Lean is a philosophy and tool set that is as important to trade partners as it is for general contractors.آ This webinar looks at the Lean journey for TDIndustries over the past 17 years.آ Reflecting on how TD's vision for Lean has changed, the presentation will explore Lean as it is applied in a pre-fab shop and at the project site.آ This includes the 5 areas of focus: 5S, Pull Planning, Constraint Analysis, 6 Week Planning, and Essential Conversations.آ
There is a better way to build, and ConsensusDocs is transforming contractual negotiations in the design and construction industry with the launch of a new open and collaborative technology platform. Technology has long been harnessed to improve safety, efficiency and quality in construction – now ConsensusDocs has utilized the advantages of technology to simplify project cooperation for improved and expedited contract negotiations that will speed the time to construction and fairly allocate risk, while reducing costly contingencies and adversarial negotiations.آ
The Architecture Billings Index, a leading indicator of U.S. construction activity nine to 12 months into the future, fell 2 points to 48.4 in April. Any reading above 50 is said to indicate expansion, while any reading below 50 is said to indicate a decline in the demand for design services. This drop into negative terrain came after 5 consecutive months of positive readings. According to AIA chief economist Kermit Baker, the decline in demand for design services isn’t too surprising, considering the overall volatility of current economic conditions and a slow recovery.
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has made available the newest draft of its green building rating system for public comment until May 28, 2012.آ The 2012 version of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) up for review contains changes pertinent to contractors, specialty contractors and manufacturers of building materials—such as a new credit addressing “chemicals of concernâ€.
The cost of construction materials took a breather in April, while contractors showed slightly greater ability to roll past price increases into their bids, according to an analysis of producer price index figures released today by حوإ¼½م½م.آ
The 2012 حوإ¼½م½م Contractors Environmental Conference, June 7-8, 2012, in Arlington, Virginia, is your chance to network with your peers and learn from more than 30 speakers the latest environmental strategies that are saving contractors money, improving operations and taking firms to the next level.آ
حوإ¼½م½م of America has released a white paper discussing the impact federal and nonfederal contractors, as well as other interested parties, can have on the accuracy of Davis-Bacon wage determinations.آ The white paper, titled "Impacting Davis-Bacon Wage Determinations:آ A Guide for Contributing to the Accuracy of Published Prevailing Wage Rates in Construction", is available for download on the حوإ¼½م½م website.
To develop the tools needed to build lean, the حوإ¼½م½م has developed the Lean Construction Education Program. Construction professionals at all experience levels will learn the building blocks necessary to transform their projects and companies into a lean operating system.
The American Institute of Architects reported last month that the Architectural Billings Index had jumped to 52 in December, indicating that the demand for nonresidential construction is on the rise. Any reading above 50 is said to indicate an increase in commercial building construction 6 to 9 months in the future. December was the second consecutive month with a reading of 52, which, according to AIA chief economist Kermit Baker and several others, is a sign of good things to come in 2012. Read the complete article here.
In these uncertain economic times, construction financing is harder to secure. Willing lenders are out there, but are requiring the project owners to take far more fiscal responsibility and guarantee much more. This tougher lending climate is forcing developers to pour more of their financial resources into the project and to bear more responsibility should the investment perform poorly. To read the complete article, click here.