Related Links: HUD's Sandy Rebuilding Strategy ENR Superstorm Sandy Special Report Citing a crucial need for a coordinated approach to resilient rebuilding in Hurricane Sandy-affected areas, the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced the creation of a HUD-led regional forum to "understand interdependencies and interconnections." Construction industry leaders agree that, if anyone can provide the mortar between disparate constituencies in Sandy-affected areas, it is Donovan."An effective and charismatic convener such as Secretary Donovan knows how to get people to the table," says Rick Bell, executive director of AIA New York (AIANY). "Too often, New York

These days, Haim Haddad, owner of the Coney Island Beach Shop, plugs a tiny, square digital device into his cellphone or iPad to process credit-card payments.

ENR pointed its spotlight on some of the nation's most troubled infrastructure throughout 2012 with its ongoing Critical Infrastructure series, which chronicled how engineers are grappling with some of the biggest infrastructure challenges in a generation.

The world didn’t come to an end in 2012, but at least the wait for the re-authorization of the federal transportation funding bill did.