SAN FRANCISCO — WSP USA welcomes Shalonda A. Baldwin as senior director for the advisory enterprise management and strategy team.

In her new role, Baldwin is collaborating with public and private transportation leadership teams across the U.S. She is leading transformative change in transportation agencies and other infrastructure sectors by supporting advancements in equitable service delivery, strategic planning and engagement, and organizational effectiveness.

“We are excited to bring Shalonda’s vision and expertise to our Advisory team,” said Denise Roth, WSP USA’s advisory national business line executive. “Her practical leadership will support our strategies for greater equitable outcomes and even more effective service delivery.”

Baldwin, who will be based in the firm’s San Francisco office, has 24 years of experience in guiding strategy, delivering business and operational solutions and promoting inclusive infrastructure and mobility in municipal governments, public transportation, and the infrastructure industry.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service called on the public to provide feedback on how to apply the $270 million in tax incentive funding received from the Inflation Reduction Act. The 179D Commercial Buildings Energy-Efficiency Tax Deduction incentivizes building owners and designers to opt for building designs at least 25% more energy efficient than a reference building from ASHRAE Standard 90.1. Presently, the tax deduction relies on ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 because Treasury has not affirmed the more recent version, ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019.

ASHRAE’s response to the treasury department declared that to meaningfully contribute to meeting the administration’s goal of achieving a 50%-52% reduction from 2005 greenhouse gas emission levels by 2030, and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050, the department of the treasury should align with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and affirm the most recent version of the standard, ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019, as the reference building standard. If affirmed, ASHRAE 90.1-2019 would become the reference building standard four years from the date of affirmation.

CAIRO, Egypt — Honeywell signed a memorandum of understanding with Egypt’s Environ Adapt for Recycling Industries with the aim of advancing plastics recycling in the country. The two organizations will explore the development of the first chemical recycling facility in Egypt that would be equipped with Honeywell’s advanced technology, capable of converting waste plastic into valuable recycled polymer feedstock (RPF).

Under the proposal outlined in the memorandum, Honeywell UOP will work with Environ to deploy its latest UpCycle process technology. When used in conjunction with other chemical and mechanical recycling processes along with improvements to collection and sorting, the technology has the potential to help recycle up to 90% of waste plastics[i].[ii] This represents a considerable increase in waste plastics that can be turned into polymer feedstock.

The memorandum enables Environ to conduct a project feasibility study to explore trends; feedstock availability and potential markets; technical studies for the operation of the plant and facility, as well as overall project schedule, financial modelling; and analysis.

CORK, Ireland — Johnson Controls, a global provider of smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, has named Lei Schlitz as vice president and president, global products. In this role, Schlitz will lead the global products business, succeeding Jeff Williams, who retired earlier this year. She will be based in Milwaukee.

“There is a multibillion-dollar, addressable market in front of us, with unconstrained growth opportunities to deliver increased customer value through a wide range of building portfolio products,” said George Oliver, chairman and CEO, Johnson Controls. “Lei brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role, and she will be an asset to Johnson Controls as we accelerate our solution offerings and leverage our scale to capture this incredible market opportunity.”

Schlitz joins Johnson Controls from Illinois Tool Works (ITW), where she most recently held the role of executive vice president, automotive OEM segment. Throughout her 14-year career at ITW, she held a number of progressive roles, including, vice president, research and development; group president, global ware-wash and refrigeration business and food equipment, Asia Pacific; and executive vice president, food equipment group.

Prior to ITW, Schlitz spent seven years at Siemens Energy & Automation, most recently as the business manager for emerging businesses, residential product division. Prior to that, she served as director of product & manufacturing engineering, low voltage group. Earlier in her career, Schlitz spent time at both General Electric and Eaton Corp.

LOS ANGELES — International engineering firm Walter P Moore announced the addition of Balram Gupta, Ph. D., SE, as health care market leader – West Coast in the firm’s Los Angeles-based Structural Group. Gupta is an experienced worker in seismic retrofit work in the California health care market.

“Balram has extensive experience with HCAI [Department of Health Care Access and Information] regulations and has proven throughout his storied career that he is highly proficient in successfully delivering health care projects,” said Kurt Young, health care market leader, Walter P Moore. “He is an excellent choice for this position, and we are excited for him to excel in this leadership role.”

Gupta is a senior principal at the firm with more than three decades of experience in structural engineering, seismic design of new buildings, and seismic evaluations/upgrades of existing hospital buildings for compliance with SB-1953 regulations. He is an expert at addressing technical challenges, strategic thinking, writing proposals, managing a team of engineers, overseeing project budgets/schedules, project delivery, and interfacing with clients. He has a proven track record of saving owners money and has great working relationships with HCAI engineers, including Barlow Respiratory Hospital, Alta Hospital System, KPC, and many others.

LOS ANGELES — Environmental engineering and construction firm Brown and Caldwell named Diala Dandach senior director of program management. Dandach’s hiring will be pivotal in assisting clients to deliver multiyear recycled water programs in Southern California.

With 20 years of experience as a consultant, contractor, and owner, Dandach has overseen numerous multibillion-dollar capital improvement programs from planning through operation. She has directed some of the most technically complex water and environmental programs in the U.S., encompassing advanced wastewater treatment, water treatment, nutrient removal, and biosolids management.

In her new role, Dandach will augment Brown and Caldwell’s 75-year history of delivering transformative programs to meet resiliency, consent order, regulatory, and growth-driven capital improvements. She will direct a team of practitioners and partner with clients to bring generationally significant visions to reality through a portfolio of planning, design, construction, construction management, and commissioning services.

“I am delighted to welcome a leader of Diala’s stature to our growing Southern California business,” said Dan Bunce, senior vice president, Brown and Caldwell. “Her extensive construction background and knowledge of multiple delivery methods will be key to optimizing program management and helping our clients keep communities and the environment safe.”