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We have watched and written about Apple Campus 2, the brainchild of Steve Jobs before he died, several times during the last two years of construction. We have been fascinated by the meticulous attention to quality and detail that the architects, contractors, subs and suppliers have devoted to creating what many call "The Mothership” because of its circular spaceship-like design.
Reshaping the Construction Industry
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Two weeks ago, ABC Houston’s Construction and Maintenance Education Foundation (CMEF) honored several men and women for their accomplishments and completed training programs at the Class of 2017 CMEF Graduation. This year’s event was held at the Sylvan Beach Pavilion in La Porte, Texas, located southeast of Houston and directly on the shore of Galveston Bay.
June 08, 2017
We often pay tribute to the giants of the industry here in the pages of Construction Citizen. We recently lost Dr. Bill Brookshire, a man whose legacy is largely focused on passing down the values of hard work and self-sufficiency. It is with pride that we present to you the story of his life as it was presented to those who attended his recent memorial service in Houston.
June 07, 2017
The Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) has announced the winners of its annual Project of the Year for steel erection contracts topped out in 2016. The winning projects demonstrate the range and complexity of steel construction in the United States. Two of the projects were for government installations with extremely tight tolerances and high-level security clearances, while the others were more traditional high-rise and big-box construction with congested job sites and tight project schedules.
June 06, 2017
Nonfarm payroll employment in May rose by 138,000, seasonally adjusted, from April and by 2,226,000 (1.6%) year-over-year (y/y), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported Friday. The unemployment rate dipped to 4.3% from 4.4% in April.
June 05, 2017
The law of supply and demand is one of the basic drivers of construction economics. It is integral to cost and profit for any construction business from materials suppliers to on site labor and contractors. Labor supply is closely tied to the demand side of the curve and the supply of skilled craftsman is fast becoming an issue that will drive the cost of labor up until a solution can be found.
June 02, 2017
Mitch Clark works for Comfort Systems USA (Southwest), Inc in Phoenix, Arizona, but has also been chairman of the ABC National Craft Championships for the past three years while the event has been held in Fort Lauderdale. I asked him to say a few words about this year’s competition during the hands-on portion of the event. He told me that this year there were 170 competitors representing 28 different states participating. Since this was the third year the event had been held in the Broward County Convention Center, the mechanics of hosting the competition had gone quite smoothly.
June 01, 2017
Hi folks. The Chamberlin Man here. I would like to share some handy info with you from the National Safety Council: Steer clear of driving while distracted. It’s so simple. You’ve probably heard it 10 times over. But have you stopped long enough to take it to heart? Of all the distractions drivers deal with, cell phones top the list. Phone conversations and driving both require a great deal of thought. Fact of the matter is, your brain can’t do two things well at once.
May 31, 2017
More important is that the use of prefab can cut construction costs and schedules and can meet more precision requirements by using techniques already used by manufacturers around the world.
May 30, 2017
Data-tracking consultancy Lodging Econometrics reported on May 10 that the first-quarter 2017 hotel construction "pipeline currently stands at 5,032 projects..., up 13% by projects year-over-year....There are 1,511 projects...under construction, up by 155 projects [year-over-year] or 11%."
May 29, 2017
