PSPE 2016 Young Engineer of the Year
PSPE is proud to recognize Daniel B. Humes, PE, as PSPE 2016 Young Engineer of the Year. A dynamic professional engineer with experience in construction and civil engineering design, Mr. Humes specializes in stormwater management, erosion and sedimentation control, utility coordination and relocations, and land development design and permitting. As Urban’s site/land development practice leader, he is responsible for overseeing a department of engineers, designers, and surveyors on the above tasks. At the time of his promotion in 2014 to his current position, Mr. Humes became (and still is) the youngest practice leader in Urban Engineers’ history. As his major accomplishments show, this distinction is well earned.
Major Accomplishments:
In 2013, Mr. Humes was the project engineer behind the award winning design for a retail retrofit in the National Soak It Up! Design Competition, a program that focused on urban stormwater issues. The juried national competition was organized by the City of Philadelphia Water Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Community Design Collaborative. The Urban Team’s winning design, “Stormwater reStore,” revitalized an urban retail shopping center and turned it into a vibrant, pedestrian friendly, community-oriented public space through the use of rain gardens, streetscape improvements, stormwater infiltration and storage, and landscaped stormwater features.
As a project engineer and manager, Mr. Humes provided site/land development engineering design services for the award-winning, mixed-use, multilevel building complex called Paseo Verde, the first LEED Platinum Neighborhood Development in the country including the first use of Blue Rooftops in the City pf Philadelphia.
Mr. Humes served as a project engineer for the reconstruction of Dilworth Park, a public plaza located west of Philadelphia’s Historic City Hall. The reconstruction is intended to create a dramatic improvement to the underutilized public space, and improve accessibility and wayfinding to the existing transit facilities.
For renovation and expansion of the Franklin Institute’s Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pavilion, Pennsylvania’s most visited museum, Mr. Humes provided civil engineering design services. The new museum addition includes a conference center and exhibition space.
As a design engineer and manager, Mr. Humes performed civil/land development design and constructability reviews for an approximately 50-acre proposed train offloading facility. The proposed project required permitting within the City of Philadelphia in an expedited timeframe. The design included multiple phases of a newly created rail yard to allow for the transfer of Bakken Crude Oil to the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) refinery to begin immediately.
As a design manager for the Sugarhouse Casino Expansion, Mr. Humes provided site/land development engineering design services for the SugarHouse Casino Phase 1A Expansion. The expansion included additional gaming space, back of floor space, and a multi-story parking garage. In addition to the building expansion, the project includes the extensive site modifications to the northern half of the property including two Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) relocations, a revised parking layout, revised site amenities, and the relocation of the Sugarhouse Drive entrance on North Delaware Avenue.
With the above experience, projects and local and national awards under his belt, Mr. Humes’ desire to live and work by the Engineer’s Creed has led to his professional success.
Criteria for selection as PSPE 2016 Young Engineer of the Year includes: Be age 35 or under as of January 1, 2016; be a Registered Professional Engineer or Engineer in Training; PSPE membership preferred but not required; Scholastic achievements; Technical society activities; Technical papers and patents; Professional society activities; Engineering experience and accomplishments; and Civic and humanitarian activities.
Mr. Humes obtained a Bachelor of Science (Civil Engineering) from The Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor of Arts (Natural Sciences) from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Humes is active in the PSPE Valley Forge Chapter serving and having served on various committees: By-Laws Committee Director (2008-Present); MATHCOUNTS Committee Past President (2015-2016); Membership Committee President (2014-2015); Programs / Publications Committee(s); MATHCOUNTS Volunteer (VFC 2009-Present) Coordinator (2011-2013), and Co-Coordinator (2014-2016); Chapter Event Emcee (2012-2016), State MATHCOUNTS Competition Volunteer; Volunteer Firefighter (Warwick Township, 1997-2001); and Volunteer (Doylestown Hospital, 1996-1997).
Since joining Urban Engineers, Mr. Humes has assisted on various internal committees to contribute comments and questions for various revisions to codes, regulations, and guidelines from various agencies. These include, but are not limited to; the Philadelphia Plan Review Advisory Group (2011), Philadelphia Water Department Development Services Advisory Committee (2012), Philadelphia Water Department Stormwater Manual (2015), Department of Environmental Protection Erosion and Sedimentation Control Manual, Pennsylvania State Best Management Practices Manual Taskforce (2012-2013). Mr. Humes has always supported, and continues to support, various local fundraising and charitable efforts through 5K runs/walks and golf outings, supporting the local communities scholarship opportunities and research donations whenever possible.
