Skanska Hires Russ Alcorn to Lead National Federal Center of Excellence

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ROCKVILLE, Md. — Skanska USA announced its Federal Center of Excellence, whose nationwide team of experts leads the industry in construction services for government facilities, has hired Russ Alcorn as vice president. In his new role at Skanska, Alcorn will utilize his 33 years of experience in federal construction to provide expertise and assistance with Skanska’s federal construction projects across the United States. His responsibilities include helping to identify federal pursuits, reviewing federal solicitations and assisting with proposals and presentations to federal agencies. “Skanska USA has a long history of being the go-to construction management firm for government clients who … Read more

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Construction Material Costs Outrun Finished Building Prices in June

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Construction costs again outpaced other producer prices in June but contractors remained unable to recoup the costs through higher bid prices, according to an analysis of producer price index figures released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the ongoing cost squeeze will put new pressure on construction firms to reduce staff and possibly close. “Despite a one-month dip in the prices of some key materials in June, construction costs rose on a year-over-year basis at the highest rate since 2008,” said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. “Worse, prices are rising amid continued layoffs and construction … Read more

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Rosendin Electric Extends Commitment to Green Practices with Deployment of Electrical Fleet

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — As part of its commitment to promote ecological responsibility, Rosendin Electric recently deployed a fleet of all-electric forklifts, replacing its propane-powered forklifts, in its Bay Area warehouses. The switchover will both reduce pollutants from the propane emissions and will save energy by using smart-chargers to recharge the forklifts during off-peak hours. An added advantage to the migration is better safety in the warehouse. The forklift controls are completely programmable, including limiting the maximum speed, making them safer to operate. “The biggest savings we are going to see from this conversion is from our carbon footprint,” said … Read more

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Kaiser Permanente Tops Out New Oakland Medical Center

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OAKLAND, Calif. — The final beam in the steel superstructure of the new Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center was put in place July 5 during a traditional topping-out ceremony. Kaiser Permanente leaders and employees, the project’s general contractor McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., and Oakland city and neighborhood leaders commemorated the milestone by signing the last 1,200-pound steel beam, which was then hoisted and secured in place. The 12-story, 349-bed hospital is scheduled to open in 2014, and will replace the existing hospital across MacArthur Boulevard. The construction is part of the state-mandated earthquake safety retrofit of all California hospitals. NBBJ … Read more

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Proposed Changes Could Streamline How Industry Uses BIM

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Following an 86-day open ballot submission period, the National Institute of Building Sciences buildingSMART alliance has closed the submission period to develop Version 2 of its building information modeling (BIM) standard, the National BIM Standard-United Statesâ„¢ (NBIMS-US). The Alliance received 45 submissions, which cover a range of topics that could have a significant impact on the way architectural, engineering and construction professionals use BIM. The ballots were separated into categories relating to: reference standards; information exchanges, including model view definitions (MVDs) and information delivery manuals (IDMs); best practices; and overview and guidelines, including updates to the NBIMS Version 1, Part … Read more

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