4 Steps to Designing, Building More Resilient Infrastructure

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Every year, natural disasters threaten infrastructure and human life. The greatest damage (measured in repair dollars) is caused by storms. It is not only the high winds of thunderstorms, but rain and hail that cause the damage. Hurricanes and flooding are the second and third most destructive natural event, respectively. “Seven of the top 10 costliest disasters in U.S. history are hurricanes,” says Lionel Lemay, executive vice president, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association. The Northridge Earthquake in 1994 ($77 billion), the drought of 1988 ($44 billion) and 1993’s Midwest flooding ($37 billion) are the only non-storm disasters to be included in … Read more

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Findings Show Major Growth Expected for Prefabrication, Permanent Modular Construction

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Dodge Data & Analytics released the findings of a landmark study that provides a comprehensive examination of the current state and future expectations for prefabrication and modular construction. The Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020 SmartMarket Report was published with the support of Bradley Corp., the Modular Building Institute, Pinnacle Infotech, MCAA and Skender and takes a close look at critical drivers, obstacles and benefits of using these methods, based on insight from architects, engineers and contractors already leveraging them. The report shows that architects, engineers and contractors that have used these methods plan to significantly increase their engagement with them, … Read more

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Prefabrication + the New Frontier

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Yesterday, today and the future of mitigating jobsite challenges By Kyle Davis The construction industry has a problem: skilled labor is at an all-time low. However, the part of the story that’s particularly alarming, but rarely surfaces, is it’s also not in a position to recover. In 2004, the Brookings Institute published a white paper titled “Toward a New Metropolis.” The conclusion 15 years ago was that half of what will exist in the built environment by 2030 didn’t exist yet. The construction industry uses 29% of the craft apprentices enrolled in apprenticeship programs, equating to just 144,000 apprentices and … Read more

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We Should Talk: Committing to Meeting of the Minds with PMs

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By John Rowlett One strong indicator of a top-performing construction project is vigorous interaction and communication between the superintendent and the project manager. While it may be common for the two roles to intersect, the argument here is for a heartier, more cohesive relationship, one in which the two parties are fully in sync and clearly understand each other’s expectations and needs. Nowadays, owners expect even their most complex projects to be delivered faster, cheaper and with value-added services. In this environment, what’s called for is not an isolationist “I’ll-do-my job; you-do-yours” relationship between superintendent and project manager. To win … Read more

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Breaking Down Demolition Basics

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By Chance Warren Before you can build your client’s vision, it’s sometimes necessary to deconstruct what is presently on the property. Generally, this involves one of two types of demolition: major demolition, meaning bringing the entire structure down, and selective demolition, wherein the super-structure remains intact but demolition takes place within the building. MAJOR DEMOLITION Work on a major demolition project begins well before the building comes down. Although the details covered in this article refer to a demo performed with machinery, many of the same principles would apply to an explosive or implosive demo situation. Planning is an essential … Read more

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