Construction Informer

As temperatures soar keeping cool on a construction job can be challenging. The State of Washington has backed away from some requirements in its battle against heat stress in the wake of a lot of complaints that they were going too far. Gone is the requirement that employers need to maintain temperature records, and the [...]

The on again, off again Farm Bill has been passed and represents an almost historical event since it may be the only time both houses of this Congress have managed to over ride a presidential veto. Anybody who reads the bill would come away wondering about many of the expenditures because even though the title [...]

Every year 600 or more exhibitors gather at the PCBC in San Francisco to showcase their homebuilding wares. More than 25,000 attendees including contractors, developers, architects and manufacturers also go there to see what’s new and take advantage of seminars and networking opportunities. 
Nestled into the show is an annual competition of "cool" products and [...]

Every time a new generation begins to wedge itself into the status quo of the older generation the pundits issue reports, surveys and op-ed pieces (and I guess blogs now) about how the new generation is so different than the one it is succeeding. But first the new generation has to be given a name.
And [...]

It almost seems like an oxymoron to develop green guidelines for landscapes. After all, they are green already. But of course we all know that isn’t really the case when it comes to the land where landscapes are installed after a building is constructed.
By the time the building is finished the soils have been moved [...]

Forget About American Idol: We’ve all had about enough of the endless "become a star" shows and so it is refreshing to see something come around that requires some HVAC initiative and talent. Of course I’m talking about the Duck­® brand duct tape Stuck at Prom® Scholarship Contest. Apparently 130 student couples entered this [...]

An Executive Order signed by the U.S. President on June 6 requires anyone doing business with the federal government to use the Internet-based employment eligibility system called E-Verify. Early assessments of this Order suggest this is the first time there are retroactive requirements to confirm the worker status of employees who were on jobs prior [...]

It’s always a treat to come across a building effort where you can see lots of pictures in progress and watch as it is built. So it is with the Miglin Properties/Staybridge Suites going up in Chicago. This one is billed as the only staggered steel truss framing system in the windy city.
Structural Affiliates [...]

History so far has shown that if there is anything you an depend upon it is that costs of things will always go up. Lately it seems fuel is leading the charge and of course that affects almost everything since fuel is so deeply imbedded in the economics of supply and demand.
Normally prices of [...]

With the recent announcement by the New York City district attorney that a contractor is being charged with manslaughter in relationship to the death of a worker it is a grim reminder of not only the dangerous activities associated with construction but also the enormous responsibility imposed on those who undertake to manage these activities.  [...]