The green building movement has reached an exciting point. That’s the consensus of experts at Greenbuild, the world’s largest conference and expo that was recently convened in Philadelphia. The event, which featured Hillary Clinton and Jon Bon Jovi, addressed scalability and LEED v4 technology. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2013/11/25…(Read More)
Economists are making some optimistic predictions for the construction sector. “The McGraw Hill Construction forecast for 2014 is certainly on the bright side, calling for a nine percent increase in construction starts next year. It also predicts strong double-digit growth in the dollar value of single-family housing, multifamily housing, and commercial buildings,” according…(Read More)
It was all about greed. Six people were killed and 13 others injured when a building in downtown Philly was being demolished earlier this year. District Attorney Seth Williams alleges contractor Griffin Campbell ignored safety rules so he could profit by selling joists and other dismantled parts of the four-story building. Williams said several…(Read More)
Labor and materials are continuing to boost the cost of construction projects in North America. For nearly two years, prices have increased as employers worry about the shortage of skilled workers. The data comes from the Engineering and Construction Cost Index (ECCI), which registered at 53.2 percent in November, up .6 percent from the…(Read More)
Men who lost their jobs are rejoining the workforce at a slower pace than their female counterparts. That’s because of the sluggishness in male-dominated fields, including construction and manufacturing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that men lost six million jobs during the recession and only 70 percent have been filled…(Read More)
It’s all about apps. Construction professionals are replacing their toolboxes with technology this holiday season. Here are dozens of interesting apps for industry pros, from Construction Master Pro Developer created by Calculated Industries to Field Supervisor from Bentley Systems. Most are freebies; a few are priced at $19.99. Happy shopping! http://www…(Read More)
Insurance experts contend a lack of documentation on alleged construction defects is problematic. A company’s inability to quickly locate records brings long-lasting headaches to executives. Litigation can take years, and construction companies are finding out that documents are often missing, or inaccurate. http://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20131120/NEWS07/131129973?tags=|308…(Read More)
Hiring managers should expect to see a growing interest in HB-1 visas next year. The visas, which allow non-citizen workers to meet certain criteria to work in the U.S., will become available through the federal government on April 1, 2014. Only 65,000 such credentials will be allocated, and demand is high…(Read More)
The recent International Risk Management Institute conference attracted plenty of heavy hitters in construction and allied industries. The keynote address, delivered by Rik Kunnath, executive chairman of the board at Pankow Contractors and Construction, admitted innovation is woefully inadequate. “For the U.S. building industry to remain competitive, especially with so much global competition coming…(Read More)
A growing number of states are partnering with private companies to build and maintain highways, prisons, water facilities, tunnels and even hospitals and schools. An article on the so-called ‘P3s’ has the latest on how states like Florida and Virginia are using this approach to get things done. Elaine Povitch, a staff writer for…(Read More)
