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In a recent post, I mentioned the major disruptors that are afoot in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. I presented them recently to a subcontractor group and illustrated ways that these disruptors would reshape the AEC business that we have known for our entire careers.One of those disruptors that I mentioned was the 3D printer. The example I used was in China where the contractors printed houses, 10 of them built in 24 hours, as a prototype for potential housing for the thousands of Chinese moving from the countryside into the cities.
Reshaping the Construction Industry
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The job is finished on time and under budget. The punch list was minor. There were no claims and the retention was paid as expected. The contracting team and subs made a decent margin on a project that required some innovative structural systems and finishes. The project was a success for the contractor. Right?The project was finished on time and under budget. The design was groundbreaking and is likely to be an award winner for the global design team, one that had been awarded the design over a myriad of global design stars. The building has been commissioned and the invoices paid. The project was a success for the architects. Right?
April 15, 2016
The gold and silver medalists in Structural Welding spoke with Construction Citizen authors Elizabeth McPherson and Jasmine Swoope about their experiences in the competition.
April 14, 2016
Across the country, there are more and more examples of businesses facing legal consequences because they were misclassifying workers as independent subcontractors when, by law, those people should have been treated as employees and compensated as such.As Construction Citizen has documented over the years, there are many legitimate uses of contract labor. There is also, however a scourge of certain employers abusing the designation to dodge taxes, health benefits and other costs associated with having employees on payroll. Misclassification happens when a business intentionally uses contract labor to gain an unfair competitive advantage.
April 13, 2016
Most metros add jobs in February; openings soar, hiring is flat; commercial scene variesEditor’s note: Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.Construction employment, not seasonally adjusted, increased from February 2015 to February 2016 in 234 (65%) of the 358 metro areas (including divisions of larger metros) for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides construction employment data, decreased in 72 (20%) and was stagnant in 52, according to an AGC release and map on Tuesday that analyzed BLS data. (BLS combines mining and logging with construction in most metros.)
April 12, 2016
Last week I attended the last day of the 2016 Rowlett Lecture Series at the Bush Library at Texas A&M in College Station. It was a two-day affair that celebrated the 25th anniversary of the CRS Center. CRS (Caudill Rowlett Scott) was a legendary global architecture firm that started at College Station in the 1940s. Its principals taught hundreds, if not thousands, of architects and engineers Architecture By Team and Problem Seeking, processes that are still used by firms across the globe today. The CRS Center houses the historical documents and books that were produced by the firm.The firm and the multitude of professionals who worked on the CRS team were "Disrupters" of the profession, and it is no wonder that those CRS processes have morphed and are being used by architectural firms in the development of complex buildings and campuses today.I was fortunate to have played on the CRS team first as a programmer and later as the Director of Marketing. I went to hear the latest iteration of the application of the CRS Problem Seeking methodology on projects and to see many of my former colleagues and friends.One of the feature presentations was by Scott Simpson, FAIA and Senior Principal at the Greenway Group and Editor at Large of Design Intelligence. His talk, about the length of a TED talk, touched on the future of the architectural profession and he flashed a slide of the "Disrupters" of the design profession, those that will have a profound impact on the architects and the designs of the future.
April 11, 2016
The following article originally appeared in the April newsletter to clients of Kiley Advisors, LLC for the purpose of providing the latest leading indicators and industry issues to those clients. Reprinted with permission.Local economists remain cautiously optimistic when discussing Houston’s future. The revised employment numbers reduced Houston’s job growth in 2015 from 23,200 to 15,200 jobs. The revisions included losses of 23,800 in manufacturing and 17,700 jobs in mining and logging, while construction gained 12,600 jobs – thanks, in large part, to the industrial work in East Houston. The Census Bureau recently announced population growth of 160,000 from mid-2014 to mid-2015 in the Houston MSA, with a 12.4% growth in population from 2010 – 2015. After January’s expected job losses – as retailers routinely shed holiday employees and others delay layoffs until after the holidays –the next few months could indicate the pace of employment for the remainder of 2016. All would agree, Houston’s employment growth will be slower in 2016 than experienced the past five years, but nearly all still forecast growth.
April 08, 2016
The proposed Next Tokyo 2045 in Japan will be twice the height of the Burj Khalifa and feature hexagonal-shaped structures in the bay to minimize the effects of intense waves from earthquakes and typhoons.
April 07, 2016
Marek Dallas Division President John Hinson wrote the following President’s Message for AWCI's Construction Dimension magazine. Hinson is the 2015-2016 President of AWCI.A friend recently called me to vent about an audit by the Department of Homeland Security on his concrete business. Seeing me as an understanding ear, he related the impact this “enforcement action” was having on his seasoned craftsmen and their families.His employees have worked for him for more than 30 years, but he admits some of them entered the country illegally in 1986 and should face punishment and fines. And what really bothers him is that he will be forced to terminate them. It is punishment to them, their families and his business that severely outweighs the crime.
April 06, 2016
March construction employment, February spending post hefty, diverse 12-month gainsEditor’s note: Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.Nonfarm payroll employment in March increased by 215,000, seasonally adjusted, from February and by 2,802,000 (2.0%) over 12 months, and the unemployment rate inched up to 5.0% from 4.9% in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Construction employment rose by 37,000 for the month (to 6,672,000) and by 301,000 (4.7%) year-over-year (y/y). Industry employment reached the highest level since December 2008. Residential construction employment (residential building and specialty trade contractors) increased by 13,400 for the month and 166,000 (6.8%) y/y. Nonresidential employment (nonresidential building, specialty trades, and heavy and civil engineering construction) rose by 23,900 for the month and 134,800 (3.4%) y/y.
April 05, 2016
