Road work—especially on highways—is an ongoing problem for firefighters and many other emergency responders. Are construction companies aware of how traffic, detours, and broken up road surfaces challenge emergency crews in life and death situations? This story from Fort Worth, TX offers insights from the other side. http://www.betterroads.com/highway…(Read More)
I have a Facebook contact who frequently bashes her employer on her posts. Does her employer have to take that or can they take employment action? Social media has been around long enough now that there is a decent amount of legal precedent. But as you might expect, the answer is, it depends. If the…(Read More)
Construction companies continue the struggle to fully staff projects. The skilled labor shortage is giving workers the edge in busy markets such as Houston, but quieter areas are also short-staffed. How bad is it? Camden Property Trust, a Houston-based apartment developer has recently started putting guards on job sites to keep its workers…(Read More)
Care to guess the top 2013 revenue makers in the commercial construction sector? High-profile projects helped bring in huge revenues for these companies. For example, the firm that built the Hoover Dam (Bechtel Corporation) had $30.7 billion in revenue last year. The company that constructed the new Yankee Stadium (Turner Construction) brought in…(Read More)
“About 7.1 million Americans were employed in construction-related occupations last year—and only 2.6 percent were women,” according to a recent story from the Associated Press. “That percentage has scarcely budged since the 1970s, while women have made gains since then in many other fields.” One group rising to meet the challenge…(Read More)
Safety issues on jobsites aren’t only about falls from ladders and speeding traffic in work zones. Many people in the construction industry are overweight and use tobacco products. “A recent study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that about one in five workers in construction and mining smoke or chew…(Read More)
Success leaves clues. Women who thrive in male-dominated fields typically describe themselves as persistent, tenacious, and goal-oriented. What traits have helped the women profiled in this article succeed? Read about how they have learned to overcome challenges and the advice they offer to other women in the industry. http://www.lowesforpros.com/Construction…(Read More)
Building and development in Manhattan is busier than ever, so why are companies losing millions of dollars? Some architects are blaming the Department of Buildings, which has 500 inspectors and too many requests for their expertise. The New York Post says few applicants have the required background as a construction supervisor. Currently, inspectors have to…(Read More)
How can 4D CAD building modelling improve various phases of projects? It can help construction pros, engineers, and architects visualize scheduling and improve coordination between various departments and entities. It can also advance documentation and communication. A review of 4D modelling on Archinect.com addresses some potential limitations to 4D. One is the necessity of…(Read More)
July brought some heat to the U.S., but it also delivered good news about the construction of apartment buildings. The U.S. Commerce Department reports that last month was the busiest for the construction of multiple-unit buildings since 1989. Apartment permits increased 17.5 percent in July, as compared with the same period…(Read More)
