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WASHINGTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) today released the 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, its latest quadrennial assessment of the nation’s infrastructure. The Report Card gives the U.S. an overall ‘C-‘ grade and finds the country is spending just over half of what is required to support the backbone of the economy.  

The study evaluated 17 categories of infrastructure, with grades ranging from a ‘B’ for Rail to a ‘D-‘ for Transit. For the first time in 20 years, the country’s infrastructure as a whole received a grade in the ‘C’ range, meaning on average, the nation’s infrastructure is in mediocre condition, has deficiencies and needs attention. However, 11 of the 17 categories in the Report Card received a grade in the ‘D’ range: aviation, dams, hazardous waste, inland waterways, levees, public parks, roads, schools, stormwater, transit, and wastewater.

Over the past four years, the U.S. made incremental gains in some categories, according to the Report Card. Due to increased investment, grades improved in aviation, drinking water, energy, inland waterways, and ports. One infrastructure category – bridges – saw a decrease in grade in part because of the number of bridges that slipped to «fair» condition from «good.» Transit received a ‘D-‘ in the report, the lowest grade. Some 45% of Americans lack access to transit and existing infrastructure is aging.

Overall, the long-term infrastructure investment gap continues to grow. That gap has risen from $2.1 trillion over 10 years in the last report to $2.59 trillion in the latest study, meaning a funding gap of $259 billion per year.

Said ASCE Executive Director Thomas Smith: «This not a report card anyone would be proud to take home. We have not made significant enough investments to maintain infrastructure that in some cases was built more than 50 years ago. As this study shows, we risk significant economic losses, higher costs to consumers, businesses and manufacturers – and our quality of life – if we don’t act urgently. When we fail to invest in infrastructure, we pay the price.»

There were 22 weather and climate disasters in the U.S. that cost at least $1 billion in 2020, the most in history.

If the U.S. does not pay its overdue infrastructure bill, ASCE said by 2039 the U.S. economy will lose $10 trillion in growth and exports will decline by $2.4 trillion. More than 3 million jobs will be lost in 2039. In addition, each American household will bear $3,300 in hidden costs per year.

ASCE highlighted the role infrastructure investment could play in speeding the nation’s economic recovery. «America’s infrastructure bill is overdue, and we have been ignoring it for years. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbates the funding challenge because state and local governments have had to prioritize public health over everything else for the past year,» said Jean-Louis Briaud, Ph.D., P.E., ASCE President. «If we take action now, we can generate job growth and build infrastructure that is more reliable, more secure and more resilient while increasing the quality of life for everyone.»

ASCE called on Congress and the administration to take «big and bold action» on infrastructure quickly.

«Infrastructure is an issue that everyone agrees needs action and doing so will help the U.S. now and in the future. Delaying only increases the costs,» said Emily Feenstra, ASCE’s Managing Director of Government Relations and Infrastructure Initiatives.

While ASCE grades the categories individually, the nation’s infrastructure is a series of connected systems. The report found three overarching trends impacting infrastructure:

1. Maintenance backlogs continue to be an issue, but asset management helps prioritize limited funding.
2. State and local governments have made progress such as leveraging gas tax to fund transportation investments, and some limited federal investment has also paid dividends.
3. There are still infrastructure sectors where data is scarce or unreliable.

The 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure was released publicly during a virtual news conference that was followed by ASCE’s Solutions Summit. This separate event included spotlights on various infrastructure topics. Featured speakers included Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, Senator Shelley More Capito (R-WV), and Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR), among others.

To view the full report and additional data, visit InfrastructureReportCard.org. 

ABOUT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS 
Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 150,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society. ASCE works to raise awareness of the need to maintain and modernize the nation’s infrastructure using sustainable and resilient practices, advocates for increasing and optimizing investment in infrastructure, and improve engineering knowledge and competency.

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SOURCE American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

GENEVA, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, has teamed up in an exclusive collaboration with world-renowned arts and design college Central Saint Martins in London to reimagine the future of fine fragrance. Twenty-one projects provide a unique, «fragrance forward» vision for game-changing uses of fine fragrance, from heat relief, water conservation, and community empowerment, to mindful eating and scent travel.

«Firmenich is empowering a positive future for fine fragrance,» said Ilaria Resta, President, Global Perfumery, Firmenich. «Through both RE|GENERATION and Olfactive Design, we are writing a new story including creation, distribution points, distribution methods, and physical or digital experiences, to reinvent the value of fine fragrance. Perfume becomes a social intermediary, identity marker and mindful catalyst.»

«These inspirational projects with the talented next generation of designers are nourished by science and art. They represent both the future of luxury and the ultimate essence of fine fragrance,» added Mehdi Lisi, VP, Global Fine Fragrance, Creation, Development and Innovation (CDI), Firmenich. «We are proud to share this work, co-created with Central Saint Martins.»

The 14^th edition of Firmenich’s Olfactive Design program is an unique collaboration with students in the Master of Arts of Narrative Environments and of Material Futures at Central Saint Martins. Partnered with Firmenich Fine Fragrance perfumers, students worked collectively to imagine seven future worlds with both utopian and dystopian attributes: Hope & Re-Enchantment, Danger/Chaos/Risk, Circularity, Generations & Memory, Hybrid Experiences, Identity and Pleasure & Wellbeing. Together, teams co-created prototypes, installations and bespoke fragrances inspired by the students’ work to show how fragrance will impact our world in the years to come. 

Bethany Shepherd, Professor of MA Narrative Environments at Central Saint Martins said: «This is the first time our students have worked with perfume. With the rise in popularity of immersive experiences and meaningful interactions, students were keen to explore how scent can link both personal and cultural memory, and how olfactive experiences connect people to better understand each other and their environments.»

• Global warming has formed urban heat islands in heavily populated areas and cities worldwide, where natural land is replaced with buildings and surfaces that retain heat (such as pavement). Manmade heat affects humans in many ways, from creating additional stress to amplifying illnesses. Looking at the theme of Danger/Chaos/Risk, student Lars Dittrich provides a counterbalance to these islands. As a solution, he created a Fragrance Ventilator that captures hot air as it rises, humidifies and cools the air in a tube, and then releases jets of fragrance from vents as cool, scented breeze. Senior Perfumer Dora Baghriche imagined a scent to emphasize a refreshing sensation, with a green accord to emulate the relieving sensation of vegetal freshness and a mineral facet to suggest an implicit petrichor effect of fresh rain. She also added a touch of Freezestorm®, a breakthrough technology, delivering a long-lasting cooling sensation that reinforces the hyper-sensoriality of the project.

• Addressing the theme of Pleasure & Wellbeing, student Alessia Yu created a program to help individuals temper emotional eating habits at a time when eating disorders are on the rise. Her Mindful Dining experience proposes to restore a person’s full awareness of what he or she is tasting, therefore bringing more joy and wellbeing to the individual’s life. Olfaction contributes as much as 80-90% to the taste of one’s food, thus scent is a powerful tool to engage a person’s senses and create a more pleasurable food experience. The dining adventure begins with a customized dessert subscription, delivered with a scent box diffuser and audio-guided meditation. As a person begins the guided, mindful journey, they are introduced to each ingredient and layer of the dessert they’re about to eat via fragrances emitted from the diffuser box as well as imagery on screen. This exercise amplifies smells and textures to better appreciate taste. In this example, Firmenich Perfumer Alexis Grugeon brought the dessert experience to life with an addictive banana bread fragrance. Using Smell The Taste™ technology transporting the individual to thoughts of home-baked goods, he mixed the rich creaminess of banana with notes of walnut, wrapped in a refined orris trail.

• With the feeling of Hope & Re-Enchantment as a guide, student Aliza Ruzavina created a communal Scent Fountain to help local communities take ownership of the future of their neighborhoods. The fountain lives at the center of each town, and features opinion polls about community issues, such as new building development, industrial changes, traffic density and natural park spaces. When voting, people smell scented tubes around the fountain containing different fragrances related to different outcomes of the poll. Each scent relates to a unique characteristic of what the community could smell like if a change is made. Once a person has smelled all of the options, they cast their ballot by pushing a button. Principal Perfumer Hamid Merati-Kashani imagined a fragrance that argues in favor of positive and eco-conscious communal behaviors, using notes of pink pepper, an exclusive NaturePrint® magnolia scent, and biodegradable and renewable Sorbettolide® musk as key ingredients. Each of these elements recall the existence of nature in the midst of a city, helping empower the community and people who live there to make healthy and eco-friendly decisions.

The impressive, thought-provoking prototypes were showcased in a live, day-long, closed-door exhibit held at Central Saint Martins in London in December 2020. Students walked attendees through their concepts, constructions and fragrance creations. Access to the projects is now available exclusively on Firmenich’s RE|GENERATION website so that customers and consumers can view the intricate works via images and video footage of each project. Additional content will be added bi-weekly, covering new themes, projects and insights.

«Olfactive Design encourages us to think about the future of fine fragrance through new uses and application techniques. As the world changes, from climate issues to political and cultural unrest, so does our perfumery. Our industry has the ability to course correct current and future concerns, as fragrance plays a critical role in the wellbeing of future generations,» said Associate Perfumer Alexis Grugeon.

Since 1998, Firmenich’s Olfactive Design program explores a thematic from artistic and sensorial standpoints. Each edition offers a unique experience engaging our senses as well as our imagination. This exclusive immersion takes us on an olfactive journey showcasing the creativity of our Fine Fragrance perfumers from Paris, New York, Sao Paulo and Dubai, who work with full creative freedom.

Launched in July 2020, celebrating Firmenich’s 125-year legacy and leadership in Fine Fragrance, RE|GENERATION is a global call-to-action embracing the radical optimism of change and examining how it will shape the future of the fine fragrance industry. The movement invites the fragrance community, customers, consumers, artists and influencers to work together to innovate, rejuvenate and drive the transformation of Fine Fragrance. @FirmenichFine #FragranceIsCulture #RegenerationReset.

For more about Olfactive Design and RE|GENERATION, please visit: https://regeneration.firmenich.com/.

About Firmenich
Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895, and has been family-owned for 125 years. Firmenich is a leading business-to-business company specialized in the research, creation, manufacture and sale of perfumes, flavors and ingredients. Renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its leadership in sustainability, Firmenich offers its customers superior innovation in formulation, a broad and high-quality palette of ingredients, and proprietary technologies including biotechnology, encapsulation, olfactory science and taste modulation. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 3.9 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2020. More information about Firmenich is available at www.firmenich.com

About Central Saint Martins University

Central Saint Martins, UAL is globally renowned for the creative energy of its students, staff and graduates. Its educational reputation across art, design and performance is demonstrated by alumni who shape the world including Grace Wales Bonner, Matty Bovan, Terence Conran, Michael Fassbender, Antony Gormley, Craig Green, Tom Hardy, Isaac Julien, Jean Jullien, Christopher Kane, Helen Marten, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Morag Myerscough, Sandy Powell, Laure Prouvost and Raqib Shaw among many others. Central Saint Martins is part of University of the Arts London (UAL), an international center for innovative teaching and research in arts, design, fashion, communication and the performing arts. www.arts.ac.uk/csm 

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SOURCE Firmenich

NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — J.P. Morgan Asset Management today announced the launch of the 2021 Guide to Alternatives, providing an objective analysis of the key themes impacting alternative investments. In its third year, the quarterly Guide provides an objective analysis of the trends shaping alternatives after a COVID-19-impacted 2020, drilling down into sub-asset classes including real estate, infrastructure and transport, private credit, private equity and hedge funds.

Some of the major themes analyzed in the latest edition of the Guide, include:

• The role of real assets in a world of higher inflation (slide 9)
• The continued growth of SPACs and the rise of the retail investor (slide 32)
• The outlook for private credit in world of growing debt (slide 35)
• The future of office real estate and potential long-term winners and losers (slide 11)

«As bond yields remain muted and equity valuations stretched, investors are increasingly seeking objective insights into alternative investments as they continue to search for opportunities to reduce volatility and enhance portfolio returns, said Anton Pil, Head of Global Alternatives, J.P. Morgan Asset Management. «Our 2021 Guide to Alternatives provides an analysis of the major themes impacting alternative investments, arming investors with the insights they need to make informed decisions when allocating to the asset class.»

«As investors look to take advantage of the economic recovery following a COVID-19-driven downturn last year, our latest Guide to Alternatives delivers an effective framework for both evaluating and implementing alternatives into portfolios,» said David Lebovitz, Global Market Strategist, J.P. Morgan Asset Management. «The pandemic accelerated existing trends and exacerbated existing challenges, but also created a number of opportunities. Going forward, the prudent investor will look to take advantage of these developments across a variety of alternative investments to address the still-present headwinds related to expected returns and income generation.»

To view the full 2021 Guide to Alternatives, click here. 

About J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives 

J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives is the alternative investment arm of J.P. Morgan Asset Management. With more than 50 years as an alternatives investment manager, $160 billion in assets under management and more than 600 professionals (as of December 31, 2020), we offer strategies across the alternative investment spectrum including real estate, private equity and credit, infrastructure, transportation, liquid alternatives, and hedge funds. Operating from offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, our 14 independent alternative investment engines combine specialist knowledge and singular focus with the global reach, vast resources and powerful infrastructure of J.P. Morgan to help meet each client’s specific objectives. For more information: jpmorganassetmanagement.com.

About J.P. Morgan Asset Management
J.P. Morgan Asset Management, with assets under management of USD 2.3 trillion (as of 31 December 2020), is a global leader in investment management. J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s clients include institutions, retail investors and high net worth individuals in every major market throughout the world. J.P. Morgan Asset Management offers global investment management in equities, fixed income, real estate, hedge funds, private equity and liquidity.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $3.4 trillion and operations worldwide. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. serves millions of customers in the United States and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.

J.P. Morgan Asset Management is the marketing name for the asset management businesses of JPMorgan Chase & Co., and its affiliates worldwide. 

Provided for information only. Investments involve risks, not all investment ideas are suitable for all investors. Diversification does not guarantee positive returns or eliminate risk of loss. Investments are not similar or comparable to deposits. Investors should seek professional advice and conduct their evaluation before making investments.

The views contained herein are not to be taken as advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any investment in any jurisdiction, nor is it a commitment from J.P. Morgan Asset Management or any of its subsidiaries to participate in any of the transactions mentioned herein. Any forecasts, figures, opinions or investment techniques and strategies set out are for information purposes only, based on certain assumptions and current market conditions and are subject to change without prior notice. All information presented herein is considered to be accurate at the time of production. This material does not contain sufficient information to support an investment decision and it should not be relied upon by you in evaluating the merits of investing in any securities or products. In addition, users should make an independent assessment of the legal, regulatory, tax, credit and accounting implications and determine, together with their own professional advisers, if any investment mentioned herein is believed to be suitable to their personal goals. Investors should ensure that they obtain all available relevant information before making any investment. It should be noted that investment involves risks, the value of investments and the income from them may fluctuate in accordance with market conditions and taxation agreements and investors may not get back the full amount invested. Both past performance and yields are not reliable indicators of current and future results.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, we may record telephone calls and monitor electronic communications to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations and internal policies. Personal data will be collected, stored and processed by J.P. Morgan Asset Management in accordance with our privacy policies at https://am.jpmorgan.com/global/privacy.

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SOURCE J.P. Morgan Asset Management

AUSTIN, Texas, 3 de marzo de 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Según la edición 2021 del Informe de Reubicación de Texas publicado por Texas Realtors, que analiza la última información disponible sobre migración de la Oficina del Censo de los Estados Unidos y U-Haul, Texas ocupó el segundo lugar del país en actividad de reubicación en 2019.

«Una vez más, Texas recibió más de medio millón de residentes nuevos provenientes de otros estados», comentó Marvin Jolly, presidente de Texas Realtors para 2021. «Algunos se mudan por los costos de vida menores a los de sus lugares de origen, por la excelente calidad de vida, diversas oportunidades laborales o el clima agradable. Son muchas las razones por las que las personas siguen llegando a Texas«.

Según las estimaciones del Censo, Texas recibió entre 537,000 y 582,000 residentes nuevos en 2019. Este es el séptimo año consecutivo en el que Texas atrae a más de 500,000 residentes nuevos que vienen de fuera del estado. El Censo también estimó que entre 435,000 y 471,000 tejanos se mudaron a otros estados, lo que deja una ganancia neta aproximada de 100,000 personas. Además, en 2019, el estado de la estrella solitaria recibió entre 192,000 y 222,000 residentes nuevos provenientes de fuera de los Estados Unidos.

El mayor número de tejanos nuevos procedentes de otros estados de los Estados Unidos se desplazaron de California y Florida, respectivamente. Otros estados desde donde más personas se mudaron a Texas fueron Luisiana, Illinois, Oklahoma, Nuevo México, Georgia y Arizona.

Para 2019, California ocupó el primer lugar en los Estados Unidos en número de residentes que se mudaron fuera del estado. Texas, por su parte, ocupó el segundo lugar. Los destinos de reubicación más populares para quienes se mudaron fuera del estado de Texas incluyeron California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Florida y Georgia. Mientras que California fue el estado del que se mudaron más nuevos tejanos y al que más llegaron personas de Texas, la cantidad de californianos que se reubicaron en Texas fue casi el doble de los tejanos que migraron a California.

Entre 2014 y 2018, los principales condados a los que llegaron quienes se mudaron a Texas desde fuera del estado incluyeron Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar y Travis. Al nivel de áreas estadísticas metropolitanas (MSA), Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA y Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land MSA registraron el mayor número de residentes entrantes desde fuera del estado durante el mismo periodo.

«Aunque aún no contamos con estadísticas de reubicación para 2020, el incremento en oportunidades de trabajo remoto y la reubicación de compañías siguieron incentivando el movimiento desde otros estados hacia Texas durante la pandemia», señaló Jolly. «Sin importar a qué parte del estado se vayan a mudar estos nuevos residentes, nadie está en mejor posición de ayudarlos a alcanzar sus sueños en materia de vivienda que un Texas Realtor».

Acerca de la edición 2021 del Informe de Reubicación de Texas
La edición 2021 del Informe de Reubicación de Texas se basa en los datos de estimaciones a 5 años de la Encuesta sobre la Comunidad Estadounidense 2019 elaborada por la Oficina del Censo de los Estados Unidos y en el Informe de Tendencias de Migración 2020 de U-Haul. En el informe se analizan datos de reubicación en el país para nueve áreas demográficas de Texas. Texas REALTORS® distribuye mensualmente información acerca del mercado de viviendas en Texas, incluyendo estadísticas trimestrales del mercado, tendencias entre compradores y vendedores de viviendas, tendencias internacionales, entre otros. Para ver el Informe de Reubicación de Texas completo, visite texasrealestate.com.

Acerca de Texas REALTORS®
Con más de 140,000 miembros, Texas REALTORS® es una organización profesional por membresía que representa todos los aspectos del sector inmobiliario en Texas. Somos quienes abogamos por los REALTORS® y los derechos de propiedad privada en Texas. Visite texasrealestate.com para obtener más información.

CONTACTO:
Sylvester Palacios
Pierpont Communications
+1-512-448-4950
spalacios@piercom.com 

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