WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Institute of Architects has released seven new Sustainable Projects contract documents. The release includes SP versions of the AIA's two families of Construction Management documents, Construction Manager as Adviser and Construction Manager as Constructor, as well as B103—2007 SP, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect for a Large or Complex Sustainable Project. “The Construction Manager as Adviser and Construction Manager as Constructor delivery models are beneficial for sustainable projects. The construction manager's involvement in the early stages of the project results in collaboration between the owner, the architect and the construction manager in … Read more

NEW YORK, N.Y. — A gap exists in the construction industry’s awareness of the inefficiencies inherent in construction processes, according to a new report by McGraw Hill Construction on Lean construction in partnership with Dassault Systemes. Lean practices are defined as activities that eliminate waste from construction processes, and adopting these practices can help address these issues. However, the industry must recognize the need for Lean to see wider adoption of this approach. Over half (55 percent) of contractors not familiar with Lean practices find the construction industry efficient/highly efficient, compared to 14 percent of those who have implemented Lean. … Read more