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Sioux Falls Advocates for Animals

Each year WPE donates $1,000 to a non-profit in each of our markets as selected by our staff through our Ways to Give corporate philanthropy program. The Sioux Falls Humane Society was nominated by CAD Technician Ben Sonichsen, and selected by our Sioux Falls staff....

Casper Chooses Canines in 2022

Each year WPE donates $1,000 to a non-profit in each of our markets as selected by our staff through our Ways to Give corporate philanthropy program. Project Kenny was chosen by our Casper staff to receive their Community Investment donation for 2022. The organization...

Cedar Rapids Donates to Discovery Living

Each year WPE donates $1,000 to a non-profit in each of our markets as selected by our staff through our Ways to Give corporate philanthropy program. Our Cedar Rapids team selected Discovery Living to receive their 2022 Community Investment donation. Discovery living...

2022 In Review

As the Holiday Season concludes and the year comes to an end, we reflect on how much was accomplished together. The amount of work is significant and the relationships are cherished. Work and fun blended uniquely - clients, business partners and our WPE team. As...

Rapid City Shows Some Love to Love Inc.

Each year WPE donates $1,000 to a non-profit in each of our markets as selected by our staff through our Ways to Give corporate philanthropy program. Our Rapid City team chose Love Inc., which connects people in need with resources that provide spiritual, mental,...

Designing for the EV-olution

Electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the United States has greatly increased over the past decade, with this year’s Q2 EV sales passing 5 percent of the total market. This benchmark is significant as it marks the tipping point after which widespread adoption of a...

Shoring Up School Facilities

The post-pandemic focus on improved indoor air quality, and the availability of ESSER funds, has now made it possible for some school districts to make improvements and/or shift toward new construction. And with the extension of the ESSER fund application deadline...

National Guard Project Earns LEED Silver

The new $16 million South Dakota National Guard Army Aviation Support Facility Readiness Center recently earned a LEED Silver certification for design and construction. The project earned all but one of the attempted credits, a testament to the building and system...

Matt Stroh, P.E. Welcomed as WPE Office Manager

West Plains Engineering (WPE) is pleased to announce Matt Stroh, P.E., a Mechanical Engineer and Project Manager most recently from Wisconsin, has joined the firm as Office Manager in the Casper, Wyo. location. Stroh was previously a Senior Engineer for Multistack in...

Solving Today’s Design Delivery Puzzle

For a long time, projects were scarce, and backlogs suffered. Now that the work is lining back up to be done, labor shortages, material costs and delivery times don’t line up with it. It’s all hands on deck to shift, pivot, twist and turn our typically linear...

Considering Geothermal Systems for Mechanical Sustainability

In the world of sustainable design, electrical systems have gained celebrity status. In fact, many of us use some form of renewable electric technology in our daily lives – a rooftop solar array, electric or semi-electric vehicle, or even something as simple as solar...

Managing Open-Ended Delivery Contracts

On-call. As-needed. Indefinite scope. Indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ). Whatever it's called, open-ended delivery contracts are an important tool in the A/E/C industry. While traditional design contracts align the right team to tackle a specific project,...

SF Supports SD Furniture Mission

Each year WPE donates $1,000 to a non-profit in each of our markets as selected by our staff through our Ways to Give corporate philanthropy program.   Our Sioux Falls office braved the winter weather today to deliver their 2021 Community Investment donation to...

Cedar Rapids Donates to Willis Dady

Each year WPE donates $1,000 to a non-profit in each of our markets as selected by our staff through our Ways to Give corporate philanthropy program. Our Cedar Rapids team selected Willis Dady Homeless Services to receive their 2021 Community Investment donation. Our...

A Look Back at 2021

In our final issue of Plains Talk for 2021, we hit pause to take a look back at the year and share some of our accomplishments.  Check out a few of the higlights below, then click the image to the right to view a video of our year in review, read a letter from WPE...

Plains Talk Newsletter

The Plains Talk Newsletter is a publication of West Plains Engineering highlighting our projects, challenges and, most importantly, solutions.

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2024

  • September/October – MEP Impact on the IIJA
    • Transportation Take Off: Sioux Falls Regional Airport Expansion
    • The MEP Factor: Bringing IIJA Infrastructure to Life
    • Exploring New Waters: Lewis & Clark Regional Water System
    • Infrastructure Integration: Alliance Solar Farm Transmission Line
  • July/August – Designing for the Next Generation
    • Review Before Renovations: White River School District
    • Student-Centered MEP Design Approach
    • Combatting Crowded Classrooms: Tri-Valley Elementary & High School
    • Making Good Bones Great: Lisbon High School
  • May/June – Factories of the Future
    • Backyard Building – Maven Outdoor Equipment Company
    • Post-Pandemic Manufacturing Growth
    • Manufacturing Modern Tech: BAE Systems
    • Small Business Boom: Scherer, Inc.
  • March/April – Hats Off to Higher Education
    • Beyond Books: SD Mines Devereaux Library Modernization
    • Putting Design on the Docket: USD Knudson School of Law Upgrades
    • Upping Their Game: SDSU Stanley J. Marshall Center Improvements
  • January/February –  40th Anniversary
    • WPE 40th Anniversary Announcement
    • A Message from WPE President, Marty Christensen
    • Daren Beckloff, P.E. Promoted to Engineering & Operations Director

2023

  • November/December
    • 2023 in Review
  • September/October
    • Preserving the Past: MEP Design for Historic Renovations
    • Doubling Down on Deadwood: Historic Franklin Hotel Renovations
    • Repurpose with a Purpose: Colonial Building Affordable Housing Conversion
    • Governing Through the Ages: Weston County Courthouse Repairs & Renovations
  • July/August
    • MEP Underground: Campus Steam Tunnel Design
    • Campus Growth 101: SD Mines Utility Infrastructure Study & Upgrades
    • Chilling with the Jacks: SDSU SW Quadrant Utility Repairs & Extensions
    • Powering Progress: Northwest College Medium Voltage Upgrades
  • May/June
    • Specialty Medical Design: How MEP Impacts Procedures
    • Environments For Imaging: Black Hills & Sioux Falls VA Health Care Systems MRI Site Preparation
    • Filling the Gap: Casper Medical Imaging Expansion
    • Understanding the Nuances of Care: Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital
  • March/April
    • Building Management Made Better: The Benefits of BAS
    • Intelligent Automation: Thinking Outside the BAS Box
    • Control & Monitoring Standards: USP Requirements of Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
  • January/February
    • Beyond Bars & Fences: Design For Secure Prison Spaces
    • Keeping Up With the Times: Mike Durfee State Prison Barracks HVAC Upgrades
    • Cross-Functional Corrections: South Dakota State Women’s Prison
    • Safety First: 6th Judicial District Facility Improvements

2022

  • November/December
    • A Letter from Doug Feterl, P.E. – WPE President
    • Looking Back at 2022 By the Numbers
  • September/October
    • Strategic Direction Report: Electric Vehicle Charger Design Considerations
    • The Federal Response: EV & the Existing Transportation Infrastructure
    • The Adoption Trend: EV Stations & Existing Fueling Sites
  • July/August
    • Strategic Direction Report: The Serious Work of Student Safety
    • Stronger Together: Russell-Tyler-Ruthton School & Fieldhouse
    • Getting Ahead of the Curve: Chamberlaid CSD Elementary & HS Gym
    • Finding Space: Cotter Elementary Addition & Renovation
  • May/June
    • Strategic Direction Report: Finding Non-Linear Approaches to Design Delivery
    • Working Backward Underground: SDSTA 3650 Pump Room Rehab
    • Parallel Procurement: Bringing On Sub-Constractors Prior to Design Completion
  • March/April
    • Strategic Direction Report: Geothermal/Water Source Heat Pump Systems
    • Military Mechanical Sustainability: South Dakota Army National Guard
    • What’s Remotely Possible: Sutton Bay Golf Course & Resort
    • Thinking Long Term: Geothermal Systems for Schools
  • January/February
    • Strategic Direction Report: Putting the IQ in IDIQ
    • Prime Opportunity with a World-Renowned Client: SDSTA
    • As-Needed for Any Need: UIHC
    • On-Call MEP for M&R: South Dakota State University

    Plains Talk Archives