S3, E12: Resilient Design and Urban Planning with Lisa Lattu

September 3, 2024

S3, E12: Resilient Design and Urban Planning with Lisa Lattu

In this episode of Constructive Voices, we dive deep into the world of resilient design and urban planning with Lisa Lattu, a pioneering “plangineer” who blends the best of civil engineering and urban planning to create sustainable, disaster-resistant communities.

Hosted by Jackie De Burca, the conversation explores the critical importance of resilient infrastructure, particularly in cities prone to natural disasters like hurricanes, and addresses the challenges of maintaining and upgrading ageing infrastructure to meet current and future needs.

Lisa shares her extensive experience working with Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc., highlighting the innovative strategies and technologies her company employs to improve urban resilience. She discusses the complexities of designing infrastructure that can withstand both anticipated natural disasters and unexpected events, emphasising the interconnectedness of systems such as water, power, and mobility.

Exploration Green 2 LAN — Exploration Green

Through real-world examples, including ongoing projects on the Texas Gulf Coast and in Houston, Lisa illustrates how comprehensive planning and community involvement can enhance disaster preparedness and recovery efforts.

Listeners will gain insight into the evolving field of resilient urban design, from data modelling and planning for multiple future scenarios to leveraging both new and time-tested techniques, such as rainwater harvesting and flexible infrastructure use.

Lisa also touches on the critical role of community engagement, coordinated efforts between government and private sectors, and the importance of funding and policy in driving sustainable development. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of urban planning, sustainability, and the ways communities can adapt and thrive in the face of growing environmental challenges.

About Lisa Lattu

Lisa Lattu, PE, AICP, Associate, Senior Project Manager

Master in Urban Planning, Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University

Lisa Lattu has over 27 years of experience in strategic and resilient long-range infrastructure engineering and planning. She has served in public and private roles throughout Texas, leading groundwater reduction and conservation, surface water operational system modelling and analysis, and utility operations.

This rich experience has developed a unique and valuable knowledge of state and local infrastructure requirements through experience in municipal street and roadway improvement projects, water/wastewater designs, utilities coordination and relocations, hydraulic modelling, and master planning.

Lisa is an experienced leader from small teams of 5-10 engineers to direct responsibility operations, maintenance, and capital improvements for a 200 million gallon per day water purification facility for the City of Houston.

Lisa specialises in water and wastewater master planning and impact fee projects including hydraulic modelling, water supply and contract negotiations, stakeholder coordination, project financing, policymaking, and water purification plant management and administration including federal/state disaster response and recovery (Hurricanes Ike and Harvey and COVID-19).

Her background also includes serving as an alternate for a Texas Water Development Board Regional Water Planning Group and a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Bay and Basin Stakeholders Committee, as well as work for Davenport, Iowa, and Boston, Massachusetts.

Lisa is active in the American Water Works Association and the American Planning Association in committee work and opening organisational doors.

Certifications / Licenses
Professional Engineer, Texas

American Institute of Certified Planners

Affiliations
American Water Works Association (AWWA)

Water Environment Association of Texas (WEAT)

Texas Water Conservation Association (TWCA)

American Planning Association (APA)

Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston

About Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN)

Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) is a full-service civil engineering firm founded in 1935. With more than 350 employees across 16 offices in the United States, LAN offers comprehensive planning, engineering, programme management, construction management, and inspection services.

The firm’s expertise spans various sectors, including transportation, transit, facilities, water, wastewater, stormwater management, drainage, education, right-of-way, healthcare, and ports and marine.

Consistently ranked among the top engineering companies in the country, LAN has pioneered resilient and sustainable civil engineering solutions to shape evolving communities for nearly 90 years.

Recognising the increasing challenges posed by climate change, urbanisation, and ageing infrastructure, LAN has developed a strong focus on resilience in its projects. This approach ensures that the infrastructure designed and managed by LAN not only withstands short-term emergencies but also adapts to evolving conditions in the long term.

As municipalities deal with population growth, climate change, rising sea levels, and supply chain stress, having sustainable infrastructure is necessary. LAN is committed to implementing resilience measures now to enable communities to meet current and future challenges.

LAN’s project portfolio highlights its diverse capabilities across different markets. In the stormwater and drainage sector, key projects include the nine-time award-winning Exploration Green Detention Facility in Clear Lake, Texas, and the $400 million Halls Bayou Flood Mitigation Project in Houston, Texas. Additionally, LAN implements advanced modelling services, such as the 2-Dimensional Hydrodynamic and Sediment Transport Modelling Project for the Harris County Flood Control District, enhancing flood mitigation and stormwater management strategies.

In the transportation and transit sector, LAN has provided design and project management services for significant projects like the TxDOT MoPAc Diverging Diamond Interchange Expansion, the first of its kind in Austin, Texas, and the VTA/BART Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension near San Jose, California.

These projects emphasise LAN’s commitment to improving public transit infrastructure and accessibility, fostering sustainable urban transportation solutions.

108-inch Northeast Transmission Line, Contract 99C-1 – City of Houston

LAN has a long history of programme management and engineering expertise for large-diameter water conveyance projects, including serving as the Programme Manager for the $660 million City of Houston’s Programme Manager for the Surface Water Transmission Programme for 30+ years.

Another notable project in this category is the 72-Inch Raw Water Main Design for the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department in Miami, Florida, showcasing LAN’s proficiency in managing complex water transmission projects essential for urban development and water infrastructure resilience.

In the wastewater market, LAN’s project portfolio includes the award-winning Conroe Central Wastewater Treatment Plant and the $225 million Nueces River Authority Petronila Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in South Texas. These projects illustrate LAN’s expertise in designing and managing wastewater treatment facilities that support sustainable growth and environmental stewardship.

Through its wide-ranging and geographically varied project experience, LAN continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing public infrastructure and fostering community resilience nationwide.

Written by: Jackie De Burca