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Global Times: Species thriving thanks to policy, consensus in China

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BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Under the global framework for biodiversity, more wildlife species are increasing in number and enjoying a better space for living and breeding in China with the help of advanced technology and more popular caring, according to the Chinese delegation from diverse institutes and organizations at the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity that is being held in Cali, Colombia.

A prolonged whistle resonated through the sky, prompting visitors to lift their cameras in anticipation of capturing the migratory birds that were arriving. In recent years, tens of thousands of migratory birds such as cormorants fly each autumn to Shenzhen, a subtropical metropolis in South China, making the city one of the most important stops for these birds in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Their numbers are still increasing as the local environment improves. Environmental conservation organizations, including the Mangrove Conservation Foundation (MCF), see the growing population of migratory birds as a signal that urban biodiversity in China is heading in the right direction. 

Only around a few meters away from visitors, a black-faced spoonbill heads down in search of food over the wetlands at the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve alongside dozens of its brethren. Meanwhile, in the Futian Mangrove Ecological Park, an Eurasian otter, a species that disappeared from the Shenzhen Bay for nearly 20 years, has re-emerged.  

Chen Yudong, a staff member with the Mangrove Conservation Foundation who focuses on the protection and biodiversity of wetlands, told the Global Times that the Futian Mangrove Ecological Park is currently home to five species listed as National Key Protected Wildlife, including the Eastern imperial eagle, the black-faced spoonbill, and the small Indian civet. 

Additionally, the park has 39 nationally protected wildlife species at the second level (including birds, mammals, and reptiles). From 2015 to 2023, the number of insect species had risen from 109 to 1,224, while bird species had increased from 83 to 220.  

To maintain and improve biodiversity in metropolises like Shenzhen, Chinese environmentalists are exploring the effective application of emerging technologies and analytical methods in biodiversity monitoring, such as bioacoustics, weather radar data, and artificial intelligence, according to Insights for Cities on Biodiversity, an initiative focusing on how to sustain urban biodiversity, published in Shenzhen in September. 

For instance, during the migratory season, weather radar is being promoted to analyze and predict the flight paths of bird flocks, informing the implementation of lighting management strategies. This technology can help reduce accidents involving birds colliding with tall buildings or windows, particularly at night.

The delegation of the conservation foundation brought the initiative to COP16 and shared China’s experience with people who are concerned about how global biodiversity is being impacted by the continuously expanding urban areas around the world. 

Chen said that these projects and technologies are all aimed at speeding up achieving the global target set for 2030 and beyond to safeguard and sustainably use biodiversity, which was clarified in the framework, also known as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at the COP15 during the Chinese presidency.

Shenzhen is not the only city that protects wetlands and preserves an international channel for migratory birds. Black-faced spoonbills have also been observed in the wetlands in East China’s Zhejiang and Fujian provinces and South China’s Guangxi.

Li Cheng, founder of the Xizijiang Ecological Conservation Center, has also been encouraged and guided by the biodiversity framework. 

“Since the COP15 was held in Kunming, I have felt the growing emphasis on ecological and biological protection from the public and authorities. More people are aware of the importance of sustaining the populations of each species on the Earth through public outreach programs,” Li told the Global Times, noting growing social consensus on biodiversity conservation seen in his daily work.

The infrared cameras set up by Li’s patrol team around the Wuqinzhang Mountain in Guangdong have recently captured additional pangolin movements, further bolstering Li’s confidence that the population of these endangered creatures is increasing.

Li still remembers the excitement he felt when one infrared camera first captured a pangolin at the end of 2018 and the night when he and colleagues repeatedly checked the pangolin’s photo multiple times. 

Chinese pangolins were assessed as “critically endangered” by the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species in 2019 and was even thought to be functionally extinct at the time of its assessment.

Now more and more people, including local villagers who have joined the patrol team, have begun to devote their lives to protecting pangolins. To improve the efficiency of their conservation efforts, Li noted that in addition to infrared cameras, a mobile application especially developed for patrol personnel has been put into use. The app is constantly updated with real-time information on the pangolins, thereby informing those on patrol of urgent situations.

“We have begun to shift our priorities and are more focused on restoring the pangolins’ habitat and making more creative use of conservation technologies,” Li noted.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-times-species-thriving-thanks-to-policy-consensus-in-china-302293621.html

SOURCE Global Times

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Right Choice Construction Awarded Ground-up West Houston STEM Academy Project

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HOUSTON, Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Right Choice Construction is awarded the ground-up build of Genius Kids STEM Academy. 

The state-of-the-art educational center will fulfill its mission of fostering a passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) among children in the rapidly growing communities west of Houston.

Dr. Ajmal Murad, CEO of Genius Kids STEM Academy, shares his excitement for the project: “We believe that nurturing a passion for STEM is crucial for shaping our community’s future. This center will serve as a valuable resource, empowering our children to explore their interests and develop critical thinking skills that will benefit them for years to come.”

Right Choice Construction has worked closely with Genius Kids STEM Academy to bring this 9,500 SQ FT vision to life.

“Our team is thrilled to collaborate with Genius Kids STEM on this exciting project,” says Right Choice Construction owner Danielle Wright. “Children are our future. We are proud to construct a learning environment that is both inspiring and conducive to the development of young minds.”

The structure’s design is tailored to reflect the school’s mission of facilitating an early education focused on science and discovery. Enlarged overhangs are incorporated into the building’s architecture to provide filtered natural light throughout the classroom spaces.

Project lead Eugenia Forgang of Houston based Daniel Scott Turner Design states, “We envisioned a low-roofed structure which stretches across the Katy Prairie. The school interiors weave a palette of natural materials designed to promote and support healthy indoor learning environments.”

The Katy-based STEM academy will support its community’s educational needs. Genius Kids aims to provide a cutting-edge space where children can engage in learning experiences that encourage curiosity and critical thinking.

About Right Choice Construction

Right Choice Construction is a woman-owned commercial construction company with over 25 years of experience in the industry. Right Choice Construction is a Certified City of Houston Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) under the Small Business Administration (SBA). Right Choice Construction specializes in ground-up construction, and its principles of compliance, quality and client satisfaction are at the core of its operations. Learn more at rightchoiceconstruction.com.

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SOURCE Right Choice Construction

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Unanet Acquires GovPro AI to Enable Customers to Win More Business

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Cutting-edge AI technology complements Unanet’s CRM solution by automating proposal writing

DULLES, Va., Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Unanet, the leading provider of project-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) for the government contracting (GovCon) and architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries, today announced it has acquired Washington, D.C.-based GovPro AI, the leader in AI-powered proposal writing platforms for GovCons. By incorporating GovPro AI’s technology into the Unanet product portfolio, Unanet is offering customers a solution to one of their most challenging and growth-constraining problems: the enormous amount of time, money, and resources invested in responding to complex and highly technical requests for proposals (RFP).

“Unanet is continuing to deliver on its promise to solve real business challenges for our customers,” said Steve Karp, Chief Innovation Officer, Unanet. “In addition to helping customers across the GovCon and AEC industries respond to RFPs more efficiently, GovPro AI’s technology and team will accelerate Unanet’s broader AI strategy via thought leadership, new technologies, and class-leading R&D methodologies that will benefit all our customers. We are excited to welcome this talented team of innovators to Unanet and invest in their solution, so it evolves to meet the constantly changing needs of our customers.”

Unanet chose GovPro AI to improve GovCons’ business development processes due to its unique and compelling blend of expertise in GovCon procurement processes, as well as the secure application of AI to solve real-world business needs. GovPro AI’s platform uses AI to create a high-quality first proposal draft – known to GovCons as the ‘pink team’ draft – for virtually any federal RFP in a matter of hours. Unanet plans to extend GovPro AI’s technology into the AEC market in 2025.

Industry experts estimate the cost of responding to a single RFP can typically be $50,000$100,000 — a significant investment for most firms and outright cost-prohibitive for smaller ones. According to Unanet’s most recent GAUGE Report, 45% of GovCons cite lack of business development resources as a challenge, and 69% say they are having issues winning new contracts.

This solution, backed by Unanet’s industry-leading service and support, enables customers to win more business faster, at a lower cost, and more strategically. GovCons can use the GovPro AI platform to reduce their average RFP time-to-draft by 70% and cut proposal generation costs in half. Additionally, customers can better evaluate their ‘go/no go’ decision-making and pursue those opportunities with a higher probability of winning.

Unanet can now offer its customers an option for a robust, comprehensive business development package composed of Unanet CRM and GovPro AI technologies, so they have:

Opportunity identification and assessmentRelationship managementPipeline managementAI-powered proposal generation

“Unanet’s commitment is to empower our customers’ business success with modern, purpose-built technology and people-centric service,” said Craig Halliday, CEO of Unanet. “When customers tell us about their business challenges, we evaluate all available options and invest in solving those challenges with best-in-class solutions either through in-house development, partnerships, or via acquisition. We’re on the same team as our customers, and it’s our job to support and further their success.”

GovPro AI was the brainchild of Alexander Cohen, who began contract writing government RFPs to earn extra money in graduate school. After his work helped win over $150M in business, it soon became clear there was a significant market opportunity to start a dedicated business focused on RFP preparation. Cohen and his select team of highly experienced experts from some of the world’s largest and most successful technology companies, government agencies, and GovCons started GovPro AI. Their first solution was a secure, highly specified RFP response platform leveraging generative AI technology. The depth of talent, technology, and management expertise made GovPro AI stand-out among other automation solutions.

“Being part of the Unanet team means we can advance our innovation and refine the solution features,” said Alexander Cohen, Founder of GovPro AI. “I’m looking forward to exploring new use cases for customers and continuing to deliver a more efficient, modern way of improving business development.”

Unanet completed the acquisition this month. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Current GovPro AI customers will continue to have full access to the solution at their original terms, with the addition of the Unanet customer service commitment.

About Unanet
Unanet is a leading provider of project-based ERP and CRM solutions purpose-built for government contractors, architecture, engineering, construction, and professional services. More than 4,000 project-driven organizations depend on Unanet to turn their information into actionable insights, drive better decision-making, maintain regulatory compliance, and accelerate business growth. All backed by a people-centered team invested in the success of your projects, people, and financials. For more information, visit www.unanet.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/unanet-acquires-govpro-ai-to-enable-customers-to-win-more-business-302313743.html

SOURCE Unanet

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Vectorworks, Inc. Wins at the 2024 Construction Computing Awards

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Vectorworks Architect Named Architectural Design Software of the Year at 18th Annual Awards.

COLUMBIA, Md., Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Global design and BIM software provider Vectorworks, Inc. announces its latest accomplishment—Vectorworks Architect has been named Architectural Design Software of the Year at this year’s Construction Computing Awards. Winners were selected through public voting and a panel of expert judges and announced on Nov. 7 at the Leonardo Royal Hotel London City.

Design is at the core of what we do, and with the latest enhancements in Vectorworks 2025, we’re reinforcing our commitment to providing design professionals with tools that bring their boldest visions to life at every phase

The Construction Computing Awards, commonly known as “The Hammers,” honor the technology, tools, and solutions that drive efficient design, construction, maintenance, and modification in projects ranging from commercial buildings to social housing and civil engineering.

“It’s a tremendous honor that Vectorworks Architect was recognized for quality and versatility,” said Vectorworks Chief Marketing Officer Jeremy Powell. “This award highlights our dedication to empowering designers to push boundaries and achieve absolute creative expression and efficiency. Design is at the core of what we do, and with the latest enhancements in Vectorworks 2025, we’re reinforcing our commitment to providing design professionals with tools that bring their boldest visions to life at every phase.”

Built to showcase your skill and creativity, Vectorworks Architect allows you to sketch, model, and document in a fully integrated workflow with the world’s most design-centric BIM solution. With superior 2D graphics, 3D modeling, and visualization tools, Architect is built to deliver absolute creative expression and maximum efficiency.

Winners will be featured in the November/December 2024 issue of CAD User and Construction Computing magazines. The complete list of winners and runners-up is available on the Construction Computing Awards website.

To learn more about Vectorworks Architect, visit vectorworks.net/architect or experience the software with a 7-day free trial. Learn more about the latest release of Vectorworks, its interactive features, and more by visiting vectorworks.net/2025.

About Vectorworks, Inc.
Vectorworks, Inc. is an award-winning design and BIM software provider serving the architecture, landscape architecture and design, and entertainment industries in 85 countries. Professionals worldwide are using Vectorworks on Mac and Windows to create, connect, and influence the next generation of design. Built with designers in mind since 1985, Vectorworks software offers you the freedom to follow your imagination wherever it leads you. Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with offices in the UK, Canada, Australia, and Japan, Vectorworks is a part of the Nemetschek Group. Learn how you can design without limits at vectorworks.net or follow @Vectorworks.

Media Contact

Kamica Price, Vectorworks, Inc., 443-542-0606, kprice@vectorworks.net, vectorworks.net

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SOURCE Vectorworks, Inc.; Vectorworks, Inc.

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