Architecture Billings Index Points to Possible Economic Improvement

Unfavorable business conditions remain, but inquiries by potential clients continue to grow Washington, D.C. — May 20 — After an eight-point jump in March, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) fell less than a full point in April. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the April ABI rating was 42.8, down from the 43.7 mark in March. This was the first time since August and September 2008 that the index was above 40 for consecutive … Read more

Filed under: Economic News, News

Nevada Bill Would Require Safety Training for Construction Workers

Carson City, NV — In response to a rash of deaths on construction projects in Las Vegas, the Assembly is pushing through a bill to require safety training for workers. “There were more deaths in two years than in the previous 10 years,” said Assembly Majority Leader John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas, who has headed the effort in developing Assembly Bill 148. The Assembly Ways and Means Committee on Saturday approved, without opposition, the bill and sent it to the floor of the House, which will vote on it next week. Don Jayne, director of the state Division of Industrial Relations, … Read more

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Turner Selected To Manage Construction Of $500M Terminal 2 Expansion At San Diego International Airport

Turner Managing $1 Billion of Work at 5 major Airports in State of California New York, N.Y. — Turner Construction Company was selected to serve as the design builder for the expansion of Terminal 2 at the San Diego International Airport in San Diego, Calif. The projected construction cost for the Terminal and Airside expansion is $500 million. Turner will manage the construction of the 470,000 sq. ft. expansion as the majority partner in a joint venture that includes Flatiron Corp., Turner's sister company, and PCL Construction Services, Inc. The project is targeting a LEED Silver Certification from the United … Read more

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ASHRAE Appoints First DOE Building Energy Codes Fellow

ATLANTA, Ga. – The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers has appointed its first Building Energy Codes ASHRAE Fellow in partnership with the Department of Energy. The new Fellow, Mike Erbesfeld, will assist the DOE in assessing the impact of updating state energy codes to meet the 2010 version of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1. “The fellowship is valuable in that I get to bring my industry perspective to the federal government, where I can illustrate the obstacles and pitfalls on the path to net-zero-energy buildings, says Erbesfeld. “At the same time, this collaboration will hopefully ease the communication among … Read more

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OSHA, Whiting-Turner Join to Enhance Safety During Hartford, Conn., Retail Construction Project

Hartford, CT. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has formed a site safety partnership with the Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. to reduce hazards and enhance worker safety during construction of the Front Street District Project retail center in Hartford. “Knowledge and training are key tools in evaluating, identifying and eliminating work-related hazards before they injure or sicken workers,” said C. William Freeman III, OSHA’s area director in Hartford. “This partnership takes a proactive and systematic approach to safety and health that will pay dividends in reduced human and financial costs, and increased morale and productivity.” … Read more

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