• CH2M HILL and CLIMsystems will apply acclaimed climate change impact modeling system for North American clients
DENVER, Oct. 27, 2009 -- CH2M HILL, a global full-service engineering, applied science, procurement, construction, and operations firm, is pleased to announce a North American alliance with CLIMsystems Ltd, a New Zealand-based company that provides state-of-the-art climate change impact and adaptation software tools. Under the alliance, CH2M HILL will work with CLIMsystems to apply its SimCLIM computer modeling system for North American clients. CH2M HILL's integrated engineering and science expertise, coupled with SimCLIM's leading- edge climate modeling system, offers the marketplace unparalleled expertise for understanding and adapting to increasing risks associated with our changing climate.
"CH2M HILL is very pleased to be entering a formal alliance with CLIMsystems, which is recognized as the world's foremost company in climate change impact modeling," says Kathy Freas, CH2M HILL's global director of water resources and ecosystem management. "Together with our consulting resources, the SimCLIM model is helping our North American clients make well-informed decisions as they plan for the impacts of climate change."
This alliance underscores CH2M HILL's recognition in a study published by Verdantix (March 2009) as one of the U.S.'s top leaders in climate change consulting.
The innovative SimCLIM modeling system contains climate and sea-level scenario generators that are compatible with the latest assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The CLIMsystems Chairman of the Board and Director, Richard Warrick, was recognized for his contribution to global climate change science when he shared in the Nobel Peace Prize along with other key individuals in the IPCC in 2007. He also recently won the 2009 Bayer Innovators award in New Zealand for the development of the SimCLIM system.
The SimCLIM model allows users to understand current and potential future climate patterns, assess related risks to facilities and infrastructure, and test climate change adaptation measures for present-day conditions and future scenarios of climate change. The system displays results in easy-to-use formats, including maps. Easily customized to individual geographic areas, the tool informs decisions made by planners, policymakers, educators, engineers, industries, agriculturalists, and others.
Currently, CH2M HILL and CLIMsystems are applying SimCLIM on several projects in North America. These include multiple assessments of sea level rise and storm surge and resulting impacts in coastal zones, as well as the potential impact of increased extreme storm events and risk of flooding. SimCLIM also is being applied to an assessment for the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) to develop an estimate of the costs associated with climate change adaptation for U.S. water and wastewater utilities through the year 2050.
About CH2M HILL
Headquartered near Denver, Colorado, employee-owned CH2M HILL is a global leader in engineering, procurement, construction, management and operations for government, civil, industrial and energy clients. With $6.4 billion in revenue and more than 25,000 employees, CH2M HILL is an industry-leading program management, construction management and design firm, as ranked by Engineering News-Record (2009). The firm's work is concentrated in the areas of energy, water, transportation, environmental, nuclear and industrial facilities. The firm has long been recognized as a most-admired company and leading employer, including being named by FORTUNE as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For (2009). Visit www.ch2mhill.com.
About CLIMsystems Ltd
CLIMsystems Ltd is headquartered in Hamilton, New Zealand and is a global leader in the development and provision of software modeling systems for assessment of the impacts and adaptation to climate variability and change. Visit www.climsystems.com
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