The Threat from Below: Considerations for Subsurface Utility Mapping

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By Matthew Fitzgerald Every construction professional has been there at some point in their career — subsurface utility unknowns causing injuries, schedule delays, budget concerns, design updates or unhappy customers. Plagued by inaccurate and unreliable utility records and as-builts, the design and construction industry continues to see the negative impacts of underground unknowns. Imagine hitting a gas main next to a school or cutting off the oxygen to a hospital’s intensive care unit. What if a hidden set of trolley tracks suddenly derails your building schedule? Or you hit a decades-old fuel tank that was long forgotten until you find … Read more

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Behind the Walls of Adaptive Reuse Projects

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The Ins and Outs of Historic Renovations By Wesley J. Palmisano Some of the nation’s most beautiful structures reside in historic New Orleans neighborhoods — from the iconic French Quarter to the eclectic Garden District. To convert these types of crown jewels into reimagined buildings that function in an entirely new way is a repositioning strategy commonly known as adaptive reuse. This enables owners and developers to breathe new life into aging structures so they can serve a new generation of users. It also helps revitalize neighborhoods and meet the growing demand for certain space types, whether it’s housing, hospitality … Read more

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5 Tips to Attracting + Retaining Talent in 2023

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Investment of time = long-term engagement By Jon Taylor Every contractor struggles with attracting and retaining talent in a competitive market like this, especially considering the need for skilled labor that exists today. In response to the shortage, industry organizations are being formed to promote careers in construction. In the meantime, contractors are placing a renewed emphasis on recruiting efforts, creating programs to support the training of new hires with little to no exposure to the industry. At the same time, they are trying to keep their existing employee base happy. As a result, every contractor is searching for an … Read more

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Intentional Onboarding, Recognition + Mentorship

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Setting up craft professionals for success right out of the gate By Jason Aspinwall The construction industry is an incredibly competitive landscape when it comes to recruitment and retention, especially for the unique and innovative leaders who fill superintendent roles. As such, it’s crucial to not only focus on setting employees up for success, but to also support tenured superintendents so they can continue to engage and learn. Best-in-class construction firms are intentional about onboarding superintendents, leveraging talents and coaching them throughout their careers. Solidify the onboarding process Most contractors are focused on covering all their bases when it comes … Read more

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Handling Mass Timber on the Jobsite

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By Joe Hovan Mass timber construction has taken hold in a big way. These structures, made of various types of wood products such as cross laminated timber, glue-laminated beams, laminated veneer lumber, nail-laminated timber or dowel-laminated timber, rival traditional steel and concrete building materials in terms of durability, seismic performance and fire resistance. They are also lighter in weight and result in less costly foundations. In addition, because mass timber components are machined to a high precision (+/- 1mm), the installation onsite is faster, less noisy and utilizes a smaller crew than alternative materials. Not to mention, they are really … Read more

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