Conquering the Cold

Three projects—a water treatment plant, an airport, and a hydroelectric plant—illustrate how practicing engineering in Alaska differs from working in the contiguous 48 states. Permafrost, a layer of frozen earth that sits below more than half of Alaska's land mass, prevents the burying of pipe, so insulated arctic pipe often runs aboveground. Alaska's climate allows only a four-month construction window annually, so work must be efficient and designs must be fully developed before construction starts—mistakes can add years, not just months, to a project. Moreover, since most of the state is divided into tiny rural settlements, the state's road system is not well developed, making transportation of materials a serious issue.