clarity of the water when there is construction taking place around the body of water. Still, studies like this one provide information that helps the engineers protect the aquatic ecosystem as much as is possible. If the ecosystem is suffering a real disturbance, the project must be stopped, and other options to continue the works must be considered. San Diego Project Management, PSC cares about protecting our natural resources. That’s why we share this information on how an engineering project provides the benefits of infrastructure development with the less possible impact

Sources:

• The Portable Turbidimeter https://www.grainger.com/product/25KC71?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzZKG_trK6wIVQYJbCh1aKgLUEAAYASAAEgIzLfD_BwE&s_kwcid=AL!2966!3!335676014059!p!!g!!extech%20tb400&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMIzZKG_trK6wIVQYJbCh1aKgLUEAAYASAAEgIzLfD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!2966!3!335676014059!p!!g!!extech%20tb400&gucid=N:N:PS:Paid:GGL:CSM-2296:AB578S:20500731

• The Transparency Tube https://www.nalms.org/secchidipin/monitoring-methods/the-transparency-tube/#The%20Transparency%20Tube

• Turbidity Monitoring During Construction https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Construction/Doc_ESCM/o03_escm.pdf

• Water monitoring and assessment  Turbidity What is turbidity and why is it important? https://archive.epa.gov/water/archive/web/html/vms55.html

Thinking Out Loud: On Maj. Gen. (P) Scott Spellmon Appointment

Thinking out loud…

Congratulations to MG Spellmon! We served together in the 82nd Engineer Battalion in Bamberg (Blue Babe). At the time he was one of the finest Company Commanders in the Battalion. It was a pleasure to work with you then, and I am looking forward to collaborating again with you again as a Contractor. Essayons!
You have a tough job, but you are more than equal for the task. Count on our support with integrity, quality, safety, and timeliness with an eye for service to our country.

Patrick Balcazar, PE

Thinking Out Loud: Book Recommendation

Programación de Proyectos y Análisis de Retrasos en la Construcción

by Jose F. Lluch

This book covers construction project scheduling from basic to advanced topics, with examples made in Microsoft Project and Oracle Primavera (trademarks) software.

It also covers the analysis of construction delays, including various methods and recommendations, with examples made using the aforementioned programs.

Just Thinking Out Loud: What it means to San Diego Project Management, PSC the construction of the decorative fence at the National Cemetery, Bayamón, Puerto Rico.

SAN DIEGO PROJECT MANAGEMENT, PSC FEELS ESPECIALLY MOVED AND HONORED TO REPAIR AND CONSTRUCT THE DECORATIVE FENCE AT THE NATIONAL CEMETERY, BAYAMON, PUERTO RICO

National cemeteries are considered hallowed ground. We are humbled by this modest project because for us, it is a small service we offer in honor of those that served our country with distinction. This project requires installing a decorative fence damaged by Hurricane Maria.

The structural hardening effort includes:

• 1,875 linear feet of fence along highway 168 and another;

• 350 linear feet at the rear of Section V.

We are committed to our sacred duty to preserve and protect the resting place of our loved ones dedicated service. Our respect and honor to the memory of our team’s relatives buried at National Cemeteries:

• Joseph Balcazar (1914-1999) loving son, husband, father. WWII Americal Division, South Pacific Campaign.  Three Bronze Stars.Deployed over 52 months. National Cemetery In San Antonio, Texas (SANC).

• Miguel A. Collado (1926-2004) loving son, husband, father, and grandfather. He was a soldier of the 65th Infantry Regiment “The Borinqueneers” during Korean War.

• Antonio E. Frias (1939—2002) loving son, husband, and father. Chief of Radiology at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX.

 Thinking Out Loud: Telemedicine

Just thinking out loud…

Is this pandemic going to end any time soon? Can Healthcare systems extremely expose to the illness stick to the usual system because this is going to only be temporary? We think the answer is: No, the healthcare system needs to readjust to deal with a situation that keeps outgrowing the healthcare systems' capacity, method, and structure.  

We have 20 years of service as a design/built, construction, maintenance & repair, and project management firm for the federal healthcare system in Puerto Rico. As a compromise we keep updating ourselves in order to offer the most state-of-the-art technology services; but this is something new to all of us, to the world. 

Computers & Internet have been around for a long time. In the healthcare system we have seen it in the use of electronic records, but it is now that the healthcare organization needs them and depends on them for its existence. Telemedicine has been around for a while, but it is not until now that healthcare providers can benefit from its attributes. To integrate this system into the daily work of healthcare providers it is imperative to reorganize the system, build infrastructure, acquire technology, and to educate the team. There is a lot to consider and to be done.

This is a moment to rethink and reinvent ourselves in order to offer the best solution available to solve new situations of unknown long-term consequences; to be resilient.

We as engineers, as project managers, have a lot to think about. We must adjust our approach during the process of conceptualization and innovate. But that is what science & engineering is all about.  

In Memory of Mr. Dennis W. Hernandez Santiago, PE

 Eng. Harry Villegas, served in the US Army as a 2nd Lieutenant after graduation. An excellent golf player and engineer, but most of all, a good friend to San Diego Project Management, PCS.

 Congratulations to Miguel Rivera on his achievement.