Latest news with #CALSTART
Associated Press
01-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
DLR Group Welcomes David Chow as Global Transportation Leader
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 1, 2025-- The 100% employee-owned, integrated design firm DLR Group has named David Chow, PE, AICP, as global transportation leader. A licensed professional engineer and certified urban planner, he has over 36 years of experience in the transportation and urban design industry and an acute understanding of the interrelationship between transportation, land use, and development. He will contribute engineering and urban planning expertise to DLR Group's Transportation sector, leading teams as they work to build stronger communities through well-designed urban environments. He joins DLR Group as a principal and will be based in Los Angeles, California. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: DLR Group Principal and Global Transportation Leader David Chow, PE, AICP 'David is a visionary leader who deeply understands how transportation and infrastructure impact community well-being and our climate and environment,' said DLR Group CEO Steven McKay, AIA, RIBA. 'His insight and passion for the rapidly evolving landscape will drive growth and maximize the value of our integrated design solutions, delivering long-lasting benefits to our clients and communities.' Chow's experience encompasses work in both nonprofit and private sectors. Prior to joining DLR Group, he was COO of CALSTART, a global non-profit focused on helping the United States and other countries transition to clean transportation technologies. At CALSTART, he led operational teams and optimized clean transportation initiatives across the organization's matrix of activities and national/international geographies. Prior to CALSTART, he was instrumental in driving the growth of IBI Group's transportation planning and engineering practice and held various senior leadership roles over a successful decades-long career at the global design firm. Chow has led transportation and urban design projects across the Western United States, including the award-winning Civic Center Master Plan for the City of Los Angeles. This comprehensive master planning initiative aims to address the city's facility needs, develop a new vision for the administrative heart of the city, and repair historic inequities in the area. He also led the planning and design of 11 light rail transit stations and station areas for the Foothill Gold Line Transit Light Rail Extension, connecting cities in California's San Gabriel Valley to provide a faster, more reliable and convenient way to travel and improve access to job centers, educational institutions, and other destinations in the region. 'Transportation connects everything we do and is integral to DLR Group's commitment to elevate the human experience through design,' said Chow. 'I'm eager to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and partner with clients to build happier cities with innovative transportation design.' DLR Group's civic, infrastructure, and transportation design experience spans airport expansions and renovations, rail station design, ferry terminals, transit asset management reporting, parking garage studies and design, and other transit-oriented developments, in addition to energy infrastructure and energy management planning projects. Its holistic approach to transit-oriented planning and design is showcased at Chinatown-Rose Pak Station, which balances the necessary functionality of a public transportation station with a thoughtful celebration of the unique culture of San Francisco's Chinatown and green design strategies. Art by local artists creates a sense of place with meaningful ties to the neighborhood and its history. Reducing the need for artificial lighting, the transition from the street level into the station depths is modulated by a glass canopy that allows natural light to permeate below. Above the station, which DLR Group designed in collaboration with Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Michael Willis Architects, a rooftop plaza features stadium seating and public art, reinforcing the station's identity as a new community hub. About DLR Group DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse. Our promise is to elevate the human experience through design. This promise inspires sustainable design for a diverse group of public and private sector clients, local communities, and our planet. DLR Group is 100 percent employee-owned, fully supports the initiatives and goals of the 2030 Challenge and is an initial signatory to the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment. View source version on Media contact: Marguerite Munoz at DLR Group, 714-654-5733,[email protected] KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: OTHER TRANSPORT ENVIRONMENT PUBLIC TRANSPORT CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY TRANSPORT URBAN PLANNING SUSTAINABILITY ARCHITECTURE OTHER CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY SOURCE: DLR Group Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/01/2025 06:03 AM/DISC: 05/01/2025 06:02 AM
Business Wire
01-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
DLR Group Welcomes David Chow as Global Transportation Leader
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 100% employee-owned, integrated design firm DLR Group has named David Chow, PE, AICP, as global transportation leader. A licensed professional engineer and certified urban planner, he has over 36 years of experience in the transportation and urban design industry and an acute understanding of the interrelationship between transportation, land use, and development. He will contribute engineering and urban planning expertise to DLR Group's Transportation sector, leading teams as they work to build stronger communities through well-designed urban environments. He joins DLR Group as a principal and will be based in Los Angeles, California. 'David is a visionary leader who deeply understands how transportation and infrastructure impact community well-being and our climate and environment.' Share 'David is a visionary leader who deeply understands how transportation and infrastructure impact community well-being and our climate and environment,' said DLR Group CEO Steven McKay, AIA, RIBA. 'His insight and passion for the rapidly evolving landscape will drive growth and maximize the value of our integrated design solutions, delivering long-lasting benefits to our clients and communities.' Chow's experience encompasses work in both nonprofit and private sectors. Prior to joining DLR Group, he was COO of CALSTART, a global non-profit focused on helping the United States and other countries transition to clean transportation technologies. At CALSTART, he led operational teams and optimized clean transportation initiatives across the organization's matrix of activities and national/international geographies. Prior to CALSTART, he was instrumental in driving the growth of IBI Group's transportation planning and engineering practice and held various senior leadership roles over a successful decades-long career at the global design firm. Chow has led transportation and urban design projects across the Western United States, including the award-winning Civic Center Master Plan for the City of Los Angeles. This comprehensive master planning initiative aims to address the city's facility needs, develop a new vision for the administrative heart of the city, and repair historic inequities in the area. He also led the planning and design of 11 light rail transit stations and station areas for the Foothill Gold Line Transit Light Rail Extension, connecting cities in California's San Gabriel Valley to provide a faster, more reliable and convenient way to travel and improve access to job centers, educational institutions, and other destinations in the region. 'Transportation connects everything we do and is integral to DLR Group's commitment to elevate the human experience through design,' said Chow. 'I'm eager to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and partner with clients to build happier cities with innovative transportation design.' DLR Group's civic, infrastructure, and transportation design experience spans airport expansions and renovations, rail station design, ferry terminals, transit asset management reporting, parking garage studies and design, and other transit-oriented developments, in addition to energy infrastructure and energy management planning projects. Its holistic approach to transit-oriented planning and design is showcased at Chinatown-Rose Pak Station, which balances the necessary functionality of a public transportation station with a thoughtful celebration of the unique culture of San Francisco's Chinatown and green design strategies. Art by local artists creates a sense of place with meaningful ties to the neighborhood and its history. Reducing the need for artificial lighting, the transition from the street level into the station depths is modulated by a glass canopy that allows natural light to permeate below. Above the station, which DLR Group designed in collaboration with Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Michael Willis Architects, a rooftop plaza features stadium seating and public art, reinforcing the station's identity as a new community hub. About DLR Group DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse. Our promise is to elevate the human experience through design. This promise inspires sustainable design for a diverse group of public and private sector clients, local communities, and our planet. DLR Group is 100 percent employee-owned, fully supports the initiatives and goals of the 2030 Challenge and is an initial signatory to the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Renewable energy, electric cars have become politicized under Trump, advocates say
Renewable energy sources have become politicized, especially in light of President Donald Trump's second inauguration earlier this year, advocates say, and electric vehicles have become symbols of the climate crisis in general. Trump's first 95 days were the focus of a panel at the 2025 Society of Environmental Journalists conference on April 25 in Tempe. Trisha DelloIacono, head of policy at CALSTART, said that there have been landmark, immediate changes as a result of Trump's second administration. 'We've seen dramatic federal shifts in these first 95 days,' DelloIacono said. She also shared a quote she found inspiring, which she said summarizes the mission of environmentalists in the fight against the climate crisis through electric and zero-emission vehicles. According to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, quoted by DelloIacono, environmentalists 'need to meet the (climate) crisis and chaos with courage.' DelloIacono said the Trump administration is actively fighting against legislation such as the California Clean Air Act waiver, which allows California to pursue car emissions standards that are stricter than federal standards. Emily Wirzba, the director of federal affairs at the Environmental Defense Fund, agreed that the rapid and ever-changing landscape of the climate crisis can be summarized by the dichotomy surrounding electric vehicles. Wirzba said the tax credits associated with electric vehicles is one of the main aspects of the changes. 'The next couple weeks are the most important time to watch these credits,' she said. Wirzba was referring to the enactment of tariffs and other climate economic changes made by Trump's administration. Zack Ruderman, vice president of sales and marketing at Orange EV, and Asaf Nagler, vice president of external affairs at ABB E-mobility North America, represented the production side of the electric vehicle industry. Ruderman said he was frustrated with the way Orange EV has had to adapt to the changing landscape of the industry. 'It's been paralyzing, because of how dynamic things have been (during the Biden administration),' he said. 'It changes, and changes again. You come up with a new plan … at that point you're just dizzy.' Ruderman said the Orange EV engineering team has had to devote time to trying out new production pieces in order to reduce the internal impact of Trump's proposed tariffs. Orange EV, alongside its customers, have spent 'a lot of time planning, and replanning and replanning' their production and acquisition strategies in the wake of the new administration. 'Tariffs are stifling the ability to bring over these important parts we need for these (electric) vehicles,' DelloIacono said. Nagler, part of an electric-charging manufacturing conglomerate, said that uncertainty has been 'very much the case' in the electric vehicle and renewable energy industries. He argued that electrification, when it comes to vehicles and beyond, is not a partisan issue, but one of financial acumen. But, Wirzba said the outlook on the electric vehicle market and renewable energy in general is not completely dim. 'I'm not gonna say it's gonna be easy,' she said. 'There's a lot more work that needs to be done.' What to know: Electric and alt-fuel cars may lose access to Arizona's HOV lanes Bella Mazzilli is a reporter at State News Magazine at Arizona State University and is part of a student newsroom led by The Arizona Republic. Coverage of the Society of Environmental Journalists conference is supported by Arizona State University's Cronkite School of Journalism, the University of Arizona, the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust and the Arizona Media Association. These stories are published open-source for other news outlets and organizations to share and republish, with credit and links to This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Electric cars, renewable energy caught up in politics, advocates say
Associated Press
24-03-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
EV Realty Partners With CALSTART to Scale Fleet Charging Access and Optimize Utilization of Shared Hubs With Demand Aggregation
EV Realty, Inc. ('EV Realty'), an EV infrastructure development platform powering commercial fleets, and CALSTART, a member-driven industry nonprofit focused on clean transportation, today announced a strategic partnership. The partnership will accelerate fleet electrification by aligning fleet charging demand with grid-optimized charging solutions through an innovative demand aggregation approach. The strategy will reduce friction and uncertainty for both fleets and infrastructure developers. This collaboration will leverage CALSTART's industry expertise and relationships alongside EV Realty's Powered Properties™ to overcome infrastructure barriers and support the transition to zero-emission freight by aligning charging supply and demand within major freight hubs. As fleet operators continue to shift toward electric vehicles, securing access to convenient and cost-effective charging solutions remains a major hurdle—complicated by the high costs of infrastructure deployment, prolonged grid upgrade timelines, and limited access to suitable charging locations. EV Realty's shared, multi-fleet charging model offers a scalable solution that improves fleet operator economics and provides access to high-power charging for Class 2b through Class 8 vehicles, without the costs and delays associated with utility grid upgrades. CALSTART's efforts to aggregate the charging needs of multiple fleets will help connect fleet operators with infrastructure solutions tailored to their operational needs from the synergy of this partnership. 'The path to zero-emission freight relies on scalable, cost-effective charging solutions that fleets can depend on,' said Suncheth Bhat, Chief Commercial Officer of EV Realty. 'Partnerships like this not only accelerate deployment but also help shape the broader framework for how fleets, infrastructure providers, and industry leaders work together to enable the transition to clean transportation.' The collaboration also emphasizes data-driven infrastructure planning, leveraging EV Realty's insights into grid-advantaged locations and development readiness alongside CALSTART's analytics on fleet transition trends and charging demand. This approach will facilitate fleet electrification, boost charger utilization, and reduce overall costs for infrastructure deployment and operations across the freight system. 'Shared charging infrastructure is one of the more important tools for accelerating fleet electrification,' said Dr. Jasna Tomic, Vice President, CALSTART. 'By bringing together EV Realty's grid-ready charging solutions and CALSTART's ability to align industry demand, we are helping fleets make the shift to zero-emission vehicles faster and more efficiently.' Recent CALSTART analysis highlights the benefits of the shared charging hub model for enabling efficient, cost-effective, and accelerated fleet electrification. EV Realty is currently developing strategically located charging hubs in San Bernardino, Torrance, and Livermore. The company also recently announced the acquisition of a portfolio of assets from Gage Zero, including several additional sites across California and other key freight regions. The CALSTART partnership announced today will maximize the reach of these shared charging hubs for fleet operators looking to electrify. About EV Realty EV Realty develops, deploys, and owns charging infrastructure critical to electrifying commercial fleets in the U.S. at scale. The company accelerates the adoption of large EV fleets by focusing on the fundamental constraint all electric fleets face: low-cost, reliable, and expandable access to grid-scale power. EV Realty is developing a network of grid-optimized, large-scale EV charging hubs for delivery, logistics, and services fleet customers. Our Powered Properties™ serve multiple commercial fleets in secure, high-power locations with guaranteed charging access and availability, and are located proximate to major logistics corridors. By aggregating multiple fleets with shared private infrastructure in grid-ready locations, EV Realty charging hubs reduce upfront and recurring costs for fleets, optimize charging times and provide high utilization rates. Learn more about EV Realty and how it is transforming fleet charging at A mission-driven industry organization focused on transportation decarbonization and clean air for all, CALSTART has offices in New York, Michigan, Colorado, California, Florida, and Europe. CALSTART is uniquely positioned to build the national clean transportation industry by working closely with its 285 member companies and building on the lessons learned from the major programs it manages for the State of California. CALSTART manages more than $1 billion in vehicle incentive and technical assistance programs in the United States and is leading a global effort to build the zero-emission commercial vehicle market. Contact: Wes Mangum
Boston Globe
19-02-2025
- Automotive
- Boston Globe
Truck sales in Massachusetts are frozen over new EV requirements
Advertisement The so-called 'ratio' requirement has left local dealers turning away hundreds of customers for diesel trucks, according to Kevin Weeks, executive director of the dealer industry group Trucking Association of Massachusetts. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'Four or five years ago, when the rule was put in place, it sounded very realistic,' Weeks said. 'The problem is the the technology just has not kept up.' There hasn't been a single new diesel or electric truck over 16,000 pounds sold in Massachusetts so far in 2025, Weeks said, compared to more than 2,000 of both types over all of last year. Advocates say the rules, which ratchet up the minimum in coming years, are essential for Massachusetts to meet its climate goals and reduce particulate emissions that cause serious health problems. They maintain there are more than enough appealing electric trucks available to reach the required minimums but the industry is just trying to delay the EV transition. Related : Manufacturers 'are muddying the waters on this and, in many cases, trying to pass the buck to dealers and fleets,' said Jordan Stutt, senior director for the northeast region at nonprofit CALSTART. 'That's unfortunate, because we know that there are plenty of available vehicles.' Of more than 186,000 registered medium and heavy duty trucks in Massachusetts, only 301 were fully electric or plugin hybrids, up from 98 a year earlier, according to data from the Registry of Motor Vehicles (By contrast, there are almost 140,000 electric passenger vehicles). Advertisement The state is far behind California, which has similar rules for EV trucks. More than 7 percent of 104,000 medium and heavy duty truck sales there were electric already in 2022. California has a far more developed charging network and more short haul routes from its busy ports, so it's easier for businesses to rely on EVs for shipping and deliveries. W.L. French, a Billerica-based soil and excavation waste hauler, is caught in the middle of the dispute, unable to buy new trucks this year after adding nine diesels to its fleet of about 50 last year. Billerica-based W.L. French, a soil and excavation waste hauler, is unable to buy new trucks this year after adding nine diesels to its fleet of about 50 last year. Lane Turner/Globe Staff At more than $400,000, a typical electric semi-hauler is more than double the price of a diesel model, but has has one-third the range or less, said Jessica French, chief operating officer. Moreover, the EV can take hours to refuel, compared to a few minutes for a diesel. And with federal weight limits on 18-wheelers, the 5,000 to 10,000 pounds of extra weight from batteries lowers cargo capacity. French's truck yard would also have to install chargers, adding to the cost. But dealers told the company they can't sell her a diesel without selling an EV to someone else first. That means keeping older trucks with less advanced pollution control systems on the road. 'We care about protecting the environment and we want a clean environment for us and for our children, for everybody,' said French, whose father started the business in the 1970s. 'But I think [the state's rules] were premature.' Cleaning up the environment and reducing serious health impacts from air pollution is a major aim of the rules. Advertisement In southern New England, medium and heavy duty trucks represent 6 percent of vehicles, but account for 22 percent of greenhouse gas emissions from all vehicles, according to a 2021 study from consultants M.J. Bradley and Associates. Trucks also emit nearly half of all nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which can worsen bronchitis, asthma, and other health problems, particularly in densely populated inner city neighborhoods near highways. Those same neighborhoods At the control center of shipping firm 28 Freight in Wilmington, the charging station challenges becomes quickly obvious. Dispatchers at desks with four or five screens monitor dozens of trucks from the northern reaches of New England down to Newark and JFK airports. Missing from the screens: a charging station anywhere in that vast territory that could handle trucks of the size of 28 Freight's fleet. 'The industry really wants to adopt EVs, but the timeline is the challenge,' said 28 Freight chief executive Richard Marks, who owns an electric car and says 'nothing would make me happier' to see the trucking industry go electric, too. But, he added, 'there is no charging infrastructure for electric medium and heavy duty trucks today in Massachusetts, or one that's really been built out across the US. It just doesn't exist.' The tank cap for DEF, diesel exhaust fluid, which is part of a system to remove some but not all of the air pollution from the exhaust of a tow truck sold by Burlington-based Winn Street Sales. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Jason Mathers, associate vice president at the Environmental Defense Fund in Boston, said the industry should be able to meet the current EV minimums by selling trucks used for short-range needs. That could include trucks making local deliveries, school buses subsidized with federal funds, and municipal garbage trucks. Advertisement The sales minimum is 'well within the range of vehicles that are a good fit for this technology today,' Mathers said. If some manufacturers don't make models for the EV ready segments, the Massachusetts rules allow them to purchase credits from truck rivals who have sold above the minimum. That's how the auto market has been meeting similar rules in California for more than a decade, which next year will But truck manufacturers claim the credit market isn't working smoothly and there aren't enough credits to cover their liabilities across the various weight categories. 'There's a lot of practical marketplace, competitive issues in the commercial space that have made the exchange of credits difficult,' said Jed Mandel, president of the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the truck rules, has so far rejected most of the industry's complaints, making exemptions only for street sweepers and snow plows bought by municipalities. 'MassDEP has provided flexibility to meet the unique needs of our state, ensuring that local communities and industry can get the electric trucks they need as the market grows,' the agency said in a statement to the Globe. 'We look forward to the innovations from the truck manufacturers to meet these standards and make electric trucks more accessible.' Advertisement Outside the offices of Winn Street Sales in Burlington, about a dozen new semi trailer and tow trucks sit lightly covered with snow, available for sale. Sales manager Mike Igo is worried about what comes next if the stalemate doesn't break. 'What I have outside, when those are gone, there's going to be no more trucks for me to sell,' he said. Diesel tow trucks for sale on the Winn Street Sales lot in Burlington. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Aaron Pressman can be reached at
