Productivity and profit margins will be key to sustained growth in the construction sector. That’s according to the 2013 Fourth Quarter Nonresidential Construction Index report. The research from FMI, a provider of management consulting and investment banking services to the engineering and construction industry, suggests that productivity continues to decrease. “The 48.6 score…(Read More)
From our file marked, “When in Rome…” comes this story about the construction of a Mormon temple in Philadelphia. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is forbidding caffeinated beverages, smoking, and foul language on the jobsite. LDS’ Continued Elder Robert Smith says the property is considered sacred ground. “We had a ground…(Read More)
Policymakers in Washington, DC are looking to break what they claim is a monopoly that’s held by the eco-friendly Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) building rating system. The Associated Press reports that several states have all but banned LEED from public contracts, making room for a new player in the market…(Read More)
If your team thinks AutoCad, BIM 360 Glue, and AutoDesk Fabrication help improve productivity and add some fun to the job, gamification may bring new levels of enthusiasm. The trend is growing, according to Blake Mccammon, a blogger on Blogging4jobs.com. “Redesigning tasks that are considered mundane or repetitive allows employers to not only keep…(Read More)
How can you manage risk in industrial construction projects? While there’s no way to avoid accidents, pre-construction and financial threats are two of the areas that should be evaluated before a job begins. “We recommend managing risk in four stages – identification, assessment, mitigation and monitoring,” says Tricia Corcuera of DRAXware Solutions, a construction…(Read More)
The jobless rate has dropped to a five-year low, as unemployment in the U.S. fell to seven percent last month. The stronger than expected November figures brought good news for the construction and energy sectors. Bloomberg.com reports that factories took on the most workers since March 2012, employment in construction accelerated, and…(Read More)
Employers that provide smartphones for workers in the field will want to make note of this article on Equipmentworld.com. It will also be helpful for holiday shoppers. Writer Wayne Grayson recommends five tougher-than-nails phone cases that should withstand construction elements such as excessive dust and water. Think hard plastic screen protectors.  …(Read More)
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)
