Standard Steel: Built to Last
1 day ago · 2 minute read
Jim Echard, P.E., President, BAI Group Some places shape you long before you realize it. I live in the same small Pennsylvania town where Standard Steel was founded generations ago. Long before I became an engineer, or President of BAI Group, Standard Steel was simply part of the landscape. The sound of industry, the rhythm of shift […]
Meet Karen Finlan, The Steady Hand Behind Our Environmental Work
1 month ago · 2 minute read
Cornell’s Solar Moment: A Reflection
2 months ago · 4 minute read
Sel Edor, General Manager of Renewables The Cornell School District’s transition to becoming the first 100% solar-powered school district in Allegheny County was one of the most meaningful moments of our year. Most of that credit belongs to a small, determined school community that approached a necessary infrastructure upgrade with clarity, patience, and long-term thinking. […]
Human + Intelligent: Engineering with AI at RCon 2025
3 months ago · 3 minute read
At RCon 2025 this November in Columbus, The BAI Group’s John Smith and Davar Ardalan will bring an engineer’s eye and a human touch to one of today’s biggest questions: how to use AI wisely, sustainably, and transparently. From the Florida Engineering Summit to the Chesapeake TriCon workshop, Smith and Ardalan have spent the past […]
The Case for Going Solar in 2025
9 months ago · 2 minute read
The beginning of 2025 has been a somewhat bumpy period for renewable energy. On the first day of his new administration, Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a “national energy emergency” and pledged his intent to accelerate fossil fuel production and undo major parts of the Inflation Reduction Act promoting renewable energy. What might […]
What to Know About Solar Projects for Schools
11 months ago · 2 minute read
Energy is one of the highest expenses for schools, so it’s no surprise that many districts are beginning to consider solar power projects. Solar is more attractive than ever before, thanks to Solar for PA Schools, a new grant program created by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that covers up to 50 percent of the cost […]
Pennsylvania’s Looming Electric Grid Cliff
1 year ago · 2 minute read
There are lots of reasons to be optimistic about renewable energy power generation in Pennsylvania. Solar panel costs continue to drop and grid-scale renewable energy projects continue to come online. Amid these positive trends, however, there is a looming problem that should be top of mind for anyone who cares about the future of power […]
Microplastics in Pennsylvania Groundwater
1 year ago · 3 minute read
Microplastics are everywhere: In coffee cups, in oceans and streams, and even in you. That’s right. Humans on average ingest an estimated five grams of plastic every week — an amount that’s roughly the weight of a credit card. Numerous studies have found that microplastics can leach from the linings of single-use coffee cups. The […]
How New Legislation Could Reshape the Solar Power Landscape in Pennsylvania
1 year ago · 3 minute read
While many Pennsylvanians are discovering the benefits of switching to solar power, plenty of work remains before the state can reach a future truly powered by renewable energy. Pennsylvania currently ranks just 45th in the country when it comes to investments in clean energy including solar, wind, and hydropower, and only four percent of the […]
Why Solar Power Can Coexist with the Grid
1 year ago · 2 minute read
For many years, there’s been a certain conventional wisdom attached to solar power: It’s great when the sun shines, but it’s not reliable enough for utility-scale projects. After all, what happens when the sun goes down and there’s no more electricity being generated? Or what happens when the sun is blaring and there’s more power […]