Professional Societies

National Society of Professional Engineers   www.nspe.org   Professional society that supports licensed Professional Engineers and EIT's in all disciplines.

Massachusetts Society of Professional Engineers.   www.mspe.com   The local state organization of NSPE. Supports licensed Professional Engineers and EIT's in all disciplines in Massachusetts.

American Society of Civil Engineers.   www.asce.org   Professional Society for Civil and Structural engineers. Develops standards for all types of construction.

Boston Society of Civil Engineers (BSCES) Section.   www.bsces.org   The Boston Society of Civil Engineers became the local chapter of ASCE.

Structural Engineers Association of Massachusetts (SEAMass).   www.seamass.org   Local society for furthering and enhancing the practice of structural engineering. Organizes meetings, design seminars, and tours.

National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA).   www.ncsea.org   National society for furthering and enhancing the practice of structural engineering. Organizes meetings, design seminars, and webinars.

International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers.   www.ispe.org   The worlds largest not-for profit society serving pharmaceutical science and manufacturing professionals. Its mission is "Engineering Pharmaceutical Innovation". Develops standards, guidelines and manuals.
   Boston Area Chapter www.ispeboston.org

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is one of the oldest and largest professional societies in the world.
   Headquarters     www.ieee.org
   Boston Section office     www.ieeeboston.org
   Boston Consultants Network     www.boston-consult.org
   Boston Entrepreneurs Network     www.boston-enet.org
   New Hampshire Consultants Network     www.consultantsnh.org
   Worcester County Section     www.users.rcn.com/ieeeworc/
Many of the local (Boston) chapters host monthly meetings on various topics. The Boston Section offers training courses and hosts the annual Technologies for Homeland Security conference, among others.

National Fire Protection Association  (Quincy, MA)   www.nfpa.org   Develops codes and standards for fire protection. Develops training materials for engineers, contractors, building officials, and fire service personnel. Among its hundreds of publications, NFPA develops the Life Safety Code (which defines exit requirements) and the National Electric Code (NEC). The NFPA handbooks on its various codes are not just "commentary" on the codes but are comprehensive illustrated textbooks on applying the code provisions.

Medical Development Group.   www.meddevgroup.org   Boston-based society focused is on people designing or using implanted medical devices or instrumentation or related items. Has monthly networking meetings and monthly Forum (presentation) meetings.

Independant Computer Consultants Association.   represented consulting firms specializing in IT (individuals to mid-size firms).
The ICCA went out of business on 31-DEC-2009 after 33 years.

Society of Professional Consultants.    www.spconsultants.org   Boston-based society for consultants in many fields (high-tech, management, and other). Hosts monthly meetings on various topics.

Institute of Management Consultants.   The premier organization for management consultants.
   National Office    www.imcusa.org

Society for Information Management (SIM).   Oriented toward "IT Managers" (vs. computer developers or engineers). The Boston Chapter of SIM ( www.simnet.org - then browse to the Boston Chapter ) has monthly luncheon meetings in rotating locations.

Engineering Licensure

NCEES.   www.ncees.org   The National Council of Engineering Examination Services (NCEES) develops the engineering licensing exams. The members of NCEES are the state licensing and regulatory agencies. The website has much information and many links related to licensing and is a great place to start when researching the requirements to become licensed. The sample exams that can be purchased from NCEES are probably the nearest approximation to an actual exam available.

Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors   www.mass.gov/orgs/board-of-registration-of-professional-engineers-and-land-surveyors   is the government agency that regulates the practice of engineering and surveying in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The website provides information on licensing requirements and regulations. This website is also the place to check a license.

Professional Credential Services (PCS).   www.pcshq.com   Private organization based in Nashville, TN used by many jurisdictions (incl. Massachusetts) to process license applications. This is the place to get the application forms and is where the completed forms are sent. Includes links to many licensing boards

Professional Publications Inc.   www.ppi2pass.com   Develops training materials for preparing for the licensing exams. Personal experience (2003) was that the PPI Reference Manual was probably the handiest and most useful reference I had during the PE exam, however, I think the NCEES sample tests are more realistic.

Structural References

Structural Steel Design

American Institute of Steel Construction.   www.aisc.org   AISC develops standards for the design of steel structures, publishes the Steel Construction Manual and certifies steel fabrication and erection firms.

Structural Stability Research Council.   www.ssrcweb.org   SSRC (formerly the Column Research Council) investigates requirements for the stability of steel structures. Organizes the annual Stability Conference and publishes the Guide to Stability Design Criteria for Metal Structures.

Research Council on Structural Connections.   www.boltcouncil.org   RCSC conducts research on structural connections. Developed the Guide to Design Criteria for Bolted and Riveted Joints and the Specification for Structural Joints Using ASTM A325 or ASTM A490 Bolts.

James F. Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation.   www.jflf.org   Founded in 1936 to promote arc welding. Although historically related to the Lincoln Arc Welding Company, the Foundation is a non-profit organization publishing vendor-independent research and manuals on welding design - including the fabrication of complex and/or highly-restrained weldments. Technical papers are available for free download. Comprehensive design and reference manuals are available at nominal cost.

Steel Deck Institute.   www.sdi.org   Provides data on the design and construction of structural floors and roofs using cold-formed steel decking. Publishes manuals, handbooks, whitepapers, and position papers, on composite decks, form decks, cellular decks, and roof decks, and also diaphragm design.

Steel Joist Institute.   www.steeljoist.org   Develops standards and regulations for the open web steel joist industry. Publishes manuals and design guides including the Catalog of Standard Specifications and Load Tables..., also a CD-ROM of data on all open-web joists since 1927.

Association of Iron & Steel Technology.   www.aist.org   AIST was formed in 2004 when the Association of Iron & Steel Engineers (AISE) and the Iron & Steel Society merged. Many books and papers available. Much is related to metallurgy and steel manufacturing, rather than design and construction, but includes TR 13 Guide to the Design and Construction of Mill Buildings and other publications about overhead cranes.

STI/SPFA.   www.steeltank.com   Steel Tank Institute / Steel Plate Fabrication Association. Develops standards and guidelines for the fabrication, erection, operation and maintenance of steel tanks and similar structures.

Reinforced Concrete Design

American Concrete Institute.   www.concrete.org   ACI develops standards for concrete design and construction including "ACI 318" (Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete) and for evaluating existing structures. Also publishes the multi-volume Manual of Concrete Practice.

Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute.   www.crsi.org   CRSI publishes manuals on the fabrication, placement, and inspection of rebars. Also publishes design information and data on proprietary reinforcing systems that were used in old concrete buildings.

Portland Cement Association.   www.cement.org   An organization of cement companies to improve and extend the uses of Portland cement and concrete through market development, engineering research, education and public affairs work. Publishes much useful data including Notes on ACI-318.

Post Tensioning Institute.   www.post-tensioning.org   PTI publishes standards and recommended practices for post-tensioning systems and applications.

Wire Reinforcement Institute.   www.wirereinforcementinstitute.org   WRI publishes standards and recommended practices for structural welded-wire reinforcement (WWR) and related products for concrete reinforcement. Most publications are available as PDFs for free download.

International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI).   www.icri.org   National society for concrete maintenance, repair, and restoration.
   New England Chapter www.ne-icri.org

Light Gauge Steel and Metal Building Systems

American Iron and Steel Institute.   www.steel.org   Organization for the steel industry. AISI also develops design standards and manuals for light-gauge cold formed steel structures.

Metal Building Manufacturers Association.   www.mbma.com   MBMA is a trade organization for the metal building industry. Publishes design information in the Metal Building Systems Manual and the Metal Roofing Systems Design Manual.

Center for Cold-Formed Steel Structures.   www.ccfssonline.org   CCFSS is a research center at the Missouri University of Science & Technology (formerly University of Missouri-Rolla). Good source of information and links to other organizations.

Cold-Formed Steel Council   www.sbcindustry.com/cfsc - part of SBCA (see below) - CFSC focuses on the design, erection, and bracing of light-gauge steel trusses and wall panels.

Structural Wood Design

The American Wood Council.   www.awc.org   The AWC of the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) www.afandpa.org publishes the National Design Specification (NDS) for Wood Construction and related documents. These are the primary guides for the design and construction of wood structures.

APA.   www.apawood.org   The Engineered Wood Association (formerly the American Plywood Association) develops standards and guides for designing structures made of plywood and other engineered wood (OSB, LVL, glulam, etc.).

American Institute of Timber Construction.   www.aitc-glulam.org   AITC is the trade association of the structural glued laminated (glulam) timber industry. It publishes the Timber Construction Manual which is the industry guide to designing heavy structures and trusses.

Woodworks: Wood Products Council.   www.woodworks.com   WoodWorks provides free technical support as well as education and resources related to the code-compliant design of non-residential and multi-family wood buildings. This includes Mass Timber and CLT and the "US CLT Handbook".

Western Wood Products Association. www.wwpa.org   Develops grading rules for softwood lumber from the western states. Provides strength values used in the NDS. Many publications available.

Wood I-Joist Manufacturers Association.   www.i-joist.org   Develops design guides for the use of wood I-joists in light construction.

Truss Plate Institute.   www.tpinst.org   Develops design guides for manufacturing and installing light wood trusses assembled using metal plates.

Engineered Wood Products Association (EWPA) is now part of SBCA   www.http://www.sbcindustry.com/engineered-wood-products   Trade association of manufacturers and distributors of dimension lumber, glulam, wood I-joists, structural composite lumber (LSL, LVL, PSL, OSB), trusses, wall and structural panels. Does not publish standards, but has links to many other associations. EWPA is different from APA/EWA (above) which publishes design standards.

Structural Building Components Association (SBCA)  www.sbcindustry.com   Appears to have absorbed the former Wood Truss Council of America (WTCA)and Engineered Wood Products Association (EWPA - not be be confused with APA-EWA, above) Trade association of manufacturers and distributors provides information on lightweight wood trusses, wall panels and related components. SBCA also includes the Cold-Formed Steel Council (see above).

Simpson StrongTie.   www.strongtie.com   Leading manufacturer of metal connector hardware for wood construction. Much design information is available.

USP Structural Connectors.   Now part of Mitek www.mitek-us.com   Manufacturer of metal hardware for wood construction. Much design information is available.

MyTiCon Connectors.   www.my-ti-con.com   Canadian supplier of European-styled connectors for heavy timber construction. Much design information is available for use with both Canadian and USA codes.

Structural Aluminum Design

The Aluminum Association.   www.aluminum.org   Publishes the Aluminum Design Manual.

Masonry Design

The Masonry Society.   www.masonrysociety.org   Joint publisher, with ASCE and ACI (see above), of the Building Code Requirements and Specifications for Masonry Structures. Also publishes the Masonry Designers Guide. Their Publication Store sells many useful related publications.

Masonry Standards Joint Committee (MSJC).   Part of the Masonry Society (above). Focus group for masonry design standards.

International Masonry Institute.   www.imiweb.org   Trade association promoting quality masonry construction. Focus is on training masons/bricklayers but includes well-illustrated detailing information.

Mason Contractors Association of America.   www.masoncontractors.org   Trade association of masonry contractors and suppliers. Holds the MCCA Convention at the annual World of Concrete conference. Extensive links page.

Brick Industry Association.   www.gobrick.com   Formerly the Brick Institute of America. Trade association representing manufacturers and distributors of clay brick and related products. Publishes technical notes.

Ceramic Glazed Masonry Institute.   www.cgmi.org   (not to be confused with former dot.com company CMGI) Trade association of glazed ceramic product manufacturers and distributors. Includes links to manufacturers, distributors, and other organizations.

National Brick Research Center.   www.brickandtile.org   A component of Clemson University. Conducts research on clay bricks and other ceramic materials.

Gypsum Association.   www.gypsum.org   Technical information for the gypsum industry. Covers gypsum board products and other uses of gypsum.

Seismic References

NEHRP.   www.nehrp.gov   The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. Federal government program of seismic design research. Incorporates research conducted by the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) of the National Institute for Building Science (NIBS) and/or the Applied Technology Council (ATC) of the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC). NEHRP Provisions and Commentary and related documents form the basis of current seismic design codes.

SMACNA.   www.smacna.org   Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Manufacturers National Association - publications include: Seismic Restraint Manual: Guidelines for Mechanical Systems 3rd ed.

ASHRAE.   www.ashrae.org   American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers. Primarily HVAC design, but publications include: R[esearch]P[roject]-812 Practical Guide to Seismic Restraint.

VISCMA.   www.viscma.com   Vibration Isolation & Seismic Control Manufacturers Association. FEMA funded research reports can be downloaded covering seismic restraints for mechanical, electrical, and duct/pipe.

CISCA.   www.cisca.org   Ceilings and Interior Systems Construction Association. Publications include data on retaining suspended ceiling tiles during earthquakes.

AAMA.   www.aamanet.org   American Architectural Manufacturers Association. Publications include data on glass falling out of curtain walls.

Mechanical References

HVAC Design & Industrial Steam Systems

HeatingHelp.  www.heatinghelp.com Dan Holohan is the premier expert on steam heat. His website includes a forum for questions, a library of historical literature for free downloading, books for sale, and links to many vendor websites (the inspiration for this page of the GSC website). Dan is a very dynamic individual and his seminars are well worth attending.

Appropriate Designs.   www.hydronicpros.com   John Siegenthaler, P.E. is the leading expert on hydronic heating for residential and light commercial buildings. He also addresses solar and geothermal heatpump systems, and is an advocate of using variable speed pumping for energy efficiency. Excellent publications, software, and seminars available.

Heat Talk.   https://heattalk.com   HVAC information site by Dave Miller. A product review site that also contains a blog with general information and a forum for Q&A

I=B=R.   The Institute for Boiler Radiation published performance ratings for boilers, radiation, etc., also design manuals and calculation sheets. I=B=R became the Hydronics Institute of GAMA (Gas Appliance Manufacturers Assoc.) which merged into AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute) www.ahrinet.org in 2008.

Fluid Controls Institute.   www.fluidcontrolsinstitute.org   FCI develops standards and guidelines for the design of flow control mechanisms.

International Ground Source Heat Pump Association.    www.igshpa.org   Develops standards and manuals for ground-source heat pumps for heating, cooling, and hot water. Publishes manuals, including: Closed-Loop Ground Source Heat Pump Systems, Design and Installation Standards, Residential and Light-Commercial Design and Installation Manual, and the Soil and Rock Classification Field Manual.

Spirax-Sarco.  www.spiraxsarco.com   Vendor of steam auxiliary equipment for large industrial applications. Their online "Steam Engineering Tutorials" are an education in the design of steam systems and a valuable resources. The information is also avaolable in book for for a fee.

Babcock & Wilcox.   www.babcock.com   is a major manufacturer of large industrial and power boilers. Their publication Steam / Its Generation and Use (first published in 1875, now in its 42nd edition) is a recognized major reference on high-pressure steam technology, including steam from nuclear power.

JMP Blog.   jmpcoblog.com   This is the technical blog/website of the James M Pleasants Company (jmpco.com) a supplier of HVAC and hydronic products in the southeast region of the USA. The blog site contains many technical articles on steam. plumbing, HVAC, and related industrial systems.

Boilers & Hydronic Accessories

Burnham Boilers.  www.burnhamcommercial.com   Manufacturer of oil/gas burners and steam/water boilers.

Weil-McLain.  www.weil-mclain.com   Manufacturer of commercial and residential boilers and related equipment.

Caleffi.   www.caleffi.com/usa/en-us  Callefi North America, Inc. subsidiary of the Italian Caleffi. Manufactures a range of innovative products for hydronic systems. Their webinars and idronics series of technical booklets provides extensive design tutorials.

Bell&Gossett.  www.bellgossett.com   Manufacturer of pumps, circulators, and related equipment.

Hoffman Specialty.  http://bellgossett.com/hoffman-specialty-products/   Manufacturer of steam traps, pressure regulators (steam), temperature regulators (steam/water), and related equipment.

McDonnell & Miller.   www.mcdonnellmiller.com   Manufacturer of boiler controls, liquid level controls, and flow switches.

Armstrong International.    www.armstronginternational.com   Manufacturer of industrial systems for steam, compressed air, and hot water.

Watts Regulator.   www.wattsreg.com   Leading manufacturer of water pressure reducing valves, backflow preventers, automatic control valves, vacuum breakers, and related equipment.

Martin Engineering Company, Inc.   www.steamvalve.com   Manufacturers' representative (Braintree, MA) for steam specialty products. Many useful links.

Bock Water Heaters.   www.bockwaterheaters.com   Manufacturer of commercial and residential water heaters. Line includes direct and indirect fired systems, solar and geothermal systems, and storage tanks.

Copper Development Association.   www.copper.org   Technical information for all uses from electrical to plumbing and more. Publications include: "Copper Tube Handbook"

Radiant Heating

Watts Radiant.  www.wattsradiant.com A leading manufacturer and distributor of products for radiant heating and snowmelting.

HVAC Suppliers

Johnstone Supply   www.johnstonesupply.com   Industrial supplier (HVAC) with many local distribution centers.

Grainger    www.grainger.com   Industrial supplier (of nearly everything) with many local distribution centers.

Pneumatic & Hydraulic

Clippard Instrument Laboratories.   www.clippard.com  Manufactures an extremely broad range of valves, controls, cylinders, fittings, etc. for pneumatic control systems. This includes the Clippard Minimatic line of modular manifold-mounted miniature valves that provide boolean logic functions in addition to conventional control functions.

Emergency Power

Electrical Generating Systems Association.  www.egsa.org  Publishes Onsite Power - A Reference Book.

Miscelaneous

Ductile Iron Society.   www.ductile.org   Promotes use of ductile iron castings.

Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association.   www.dipra.org   Specifically oriented toward DI pipe. Includes historical editions of the "Ductile Iron Pipe Handbook"

Biotechnology and Laboratory References

Professional Societies

Association of Laboratory Managers. (ALMA)   www.labmanagers.org/.com   Supports laboratory managers to run better organizations

Parenteral Drug Association. (ALMA)   www.pda.org/.com   Provides science, technology and regulatory information and education for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical community.

Biotechnology and Laboratory
Suppliers & Consultants

Mechanical Systems

Air Systems Technologies   www.airsystemstech.com   Local (Avon, MA) firm covers the New England area. Provides: Test, certification, and repair of Biosafety cabinets, laminar flow benches, and chemical fume hoods. Construction and certification of clean rooms. Laboratory energy conservation projects.

Olympic Systems   www.olympicsystemscorp.com   Stainless Steel Fabrication. Local (Winchester, MA) firm providing manufacturing, welding, passivation, and elctropolishing for all types of stainless steel components.

Middlesex Gases   www.middlesexgases.com   Local (Everett, MA) firm providing a full range of industrial and speciality gases, from bulk industrial supplies to high-purity laboratory instrument gases. They also design and install storage and distribution systems.

UltraFiltronics www.ultrafiltronics.com Local (Randolph, MA) firm providing a full range of pure water systems. They also design and install storage and distribution systems.

Environmental and Safety

Safety Partners   www.safetypartnersinc.com   Local firm (Lexington, MA) that provides resident Safety Officers to help small and start-up biotech firms meet health, safety, and regulatory requirements. Ask for Denise Aronson.

Clean Harbors   www.cleanharbors.com   Major industrial cleanup and environmental services firm. Local office in Andover, MA.

Instrumentation

Hach Ultra Analytics   www.hach.com/hua   Manufactures and sells MetOne air particle counters, HIAC liquid particle counters, Anatel TOC analyzers, Orbisphere dissolved oxygen and ozone analyzers.

Clinical Services

eMedicus   www.emedicus.com   Local (Bedford, MA) commercial Institutional Review Board (IRB) that provides professional reviews of clinical and non-clinical research protocols..

Laboratory Freezer Relocation

Tobin Scientific   www.tobinscientific.com   This service of Tobin & Sons Moving & Storage uses specialized trucks to transport laboratory refrigerators and freezers while keeping the equipment running and the contents at specified temperatures. The firm also handles general moving and storage. Local (Peabody, MA) firm.

A/E and Construction Firms (biotech-oriented)

Megerdichian Associates   www.cadcafmservices.com   Local firm (Cambridge, MA) that provides existing condition surveys, as-built drawings, and CAD services to property owners, architects, and engineers. Ask for Robert Megerdichian.

Electrical and Computer References

Electrical Engineering

Electrical Engineering Portal.   www.electrical-engineering-portal.com   Online resource of technical articles and info - transmission, distribution, in-plant. Created by Edvard Csanyi.

Charles Poynton - Video Engineering.   http://poynton.ca/Poynton-video-eng.html   Numerous articles on the technical aspects of video engineering.

Copper Development Association.   www.copper.org   Technical information for all uses from electrical to plumbing and more.

Electrical Connectors

Pasternack Enterprises   www.pasternack.com   Manufacturer of RF and microwave connectors, adapters, cables, and related components. Has adapters for almost any conceivable RF interconnection.

Wago   www.wago.com   Manufactures a very broad range of terminal blocks and interface connections.

Hubbell   www.hubbell-wiring.com   Manufactures a broad range of electrical installation products - from high-power connectors to explosion-proof switch boxes to data communication wiring.

Turck   www.turck.com   Manufactures device-level sensor and actuator interconnect and bus products. Also a very broad range of modular cordsets for automation.

AMP   Manufactures a very broad range of electronic and printed circuit board connectors - both analog and digital. Now part of Tyco Electronics   www.te.com/usa-en/products/connectors.html   group.

Amphenol   www.amphenol.com   Manufactures RF/microwave coaxial connectors for military and commercial applications.

L-com   www.L-com.com   Provides a broad range of data, video, voice, and coax connectors, mounting racks, tools and accessories.

Waytek   www.waytekwire.com   Distributor of connectors and wiring - primarily automotive and/or low voltage.

Data and Communications Wiring

Black Box   www.blackbox.com   Distributor of data communications hardware. Extensive tutorial and reference information available.

Siemon   www.siemon.com   Manufactures/distributes copper and fiber cabling solutions for telco and data communications.

Meters and Instruments

Spectrum Industries   www.spectrumind.com   Provides panel and switchboard meters, instruments, controllers, instrument transformers, and related equipment.

Simpson Electric   www.simpsonelectric.com   Provides panel and switchboard meters, instruments, controllers, instrument transformers, and related equipment. Also manufactures one of the classic lines of test and measurement instruments.

Tools and Test Equipment

Specialized Products   www.specialized.net   Distributor of an extremely broad range of tools and test equipment. In some cases, the information about a product in the Specialized catalog exceeds that on the manufacturer's website.

Audiovisual Automation

Xantech   www.xantech.com   Manufactures IR-based controls for audiovisual equipment.

Internet Registry and Lookup

ARIN   ws.arin.net   American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) provides contact and registration information for IP addresses.

InterNIC   internic.net/whois.html   Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers provides contact and registration information for domain names.

Image Compression

JPEG   www.jpeg.org   Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) official website for the ISO JPEG image compression standards.

Independent JPEG Group   www.ijg.org   Informal group that writes and distributes a widely used free library of JPEG software.

Building and Construction References

Architecture

Metal Construction Association   www.metalconstruction.org   Organization of manufacturers and suppliers of metal products used in structures. Publishes guidelines on metal wall and roof panels, and a Primer on Diaphragm Design manual.

National Roofing Contractors Association   www.nrca.net   is a trade association for contractors but also publishes design information including the Steep Slope Roof Systems, the Vegetative Roof Systems, the Guide to Roof Coatings, and the Energy-Efficient Roof Systems manuals.

Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues.   www.ricowi.org   RICOWI ponsors and publishes research on the effects of winds and hail on roofs.

Tile Roofing Institute.   www.tileroofing.org   (formerly the National Tile Roofing Manufacturers Association) Trade industry association promoting the use of clay and concrete tiles vs. combustible materials. Publishes guides and recommended practices.

Door and Access Systems Manufacturers Association.   www.dasma.com   DASMA publishes info on structural resistance of doors (especially in hurricanes).

Copper Development Association.   www.copper.org   Technical information for all uses from electrical to plumbing and more. Publications include: "Copper in Architecture - Design Handbook",

Whole Building Design Guide.   www.wbdg.com   WBDG is a program of the Mational Institute of Building Sciences and provides government and industry practitioners with one-stop access to up-to-date information on a wide range of building-related guidance, criteria and technology from a "whole buildings" perspective. Also links to other resources and organizations.

Connectors & Fasteners

HILTI   www.hilt1.com   Manufacturer of tools and fasteners - primarily for steel, concrete, and masonry structyres Also provides extensive training and engineering support,

Bolt Depot   www.boltdepot.com   Local (Hingham) supplier of fasteners ranging from small wood screws to A325 structural bolts. Handles quantities from bulk orders to small/retail quantities. Also excellent technical references

Also see Simpson StrongTie and USP/Mitek above.

Portland Bolt   www.www.splitringconnectors.com   Among other products supplies Split-Ring Timber Connectors and Shear Plates and installation tools. Also excellent technical references

Cleveland Steel   www.clevelandsteel.com.com   Among other products supplies Split-Ring Timber Connectors and Shear Plates and installation tools. Design Manual for connectors is available for download.

Signs and Equipment Marking

Signs On Site   www.signsonsiteboston.com   Local (Duxbury, MA) firm manufacturing and installing a modular system of interior building signage that include safety and hazard markers. Their signs are easily reconfigurable in the field.

Seton Name Plate   www.seton.com   Supplies a full range of signage products, many varieties of asset tags, also a very broad range of pipe and equipment markers, both stock and custom.

Building Security

Securadyne   www.securadyne.com   Local (Wilmington, MA) firm supplying and installing a complete range of building security, access control, and surveillance systems. Formerly Surveillance Specialties.

Interior Furnishings

L.T.D. Office Solutions   www.ltdofficesolutions.com   Local (Wilmington, MA) firm handles new and used interior furnishings and office divider systems. They can help furnish a new site or will buy existing furnishings.

Miscellaneous References

Planning

Boston Groundwater Trust   www.bostongroundwater.org   studies groundwater depletion in the City of Boston which affects the integrity of wooden piles under buildings and structures.

City of Boston Maps   www.bostonplans.org/3d-data-maps    Viewable and downloadable Boston Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) maps. Much hodtoric data has been added in recent years. A very complete and flexible resource.

NGS Survey Marker Locations

National Geodetic Survey     https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/datasheets/   NGS (formerly the Coast & Geodetic Survey) online data. The "Data Sheets" link opens a search for survey marker datasheets. These give precise coordinates which can be used for surveying and GPS calibration.

GPS and Navigation

The Geographer's Craft   www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/notes.html   by Peter H. Dana, University of Colorado at Boulder. Notes on GPS, map projections, geodetic datums, coordinate systems, and more. Good introduction.

GPS Information   www.gpsinformation.net    Oriented primarily toward personal or recreational use, but links to many sites with useful information.

USNO GPS   www.tycho.usno.navy.mil/gps.html    U. S. Naval Observatory GPS Timing Operations. Technical details of the current GPS constellation. Part of USNO's Time Services Department.

Magellan GPS   www.magellangps.com    Manufacturer of GPS receivers.

Hemisphere GPS   www.hemispheregps.com   (formerly Canadian Systems International / CSI Wireless). Manufacturer of precision commercial GPS technology, including the "MBX" family of differential beacon receivers.

NavTechGPS   www.navtechgps.com   Distributor and developer of GPS / Galileo / GLONASS products and systems, GPS books, etc. ; also offers a broad range of GPS training courses at all levels

Celestaire   www.celestaire.com   Distributors of GPS navigation instruments, also sextants and other celestial navigation instruments.

Calendars/Astronomy

Time and Calendars   www.sizes.com/time/index.htm   Information on calendar systems and dating systems. Mostly of historical interest.

Calendar Algorithms     mysite.verizon.net/aesir_research/date/date0.htm Date algorithms by Peter Baum of Aesir Research.

Heavens Above   www.heavens-above.com   Time data, positions of astronomical objects, and solar positions.

Miscellaneous Vendors

Company Anniversary Items

Stephen Fossler   The Stephen Fossler Company specialized in items for company anniversary promotions. They manufacture a series of decals for 5th/10th/15th/etc. anniversaries that can be customized with company name and affixed to correspondence or products. Now part of Deluxe Enterprises.

Archival Storage Supplies

Light Impressions   www.lightimpressionsdirect.com   Distributor of archival storage supplies.

Gaylord   www.gaylord.com   Distributor of archival storage supplies.

Hollinger   www.hollingermetaledge.com   Distributor of archival storage supplies. Developer and manufacturer of the 'Hollinger box'.

Bulbs / Lighting

Top Bulb   www.topbulb.com   Gray Supply (aka Top Bulb). Distributor of bulbs, including replacements for many scientific instruments.

Miscellaneous

VisualHorizons / StoreSmart   www.storesmart.com   Distributor of packaging, storage, and display products. Their line of adhesive-backed clear plastic pockets (5000+ sizes, <1" to >14") hold labels or descriptions for anything from equipment and instruments to storage cabinets and file boxes. Because the plain-paper inserts can be readily inserted/removed, these pockets facilitate keeping the labels current.

United States Plastic Corp.   www.usplastic.com   Distributor of all types of plastics, from tubing and containers, to structural shapes and sheets.